Micah 6:11
What does Micah 6:11 mean?
A plain-English look at Micah 6:11 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Micah 6:11 means
Micah continues God's challenge to the city's dishonest practices, questioning how anyone could claim innocence while employing "wicked balances" and "deceitful weights." These were common tools for cheating in trade, designed to give less produce to the buyer or take more for the seller. The rhetorical question implies that such actions make moral purity impossible. It highlights the pervasive nature of their commercial fraud, demonstrating a systemic rejection of fairness and integrity.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Shall I be pure with wicked balances, and with a bag of deceitful weights?
KJV
King James Version · 1611Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Shall I be pure with wicked balances, and with a bag of deceitful weights?
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Is it possible for me to let wrong scales and the bag of false weights go without punishment?
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Do I reckon <FI>it<Fi> pure with balances of wickedness? And with a bag of deceitful stones?
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Shall I justify wicked balances, and the deceitful weights of the bag?
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Shall I be pure with the unjust balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?
Context
Building on the accusation of dishonest measures in verse 10, this verse extends the indictment to include "wicked balances" and "deceitful weights." It continues to expose specific commercial frauds, showing how deeply embedded injustice was in their daily economic life. This further emphasizes the contrast between their actions and God's demand for justice, setting the stage for the summary of moral decay that follows and the inevitable consequences.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Hosea 12:7
He isa trafficker, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.
- Proverbs 16:11
A just balance and scales are Jehovah’s; All the weights of the bag are his work.
- Leviticus 19:36
Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am Jehovah your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
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