Deuteronomy 25:13You shall not have in your bag diverse weights, a great and a small.
The setting
Moab plains, ~1406 BC. Moses teaching commercial law to nomads about to become merchants in Canaan, modern-day Jordan.
The emotion here: urgent concern for the moral foundation of their future society
The original word
eben (אֶבֶן) — stone weights used on balance scales for measuring
Why it matters
Archaeologists have found ancient stone weights with different markings for buying vs selling
Read with care
What most readers miss in Deuteronomy 25:13
This isn't about accidentally having wrong weights - 'diverse' means intentionally keeping two sets
Common misconceptionPeople think this is just about ancient commerce, but God is establishing that economic integrity reflects heart integrity - your character shows in how you handle money.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Deuteronomy 25:13
Bible Genome reading
Deuteronomy 25:13 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Deuteronomy 25:13 comes from the book of Deuteronomy, written during the exodus period. These words are attributed to Moses. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the law genre of biblical literature. Key themes include honesty, business ethics, fairness. Notable phrases: diverse weights. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does Deuteronomy 25:13 mean to you, today?
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