Balances
Holman Bible Dictionary [1]
Leviticus 19:36 Job 6:2 Hosea 12:7
Balances were the basis of economic life. Money came in weighted units of gold and silver. These had to be weighed in the balance for every business transaction or purchase ( Jeremiah 32:9-10 ). Balances could be easily manipulated, especially by having weights which did not measure up to the proper amount or by having two sets of weights, one for buying and one for selling. God called on Israel for economic justice that began with proper weights and balances. (See Proverbs 11:1; Proverbs 16:11; Proverbs 20:23; Ezekiel 45:9-12; Hosea 12:7; Amos 8:5; Micah 6:10-11 .) In a figurative sense the balance was employed in the Bible to ask for a fair trial or judgment for the persecuted ( Job 31:6; Psalm 62:9 ).
Balances help teach about God. Only He can weigh the mountains in a balance ( Isaiah 40:12-13 ). Just balances show a person belongs to Him ( Proverbs 16:11 ), while foolish people weigh out lavish amounts of gold to make idols to worship ( Isaiah 46:6 ).
Jimmy Albright
Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types [2]
Job 6:2 (b) Job is indicating that GOD knows just how heavy each burden is and each sorrow. For this reason He knows just how much His servants can bear.
Job 31:6 (b) This figure is used to illustrate the way GOD estimates man's activities and motives. Only He knows the true value of our lives.
Isaiah 40:12 (a) GOD must arrange the exact amount of weight in every part of the earth in order to keep an even balance, so that the earth may rotate on its axis evenly. He has done so and knows the exact weight of every mountain, hill and ocean.
Ezekiel 5:1 (b) Here we see how GOD notices the smallest person and the smallest sin. He is interested in every detail of life and knows how important each movement is, whether right or wrong.
Daniel 5:27 (b) This represents GOD's judgment in Heaven wherein He weighed the life of the king on one side of the scales, and the just demands of the law on the other side. Of course, each life in every person is found wanting and not sufficient to meet GOD's holy requirements. We must have the imputed righteousness and righteous life which GOD gives to those who belong to Jesus Christ by faith.
Revelation 6:5 (b) Here is a symbol of GOD's careful adjustment of earthly supplies to man's needs. In this particular case the supply was greatly cut down as a punishment on the wicked people.
Morrish Bible Dictionary [3]
Moznayim, ζυγός, a pair of balances or scales: such are seen on the Egyptian monuments, with the weights in one scale and the article to be weighed in the other. They were needful also in early days for weighing the money: when Abraham bought a burying place he " weighed to Ephron the silver." Genesis 23:16 : cf. Jeremiah 32:10 . Job asked to be weighed in an even balance, Job 31:6 : cf. Leviticus 19:36; Ezekiel 45:10 , for men contrived to falsify the balance, as well as the weights, which was an abomination to the Lord. Proverbs 11:1; Proverbs 16:11; Hosea 12:7; Amos 8:5 . In Isaiah 46:6 another Hebrew word is used, qaneh, which signifies a reed, rod or beam, which may refer to the beam of the scales, for it is not known that the steel-yard was then in use. In Revelation 6:5 the rider on the black horse had a pair of balances with which to weigh out the food, showing that great scarcity will be one of God's judgements in the future.
Smith's Bible Dictionary [4]
Balances. Reference to balances is found in Leviticus 19:36. They were in common use, gold and silver being paid out and received by weight. Reference is also made in Micah 6:11; Hosea 12:7 to the dishonest practice of buying by heavier and selling by lighter weights.
