Lexical Summary kis: Bag, purse, pouch Original Word: כִּיס Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bag, cup, purse A form for kowc; a cup; also a bag for money or weights -- bag, cup, purse. see HEBREW kowc NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition bag, purse NASB Translation bag (3), purse (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs כִּיס noun masculineProverbs 1:14 bag, purse (perhaps kindred with כּוֺס, q. v.; Arabic  (probably from Persian  Lane2640); Ethiopic  Late Hebrew כִּיס; Aramaic כִּיסָא,  , Palmyrene מן כיסה from his purse = at his own expense, Vogp. 13 and others) — bag, in which were carried: a. weights (see אֶבֶן 5) Deuteronomy 25:13; Micah 6:11; Proverbs 16:11; b. money, i.e. a purse Isaiah 46:6; Proverbs 1:14. כִּיִּר, [כִּיר], כִּירַיִם see below I. כור. כִּישׁוֺר see below כשׁר. כָּ֫כָה see below כה above כִּכָּר see below כרר; כֹּל see below I. כלל. Topical Lexicon Usage in the Old Testament1. Deuteronomy 25:13 sets the foundational ethical context: “You shall not have two differing weights in your bag—one heavy and one light.” Here כִּיס (kis) is the container that held standardized weights for trade. A corrupt merchant would hide unequal stones in the same pouch, a direct assault on covenantal justice. 2. Proverbs 1:14 records the predatory invitation of violent men: “Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse.” The common purse becomes a symbol of collective greed that seduces the naïve into bloodguilt. 3. Proverbs 16:11 returns to the commercial sphere: “Honest scales and balances belong to the LORD; all the weights in the bag are His work.” The proverb reinforces that every stone within the kis must conform to divine standards. Integrity in business is not merely social fairness but submission to God’s ownership of moral order. 4. Proverbs 23:31 uses the word figuratively in the warning against alcoholism. The imagery of wine that “goes down smoothly” (literally, “when it sparkles in the cup”) is paired with kis in the immediate context (verse 35) to portray a drunkard whose resources slip from his purse. A squandered kis evidences a life mastered by appetite. 5. Isaiah 46:6 describes idolatry’s vanity: “They pour out gold from their bag and weigh silver on the scales; they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god.” The kis is emptied in a futile expenditure that contrasts sharply with offerings to the living God. 6. Micah 6:11 delivers a legal indictment: “Shall I acquit a man with dishonest scales and a bag of deceptive weights?” The prophet echoes Deuteronomy, showing that covenant violations persist and will meet divine judgment. Historical Background In ancient Near Eastern markets, merchants carried polished stones of predetermined mass inside a leather or woven kis. Because coinage emerged late in Israel’s history, produce and metals were weighed, not counted. Portability made the kis indispensable, yet its concealment made fraud easy. Biblical law therefore legislated the integrity of the bag’s contents, embedding economic righteousness into Israel’s social fabric. Theological Themes 1. Divine Ownership of Standards: Just weights “belong to the LORD” (Proverbs 16:11). Accuracy in the kis represents acknowledgment of God as ultimate Lawgiver. 2. Community Trust: Commerce relied on mutual confidence that the kis held legitimate stones. Violating that trust fractured shalom in the covenant community. 3. The Seduction of Greed: Whether through shared plunder (Proverbs 1:14) or idolatrous spending (Isaiah 46:6), the kis exposes the heart’s allegiance. 4. Judgment and Vindication: Micah 6:11 situates the fraudulent kis in a courtroom scene, assuring both accountability for the wicked and protection for the oppressed. Prophetic Implications Prophets repeatedly leverage the kis to unmask systemic injustice. Their oracles reveal that worship and economics are inseparable; false scales in the marketplace equate to false worship in the sanctuary. Thus the kis serves as a diagnostic tool in prophetic ministry, measuring societal fidelity to God. Practical Ministry Considerations • Stewardship Teaching: Modern discipleship can invoke the kis to emphasize ethical business practices, budgeting, and transparent church finances. • Social Justice: Advocacy for fair trade and equitable labor policies mirrors the biblical mandate against a “bag of deceptive weights.” • Accountability Structures: Small groups and leadership teams can establish metaphorical “open bags,” fostering honesty in both personal and corporate dealings. Christological and New Testament Connections Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple and His frequent denunciations of greed align with the Old Testament concern for an honest kis. Judas Iscariot, who carried the disciples’ money bag and stole from it (John 12:6), stands as a tragic counterexample. Conversely, Zacchaeus’ restitution (Luke 19:8) illustrates repentance that brings the kis into conformity with divine justice. In the eschatological vision of Revelation, measured transactions give way to a city where “nothing unclean will ever enter it” (Revelation 21:27). The kis, once vulnerable to deceit, will finally and forever be free of corrupt weights in the kingdom of God. Forms and Transliterations בְּכִֽיסְךָ֖ בַּכֹּ֣וס בכוס בכיסך וּבְכִ֖יס ובכיס כִּ֥יס כִֽיס׃ כיס כיס׃ מִכִּ֔יס מכיס bak·kō·ws bakKos bakkōws bə·ḵî·sə·ḵā bechiseCha bəḵîsəḵā Chis kis kîs ḵîs mik·kîs mikKis mikkîs ū·ḇə·ḵîs ūḇəḵîs uveChisLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 25:13 HEB: יִהְיֶ֥ה לְךָ֛ בְּכִֽיסְךָ֖ אֶ֣בֶן וָאָ֑בֶן NAS: You shall not have in your bag differing KJV: Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, INT: shall not have your bag differing weights Proverbs 1:14 Proverbs 16:11 Proverbs 23:31 Isaiah 46:6 Micah 6:11 6 Occurrences |
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