Deuteronomy Chapter 25 · Verse 15
But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Original Language Analysis
שְׁלֵמָ֛ה
But thou shalt have a perfect
H8003
שְׁלֵמָ֛ה
But thou shalt have a perfect
Strong's:
H8003
Word #:
2 of 20
complete (literally or figuratively); especially friendly
וָצֶ֖דֶק
and just
H6664
וָצֶ֖דֶק
and just
Strong's:
H6664
Word #:
3 of 20
the right (natural, moral or legal); also (abstractly) equity or (figuratively) prosperity
יִֽהְיֶה
H1961
יִֽהְיֶה
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
4 of 20
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
אֵיפָ֧ה
measure
H374
אֵיפָ֧ה
measure
Strong's:
H374
Word #:
6 of 20
an ephah or measure for grain; hence, a measure in general
שְׁלֵמָ֛ה
But thou shalt have a perfect
H8003
שְׁלֵמָ֛ה
But thou shalt have a perfect
Strong's:
H8003
Word #:
7 of 20
complete (literally or figuratively); especially friendly
וָצֶ֖דֶק
and just
H6664
וָצֶ֖דֶק
and just
Strong's:
H6664
Word #:
8 of 20
the right (natural, moral or legal); also (abstractly) equity or (figuratively) prosperity
יִֽהְיֶה
H1961
יִֽהְיֶה
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
9 of 20
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
לְמַ֙עַן֙
H4616
לְמַ֙עַן֙
Strong's:
H4616
Word #:
11 of 20
properly, heed, i.e., purpose; used only adverbially, on account of (as a motive or an aim), teleologically, in order that
יַֽאֲרִ֣יכוּ
may be lengthened
H748
יַֽאֲרִ֣יכוּ
may be lengthened
Strong's:
H748
Word #:
12 of 20
to be (causative, make) long (literally or figuratively)
יָמֶ֔יךָ
shalt thou have that thy days
H3117
יָמֶ֔יךָ
shalt thou have that thy days
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
13 of 20
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
עַ֚ל
H5921
עַ֚ל
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
14 of 20
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
אֲשֶׁר
H834
אֲשֶׁר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
16 of 20
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
יְהוָ֥ה
which the LORD
H3068
יְהוָ֥ה
which the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
17 of 20
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ
thy God
H430
אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ
thy God
Strong's:
H430
Word #:
18 of 20
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of
Cross References
Exodus 20:12Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.Deuteronomy 4:40Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever.
Historical Context
Delivered circa 1406 BC before Israel possessed the land and could forfeit it through disobedience. The conditional land promise pervades Deuteronomy—obedience brings longevity, rebellion brings exile (see Deuteronomy 28). This wasn't crude prosperity gospel but covenant reality: God gave the land, and sustained possession required continued faithfulness. Later prophets (Amos, Micah, Hosea) condemned marketplace fraud as contributing to Israel's judgment and exile, fulfilling this warning.
Questions for Reflection
- How does commercial integrity affect a nation's stability and prosperity, both ancient and modern?
- What's the connection between daily ethical choices (like honest business) and spiritual standing before God?
- How can Christians promote 'just weights' in modern complex economies (accurate advertising, fair contracts, transparent pricing)?
Analysis & Commentary
But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have—the positive command after negative prohibitions. The Hebrew even shelemah va-tzedek (אֶבֶן שְׁלֵמָה וָצֶדֶק) means 'complete/whole and righteous weight.' Perfect indicates accuracy and wholeness; just means righteous, fair, conforming to God's standard. That thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee—honest commerce was connected to national longevity in the Promised Land.
The promise links economic justice to covenant blessing. Societies built on fraud self-destruct as trust collapses and relationships fracture. Conversely, integrity creates sustainable prosperity—honest markets benefit all participants, enabling exchange and specialization. The land tenure promise appears throughout Deuteronomy, always conditioned on obedience. Commercial honesty wasn't peripheral ethics but covenant core—reflecting God's character in everyday business demonstrated covenant faithfulness as much as sacrifice and Sabbath.