Deuteronomy 25:13

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Deuteronomy 25:13 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Thou shalt not have in thy bag diverse weights, a great and a small.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Thou shalt not have in thy bag diverse weights, a great and a small.
Deuteronomy 25:13 — American Standard Version

Context — Deuteronomy 25

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
13Thou shalt not have in thy bag diverse weights, a great and a small.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, etc.] Or, “a stone and a stone” f465; it being usual, in those times and countries, to have their weights of stone, as it was formerly with us here; we still say, that such a commodity is worth so much per stone, a stone being of such a weight; now these were not to be different: a great and a small; great weights, to buy with them, and small weights, to sell with them, as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it.”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Thou shalt not have . . . divers weights--Weights were anciently made of stone and are frequently used still by Eastern shopkeepers and traders, who take them out of the bag and put them in the balance. The man who is not cheated by the trader and his bag of divers weights must be blessed with more acuteness than most of his fellows [ROBERTS]. (Compare Pro 16:11; Pro 20:10).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Honesty in trade, as a duty to our neighbor, is emphatically enforced once more (compare Leviticus 19:35-36). It is noteworthy that John the Baptist puts the like duties in the forefront of his preaching (compare Luke 3:12 ff); and that “the prophets” (compare Ezekiel 45:10-12; Amos 8:5; Micah 6:10-11) and “the Psalms” Proverbs 16:11; Proverbs 20:10, Proverbs 20:23, not less than “the Law,” especially insist on them. Deuteronomy 25:13 Divers weights - i. e. stones of unequal weights, the lighter to sell with, the heavier to buy with. Stones were used by the Jews instead of brass or lead for their weights, as less liable to lose anything through rust or wear. Deuteronomy 25:17-19 It was not…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“A great and a small - The great to buy with, the small for selling. Deuteronomy 25:17”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“25:13-14 You must use accurate scales . . . full and honest measures (Hebrew you must not have stone and stone, large and small, . . . ephah and ephah, large and small): Merchants were not to use two sets of weights and measures for cheating customers—a heavier weight or measure when purchasing goods (thus reducing their own cost) and a lighter one when selling them (thus increasing their own profit).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“in thy bag: Lev 19:35, Lev 19:36; Pro 11:1, Pro 16:11, Pro 20:10; Eze 45:10, Eze 45:11; Amo 8:5; Mic 6:11, Mic 6:12 divers weights: Heb. a stone and a stone, Aivenwaaiven; because weights were anciently made of stone. Hence the expression, a stone weight, which is still in use, though the matter of which it is made be lead or iron, and the name itself shews us that a stone of a certain weight was formerly used. Deuteronomy 25:14”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“The duty of integrity in trade is once more enforced in Deu 25:13-16 (as in Lev 19:35-36). "Stone and stone," i.e., two kinds of stones for weighing (cf. Psa 12:3), viz., large ones for buying and small ones for selling. On the promise in Deu 25:15, see Deu 4:26; Deu 5:16; Deu 25:16, as in Deu 22:5; Deu 18:12, etc. In the concluding words, Deu 25:16, "all that do unrighteously," Moses sums up all breaches of the law. Deuteronomy 25:17”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification