Leviticus 19:35
in Leviticus 19You must not use dishonest measures of length, weight, or volume.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in measures of length, of weight, or of quantity.
KJV
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.
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This verse in Leviticus 19
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The ephah is here taken as the standard of dry measure, and the bin (see Exo 29:40 note) as the standard of liquid measure. Of the two very different estimates of the capacities of these measures, the more probable is that the ephah did not hold quite four gallons and a half, and the hin not quite six pints. The log was a twelfth part of the hin Lev 14:10. Lev 19:36 I am the Lord your God ... - A full stop should precede these words.
This site's exposition
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment
on Leviticus 19:35-37
Verse 35 opens with the sentence that opened verse 15, ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, and applies it to the meteyard, the weight and the measure. The courtroom and the market are put under one rule, so a short measure is handled as a wrong verdict. Proverbs 11:1 keeps that pairing, calling a false balance an abomination to the LORD, and Deuteronomy 25:13-16 gives the law again with divers weights in the bag. The chapter closes on I am the LORD, which falls fifteen times in these thirty seven verses, a third of every occurrence in the book.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
In mete-yard - In the measuring of lands, or dry things, as cloth, ribband. In measure - In the measuring liquid or such dry things as are only contigious, as corn or wine.
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Ye shall do no unrighteousness - Ye shall not act contrary to the strictest justice in any case, and especially in the four following, which properly understood, comprise all that can occur between a man and his fellow. 1. Judgment in all cases that come before the civil magistrate; he is to judge and decide according to the law. 2. Mete-Yard, במדה bammiddah, in measures of length and surface, such as the reed, cubit, foot, span, hand’s breadth, among the Jews; or ell, yard, foot, and inch, among us. 3. Weight, במשכל bammishkal, in any thing that is weighed, the weights being all according to the standards kept for the purpose of trying the rest in the sanctuary, as appears from Exo 30:13; 1Ch 23:29; these weights were the talent, shekel, barleycorn, etc. 4. Measure, במשורה bammesurah, from which we derive our term. This refers to all measures of capacity, such as the homer, ephah, seah, hin, omer, kab, and log. See all these explained at Exo 16:16 (note).
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תַעֲשׂ֥וּ | taasu | you will do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| עָ֖וֶל | ʾavel | injustice | H5766 → | |
| בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֑ט | bamishpat | in <the> judgment | H4941 → | 422 times |
| בַּמִּדָּ֕ה | bamidah | in <the> measurement | H4060 → | |
| בַּמִּשְׁקָ֖ל | bamishkal | in <the> weight | H4948 → | |
| וּבַמְּשׂוּרָֽה׃ | uvamesurah | and in <the> volume | H4884 → |
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
תַעֲשׂ֥וּyou will do
taasuH6213 →2628 times
עָ֖וֶלinjustice
ʾavelH5766 →
בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֑טin <the> judgment
bamishpatH4941 →422 times
בַּמִּדָּ֕הin <the> measurement
bamidahH4060 →
בַּמִּשְׁקָ֖לin <the> weight
bamishkalH4948 →
וּבַמְּשׂוּרָֽה׃and in <the> volume
uvamesurahH4884 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Micah 6:1Hear now what the LORD says: “Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 22:29
O land, land, land, hear the word of the LORD!
- Deuteronomy 32:1
Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
- Micah 1:2
Hear, O peoples, all of you; listen, O earth, and everyone in it! May the Lord GOD bear witness against you, the Lord from His holy temple.
- Ezekiel 36:1
“And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say: O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD.
- Psalms 50:4
He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that He may judge His people:
- Jeremiah 22:29
Through
Matthew 7:2For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
it leads to
- James 2:13
For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
- Mark 4:24
He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more will be added to you.
- Obadiah 1:15
For the Day of the LORD is near for all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your recompense will return upon your own head.
- James 2:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies6
About Leviticus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.