What is the meaning of Leviticus 19:35? You must not use dishonest measures • The command is absolute, leaving no loophole for small cheats or “white lies.” In Proverbs 11:1 “Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but an accurate weight is His delight.” God links personal integrity with worship; to cheat a neighbor is to offend Him directly (see also Deuteronomy 25:13-16 and Micah 6:11). • The verse forms part of the wider call to holiness in Leviticus 19, showing that everyday business dealings are spiritual matters. • By making the word “dishonest” central, the text teaches that the problem is not the tool but the heart. A redeemed life reflects God’s truthfulness (Ephesians 4:25). of length • In ancient trade, cloth, lumber, and fields were all measured by cords or rods. Shaving an inch here or stretching a line there was theft in slow motion (Proverbs 20:10). • God’s concern reaches to boundary stones: “Do not move your neighbor’s landmark” (Deuteronomy 19:14). Honest linear measurement protects family inheritance and preserves community trust. • Modern parallels: accurate billing by the hour, honest mileage reporting, square-footage listings. The principle holds whether we sell fabric or software licenses. weight • Stones in a pouch (Proverbs 16:11) could be swapped to tilt the scales. The Lord insists, “You are to use honest scales” (Ezekiel 45:10). • Balanced weights reflect God’s own balance of justice and mercy. Cheating by weight invites His judgment, as in Amos 8:4-7 where merchants “skimp the measure” and “boost the price.” • Today, tampering with shipping scales, food portions, or digital “weights” such as data usage violates this same command. or volume • Liquid and dry capacities—jars, ephahs, and baths—had standardized sizes (Deuteronomy 25:14). Shorting the measure robbed both buyer and God, who received firstfruits based on those measures (Nehemiah 10:35-37). • Amos 8:5 condemns those who “make the bushel smaller and the shekel bigger.” God notices discrepancies even when hidden in a warehouse or spreadsheet. • Contemporary applications: honest fuel pumps, accurate measuring cups in factories, truthful product labeling. summary Leviticus 19:35, “You must not use dishonest measures of length, weight, or volume”, grounds everyday commerce in the character of God. Integrity in the marketplace is worship in motion. Whether we measure inches, pounds, gallons, or gigabytes, the Lord who sees the heart calls His people to reflect His truthfulness, protecting neighbor and honoring Him. |
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