Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?
Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat—This verse exposes the merchants' hearts: they observe religious festivals outwardly while resenting them inwardly. New moon (חֹדֶשׁ, chodesh) marked monthly celebrations with rest from commerce (Numbers 10:10, 28:11-15; Isaiah 1:13-14). Sabbath (שַׁבָּת, shabbat) commanded weekly rest (Exodus 20:8-11). These oppressors endure religious obligations impatiently, eager to resume profit-making.
The commercial activities they anticipate reveal systematic fraud: making the ephah small (לְהַקְטִין אֵיפָה, lehaqtin eifah)—using undersized measures when selling grain, so customers pay full price for reduced quantity. And the shekel great (וּלְהַגְדִּיל שֶׁקֶל, ulehagdil shekel)—using heavy weights when collecting payment, so merchants receive inflated value. Falsifying the balances by deceit (וּלְעַוֵּת מֹאזְנֵי מִרְמָה, ule'avvet moznei mirmah)—rigging scales to cheat customers. Every transaction involved calculated theft.
This triple fraud violated 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." God commanded commercial honesty because economics is worship—how we treat others in marketplace transactions reveals our view of God. These merchants kept Sabbath externally but violated its spirit by viewing it as interruption to exploitation rather than sacred time honoring God and protecting workers. Jesus condemned similar hypocrisy: the Pharisees tithed herbs but neglected justice and mercy (Matthew 23:23).
Historical Context
Ancient commerce relied on standardized measures: the ephah (dry measure, ~22 liters) for grain, the shekel (weight, ~11.4 grams) for precious metals, and balance scales for weighing. Without modern enforcement, merchants could easily manipulate measures—keeping multiple sets of weights/measures, using worn scales, or employing sleight-of-hand. Archaeological discoveries include both honest and fraudulent weights, confirming such practices existed.
Sabbath and new moon festivals required cessation of commerce, protecting workers from exploitation and maintaining covenant rhythms. But Israel's merchants resented these restrictions, viewing them as lost profit opportunities rather than acts of worship. Their question "When will [the festival] be gone?" reveals hearts devoted to mammon, not God. They resembled the Pharisees who devoured widows' houses while making long prayers (Luke 20:47)—religious externalism masking greedy hearts.
Questions for Reflection
How do modern believers sometimes treat corporate worship as interruption to pursuits we really value, and what does this reveal about our true priorities?
What forms of "making the ephah small and the shekel great" exist in contemporary business practices, and how should Christians respond?
Analysis & Commentary
Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat—This verse exposes the merchants' hearts: they observe religious festivals outwardly while resenting them inwardly. New moon (חֹדֶשׁ, chodesh) marked monthly celebrations with rest from commerce (Numbers 10:10, 28:11-15; Isaiah 1:13-14). Sabbath (שַׁבָּת, shabbat) commanded weekly rest (Exodus 20:8-11). These oppressors endure religious obligations impatiently, eager to resume profit-making.
The commercial activities they anticipate reveal systematic fraud: making the ephah small (לְהַקְטִין אֵיפָה, lehaqtin eifah)—using undersized measures when selling grain, so customers pay full price for reduced quantity. And the shekel great (וּלְהַגְדִּיל שֶׁקֶל, ulehagdil shekel)—using heavy weights when collecting payment, so merchants receive inflated value. Falsifying the balances by deceit (וּלְעַוֵּת מֹאזְנֵי מִרְמָה, ule'avvet moznei mirmah)—rigging scales to cheat customers. Every transaction involved calculated theft.
This triple fraud violated 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." God commanded commercial honesty because economics is worship—how we treat others in marketplace transactions reveals our view of God. These merchants kept Sabbath externally but violated its spirit by viewing it as interruption to exploitation rather than sacred time honoring God and protecting workers. Jesus condemned similar hypocrisy: the Pharisees tithed herbs but neglected justice and mercy (Matthew 23:23).