Can I forget any longer, O house of the wicked, the treasures of wickedness and the short ephah, which is accursed?
Parallel translations
- WEB Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and a short ephah that is accursed?
- KJV Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?
- NKJV Are there yet the treasures of wickedness In the house of the wicked, And the short measure that is an abomination?
- NASB “Is there still a person in the wicked house, Along with treasures of wickedness, And a short measure that is cursed?
- NLT What shall I say about the homes of the wicked filled with treasures gained by cheating? What about the disgusting practice of measuring out grain with dishonest measures?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God indicts the wicked for hoarding ill-gotten wealth and using fraudulent, undersized measures. It condemns dishonest gain as something He abhors.
Overview
The LORD exposes specific sins: "treasures of wickedness" gained by injustice and the "short ephah," a cheating measure used to defraud buyers. Such practices violate the justice God requires (v. 8) and bring His curse. God's concern for honest dealings shows that true faith touches everyday commerce, and that the gospel reshapes how we treat our neighbor.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Amos 3:10“For they know not how to do right,” declares the LORD. “They store up violence and destruction in their citadels.”
- Prov 20:10Differing weights and unequal measures—both are detestable to the LORD.
- Amos 8:5–6asking, “When will the New Moon be over, that we may sell grain? When will the Sabbath end, that we may market wheat? Let us reduce the ephah and increase the shekel; let us cheat with dishonest scales.
- Prov 21:6Making a fortune by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist, a deadly pursuit.
- Jer 5:26–27For among My people are wicked men; they watch like fowlers lying in wait; they set a trap to catch men.
- Jas 5:1–4Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you.
- Deut 25:13–16You shall not have two differing weights in your bag, one heavy and one light.
- Prov 10:2Ill-gotten treasures profit nothing, but righteousness brings deliverance from death.
- 2 Kgs 5:23–24But Naaman insisted, “Please, take two talents.” And he urged Gehazi to accept them. Then he tied up two talents of silver in two bags along with two sets of clothing and gave them to two of his servants, who carried them ahead of Gehazi.
- Ezek 45:9–12For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Enough, O princes of Israel! Cease your violence and oppression, and do what is just and right. Stop dispossessing My people, declares the Lord GOD.’
- Prov 20:23Unequal weights are detestable to the LORD, and dishonest scales are no good.
- Hab 2:5–11and wealth indeed betrays him. He is an arrogant man never at rest. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, and like Death, he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations to himself and collects all the peoples as his own.
- Lev 19:35–36You must not use dishonest measures of length, weight, or volume.
- Prov 11:1Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but an accurate weight is His delight.
- Josh 7:1The Israelites, however, acted unfaithfully regarding the things devoted to destruction. Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was set apart. So the anger of the LORD burned against the Israelites.
- Zech 5:3–4Then he told me, “This is the curse that is going out over the face of all the land, for according to one side of the scroll, every thief will be removed; and according to the other side, every perjurer will be removed.
- Hos 12:7–8A merchant loves to defraud with dishonest scales in his hands.
- Zeph 1:9On that day I will punish all who leap over the threshold, who fill the house of their master with violence and deceit.
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Christ at the center
Micah names the town — 'But you, Bethlehem... from you shall come forth one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origins are from of old' — the birthplace of the eternal King.
How Micah 6:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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