About Dishonest Scales

"The use of metals in the rude state was attended with two very considerable inconveniences; first, with the trouble of weighing, and secondly, with that of assaying them. In the precious metals, where a small difference in the quantity makes a great difference in the value, even the business of weighing, with proper exactness, requires at least very accurate weights and scales. The weighing of gold, in particular, is an operation of some nicety."

Wealth of Nations

This passage reminded me of the Old Testament prophets admonitions of using wrong weigths and scales. It must have been a real problem:

"Shall I be pure with dishonest scales, And with a bag of deceitful weights?"

Micah 6:11

Now there are many different ways of fraud, but certainly by understanding that the weigths and scales at the bottom speak of the same question of fraud we can bring the old prophets to bear on our present difficulties:

"The opportunities for knavery are certainly more numerous than they were."

Principles of Economics

So, let us remember:

"Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall you have. I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt."

Leviticus 19:36

"You shall not have in your bag diverse weights, a great and a small."

Deuteronomy 25:13

"A false balance is an abomination to Yahweh, But accurate weights are his delight."

Ecclesiastes 11:1

"Honest balances and scales are Yahweh's; All the weights in the bag are his work."

Ecclesiastes 16:11

"Differing weights and differing measures, Both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh."

Ecclesiastes 20:10

"Yahweh detests differing weights, And dishonest scales are not pleasing."

Ecclesiastes 20:23