Question 1

What does it mean to have just balances, a just ephah, and a just bath?

Accepted Answer

Having just balances, a just ephah, and a just bath means using honest and accurate tools in trade. The balances are the scales for weighing. The ephah is a dry measure for things like grain, and the bath is a liquid measure for things like oil or wine. God is telling the people not to change these sizes or weights to cheat others. When someone buys or sells, what they think they are getting should match what is actually given. God cares about this kind of everyday honesty.

Question 2

What are an ephah, a bath, and a homer in this passage?

Accepted Answer

An ephah and a bath are two kinds of measures. The ephah is used for dry goods like wheat or barley. The bath is used for liquids like wine or oil. In this passage, God says both the ephah and the bath must match each other in size, each being one tenth of a homer. The homer is the larger base measure. By tying them all together, God makes sure there is one clear standard so people cannot change measures to gain an unfair profit.

Question 3

What is a shekel, a gerah, and a maneh, and how do they relate?

Accepted Answer

A shekel is a unit of money and weight made of silver. A gerah is a smaller unit, with twenty gerahs making one shekel. The passage also mentions a maneh, which is a larger unit counted in shekels. Here, God says that twenty shekels, twenty‑five shekels, and fifteen shekels together make one maneh, for a total of sixty shekels. These set standards show how money should be valued, so coins and weights are not altered to cheat people in buying, selling, or paying.

Question 4

Why does God give such detailed rules about measures and money here?

Accepted Answer

God gives detailed rules about measures and money because the leaders and people had been using power and trade to wrong others. Unfair scales, changed measures, and altered coins can quietly steal from buyers and the poor. By setting clear standards for weights, measures, and money, God is ending hidden forms of theft and oppression. This shows that serving God is not just about worship times, but also about how people conduct business, treat their neighbors, and use their authority every day.

Question 5

How does this passage show God’s concern for justice and fairness?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows God’s concern for justice and fairness in a very practical way. Instead of only speaking about justice in general terms, God addresses the tools people used in trade: scales, measures, and coins. He commands that they be accurate and consistent so no one is tricked. God also speaks to the princes of Israel nearby, telling them to stop violence, spoil, and heavy demands. Together, these words reveal that God watches how people gain money and power and expects them to act with fairness and honesty.

Question 6

How were the princes of Israel connected to these rules about weights and measures?

Accepted Answer

The princes of Israel are directly connected because they had used their positions to oppress the people through violence, spoil, and unfair demands. God tells them to stop these practices and then gives specific rules for fair measures and money. As leaders, they were responsible to oversee trade and justice in the land. If they allowed false weights or changed coins, they shared in the wrongdoing. These commands remind leaders that their duty is to protect the people, not to use the system to enrich themselves.

Question 7

How can the teachings about honest weights and measures apply today?

Accepted Answer

Today, most people do not trade with ephahs, baths, or shekels, but the heart of this passage still fits modern life. God cares that people are honest in business, pricing, contracts, wages, and taxes. Using false numbers, hiding fees, or changing terms to trap others is like using crooked scales. This passage calls people to be clear and fair in what they promise and what they deliver. It also challenges leaders and authorities to set and enforce fair standards that protect people from quiet forms of injustice.

Question 8

Why might this passage feel hard to understand with all the ancient units?

Accepted Answer

This passage can feel hard to understand because it uses old units of measure and money that people do not use today, like ephah, bath, homer, shekel, gerah, and maneh. The details can seem technical or distant from everyday life. But when you see that all these units are about making trade fair and stopping cheating, the main point becomes clearer. The exact modern values are less important than the message: God wants honest and consistent standards so that people treat each other fairly in practical matters.

Ezekiel 45:10

Ye shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath.

Honest Scales

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Ezekiel 45:10

Ye shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath.

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Honest Scales

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