Micah 6:11
Micah 6:11 in Multiple Translations
Can I excuse dishonest scales or bags of false weights?
Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?
Shall I be pure with wicked balances, and with a bag of deceitful weights?
Is it possible for me to let wrong scales and the bag of false weights go without punishment?
How can I accept those who use unfair scales and dishonest weights?
Shall I iustifie the wicked balances, and the bag of deceitfull weightes?
Do I reckon [it] pure with balances of wickedness? And with a bag of deceitful stones?
Shall I tolerate dishonest scales, and a bag of deceitful weights?
Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?
Shall I justify wicked balances, and the deceitful weights of the bag?
Do you think that [RHQ] I should say nothing about people who use scales that do not weigh correctly, and who use weights that are not accurate?
Berean Amplified Bible — Micah 6:11
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Micah 6:11 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
הַ/אֶזְכֶּ֖ה
בְּ/מֹ֣אזְנֵי
רֶ֑שַׁע
וּ/בְ/כִ֖יס
אַבְנֵ֥י
מִרְמָֽה
הַ/אֶזְכֶּ֖ה
zâkâh
H2135
to clean
Part | V-Qal-Imperf-1cs
בְּ/מֹ֣אזְנֵי
môʼzên
H3976
balance
Prep | N-md
רֶ֑שַׁע
reshaʻ
H7562
wickedness
N-ms
וּ/בְ/כִ֖יס
kîyç
H3599
purse
Conj | Prep | N-ms
אַבְנֵ֥י
ʼeben
H68
stone
N-fp
מִרְמָֽה
mirmâh
H4820
deceit
N-fs
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Micah 6:11
הַ/אֶזְכֶּ֖ה
zâkâh
H2135
"to clean"
Part | V-Qal-Imperf-1cs
This verb means to make something clean, like washing away sins. In the Bible, it's used to describe God's people being purified and made righteous. It appears in Leviticus and Ezekiel, emphasizing God's desire for cleanliness.
Definition: 1) to be clean, be pure, be clear 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be clean, be pure 1a2) to be clear, be justified 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to make clean, make pure, keep clean, keep pure 1c) (Hithpael) 1c1) to cleanse 1c2) to make yourself clean, purify oneself
Usage: Occurs in 8 OT verses. KJV: be (make) clean, cleanse, be clear, count pure. See also: Job 15:14; Psalms 119:9; Psalms 51:6.
בְּ/מֹ֣אזְנֵי
môʼzên
H3976
"balance"
Prep | N-md
In the Bible, this word means a pair of scales used for weighing, like the ones in the book of Leviticus. It symbolizes fairness and justice. The prophet Daniel also used scales in his visions.
Definition: scales, balances Aramaic equivalent: mo.zen (מֹאזֵנְיָא "scale" H3977)
Usage: Occurs in 15 OT verses. KJV: balances. See also: Leviticus 19:36; Isaiah 40:12; Psalms 62:10.
רֶ֑שַׁע
reshaʻ
H7562
"wickedness"
N-ms
The Hebrew word for wickedness, describing wrong or immoral actions, as seen in the wickedness of enemies or those hostile to God. It appears in various forms, such as iniquity or wickedness. This concept is discussed in biblical books like Psalms and Proverbs.
Definition: 1) wrong, wickedness, guilt 1a) wickedness (as violence and crime against civil law) 1b) wickedness (of enemies) 1c) wickedness (in ethical relations)
Usage: Occurs in 29 OT verses. KJV: iniquity, wicked(-ness). See also: Deuteronomy 9:27; Proverbs 12:3; Psalms 5:5.
וּ/בְ/כִ֖יס
kîyç
H3599
"purse"
Conj | Prep | N-ms
A purse or bag was used to carry money or weights in ancient times. It was a container made of leather or cloth, used for storing valuables. In the Bible, it is mentioned in the books of Genesis and Zechariah.
Definition: 1) bag, purse 1a) for weights, money
Usage: Occurs in 6 OT verses. KJV: bag, cup, purse. See also: Deuteronomy 25:13; Proverbs 23:31; Proverbs 1:14.
אַבְנֵ֥י
ʼeben
H68
"stone"
N-fp
In the Bible, this word refers to a stone, which could be a rock, a weight, or even a precious gem. It is used to describe a variety of objects, from building materials to hailstones. The KJV translates it as stone or weight.
Definition: : weight 1) stone (large or small) 1a) common stone (in natural state) 1b) stone, as material 1b1) of tablets 1b2) marble, hewn stones 1c) precious stones, stones of fire 1d) stones containing metal (ore), tool for work or weapon 1e) weight 1f) plummet (stones of destruction) also made of metal 1g) stonelike objects, eg hailstones, stony heart, ice 1h) sacred object, as memorial Samuel set up to mark where God helped Israel to defeat the Philistines 1i) (simile) 1i1) sinking in water, motionlessness 1i2) strength, firmness, solidity 1i3) commonness 1j) (metaph) 1j1) petrified with terror 1j2) perverse, hard heart
Usage: Occurs in 239 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] carbuncle, [phrase] mason, [phrase] plummet, (chalk-, hail-, head-, sling-) stone(-ny), (divers) weight(-s). See also: Genesis 2:12; 1 Samuel 6:15; Psalms 91:12.
מִרְמָֽה
mirmâh
H4820
"deceit"
N-fs
This Hebrew word means deceit or cheating, like when someone tricks or lies to another person. It appears in stories about dishonest people, like in Jeremiah 8:10, where the prophet talks about the deceit of the Israelites. The word is often translated as 'deceit' or 'craft' in English Bibles.
Definition: deceit, treachery
Usage: Occurs in 38 OT verses. KJV: craft, deceit(-ful, -fully), false, feigned, guile, subtilly, treachery. See also: Genesis 27:35; Proverbs 11:1; Psalms 5:7.
Study Notes — Micah 6:11
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Micah 6:11 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Micah 6:11
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Micah 6:11
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Micah 6:11
- Trapp's Commentary on Micah 6:11
- Ellicott's Commentary on Micah 6:11
- Cambridge Bible on Micah 6:11
- Barnes' Notes on Micah 6:11
- Whedon's Commentary on Micah 6:11
- Sermons on Micah 6:11
Context — The Punishment of Israel
9The voice of the LORD calls out to the city (and it is sound wisdom to fear Your name): “Heed the rod and the One who ordained it.
10Can I forget any longer, O house of the wicked, the treasures of wickedness and the short ephah, which is accursed?
11Can I excuse dishonest scales or bags of false weights?
12For the wealthy of the city are full of violence, and its residents speak lies; their tongues are deceitful in their mouths. 13Therefore I am striking you severely, to ruin you because of your sins.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hosea 12:7 | A merchant loves to defraud with dishonest scales in his hands. |
| 2 | Leviticus 19:36 | You shall maintain honest scales and weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. |
| 3 | Proverbs 16:11 | Honest scales and balances are from the LORD; all the weights in the bag are His concern. |
Micah 6:11 Summary
In Micah 6:11, God is asking if He can excuse or overlook the use of dishonest scales and false weights. This means that God takes cheating and deception very seriously, and we should too. We can learn from other parts of the Bible, such as Proverbs 10:2, that honest business practices are important to God. By being honest and fair in our dealings with others, we reflect the character of God and demonstrate our love for Him and for our neighbors, as taught in Matthew 22:37-40.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main issue God is addressing in Micah 6:11?
The main issue is the use of dishonest scales and false weights, which is a form of cheating and deception, as seen in other parts of the Bible such as Proverbs 11:1 and Deuteronomy 25:13-16.
Why is God concerned about dishonest business practices?
God is concerned because dishonest business practices are a form of injustice and a violation of the command to love our neighbors as ourselves, as stated in Leviticus 19:18 and Matthew 22:39.
How does this verse relate to our everyday lives?
This verse reminds us that our actions, including our business dealings, have consequences and are subject to God's judgment, as seen in Romans 14:12 and 2 Corinthians 5:10.
What is the significance of the phrase 'bags of false weights'?
The phrase 'bags of false weights' refers to the practice of using deceptive means to cheat others, and it highlights the seriousness of this sin in God's eyes, as also warned against in Amos 8:5 and Ezekiel 45:10.
Reflection Questions
- In what ways can I ensure that my own business practices and daily actions are honest and just, reflecting the character of God?
- How can I balance the desire for financial gain with the need to act with integrity and fairness towards others, as taught in Luke 12:15 and 1 Timothy 6:10?
- What are some areas in my life where I may be tempted to use 'dishonest scales' or 'bags of false weights', and how can I guard against this?
- How can I cultivate a heart of justice and compassion, as reflected in Micah 6:8, in my interactions with others and in my community?
Gill's Exposition on Micah 6:11
Shall I count [them] pure with the wicked balances,.... These are the words either of the prophet, or rather of God, signifying that he could not, and would not, allow, countenance, and approve of
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Micah 6:11
Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights? Shall I count them pure - literally, 'Shall I be pure with,' etc.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Micah 6:11
Shall I? it may have some reference to the prophet, as speaking of himself, appointed of God to be a reprover and impartial censurer of the sins of this people; When I am so to judge of them by their doings, shall I flatter them, and say they are better than they are? but it better refers to God himself. Count them pure; approve, justify, or acquit them, as if they were righteous, and not worthy to be punished? Shall I let them escape who are such unjust persons? This question implieth a strong negation. The wicked balances: this kind is put for all the rest, wherewith things bought and sold were apportioned, and by which buyers and sellers were ascertained how much they bought. The bag; in which they both kept their weights at home, and carried them about with them. Deceitful weights, Heb. stones of deceit; they did (as in many places with us men do) use stones for weights, and this unjust people did cheat both at home and abroad, both the balance and its weights were deceitful, and condemned, ,36 Deuteronomy 25:13-16.
Trapp's Commentary on Micah 6:11
Micah 6:11 Shall I count [them] pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?Ver. 11. Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances?] Shall I clear and acquit such? I that am the righteous judge of heaven and earth, I abhor all injustice; I that have named myself a God that will by no means clear the guilty, nor take the wicked by the hand? Exodus 34:7 Job 8:20. Do they think to draw me in as a party; or, that I will bear with their false and fraudulent dealings, which I have so often declared against, and doomed both in the law, and by my servants Solomon, Amos, and others. No: assure yourselves, your sins shall find you out, and I will curse you, smite you, plague you, and so set it on, as no creature shall be able to take it off. Let earthly judges warp as they will, and wink at sin, I neither can nor will; but as men have sowed, so they shall reap; as they have sowed in hardness of heart, so they shah reap in horror of conscience, et quorum oculos culpa clausit, poena aperiet, as they have lived unconscionably, so they shall die uncomfortably; at which times, their treasures of wickedness shall leave them in the lurch; as the devil leaves witches, when they come to prison.
Ellicott's Commentary on Micah 6:11
(11) Shall I count them pure?—Rather, Can I be innocent with the deceitful balances? The enactments about weights were very stringently expressed in the Law, both affirmatively and negatively: e.g., in Leviticus 19:35-36, “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have.” And, “thou shalt not have in thy house divers weights,” . . . and “divers measures, a great and small” (Deuteronomy 25:13-14).
Cambridge Bible on Micah 6:11
11. Shall I count them pure …] This rendering is barely defensible, even if we alter the vowel-points. It was dictated by the very natural feeling that the speaker ought to be the same person as in Micah 6:10. Keil thinks that the reading of the Hebrew text may be justified, if we suppose the speaker to be the prophet speaking as the representative of the human conscience. The text-reading is, Can I be pure, &c., which, according to this commentator, means ‘Can a man be pure?’ It is simpler, however, and in accordance with what we know of the confusions of Hebrew pronunciation, to follow the Septuagint, the Peshito, and the Targum, and restore the third person instead of the first; unless, looking at Micah 6:12, we prefer to read the verb in the second person, ‘Canst thou (O Jerusalem) be pure.’ For the prophet continues, ‘The rich men thereof’ (i.e. of Jerusalem).
Barnes' Notes on Micah 6:11
Shall I count them pure? - Rather, (as the English margin) “Shall I be pure?” The prophet takes for the time their person and bids them judge themselves in him.
Whedon's Commentary on Micah 6:11
11. Shall I count them pure — This is an impossible rendering of the Hebrew, but it is supported by Vulgate; the Hebrew reads, “Shall I be pure?” If this is original, the people must be the speaker;
Sermons on Micah 6:11
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Hosea #3 Ch. 4-5 Israel's Willful Ignorance by Chuck Missler | In this sermon on the book of Hosea, the speaker begins by highlighting the broken home of Israel as a result of their adulterous relationship with God. The focus then shifts to ch |
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Breaking Free From a Controlling Spirit by Don Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the power of God to break free from controlling spirits. He refers to the story of Elijah in the Bible, where an angel of the Lord came to h |
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February 7. 1678. Weights and Measures. by Jane Lead | Jane Lead preaches about the importance of weighing ourselves with the Golden Weight or Shekel of the Sanctuary, emphasizing that anything short of that divine standard will be una |
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Surely Something Must Be Amiss With the Scales! by C.H. Spurgeon | C.H. Spurgeon emphasizes the necessity of honesty in all aspects of life, particularly in business and moral judgments, urging Christians to examine their scales and balances. He p |
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Epistle 103 by George Fox | George Fox preaches about the importance of staying within God's boundaries and fearing Him to receive divine wisdom, enabling believers to order their lives to glorify God and ref |