Proverbs 16 · Verse 11

Proverbs 16:11

A just weight and balance are the Lord’s: all the weights of the bag are his work.
Proverbs 16:11, King James Version

Proverbs 16:11 in other translations

BSBHonest scales and balances are from the LORD; all the weights in the bag are His concern.
WEBHonest balances and scales are the LORD’s; all the weights in the bag are his work.
ASVA just balance and scales are Jehovah’s; All the weights of the bag are his work.
YLTA just beam and balances are Jehovah's, His work are all the stones of the bag.
DARBYThe just balance and scales are Jehovah's; all the weights of the bag are his work.
BBETrue measures and scales are the Lord's: all the weights of the bag are his work.
WebsterA just weight and balance are the LORD'S: all the weights of the bag are his work.

What does Proverbs 16:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
11. are the Lord's ... his work--that is, what He has ordered, and hence should be observed by men.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 11 All the weights of the bag are his - Alluding, probably, to the standard weights laid up in a bag in the sanctuary, and to which all weights in common use in the land were to be referred, in order to ascertain whether they were just: but some think the allusion is to the weights carried about by merchants in their girdles, by which they weigh the money, silver and gold, that they take in exchange for their merchandise. As the Chinese take no coin but gold and silver by weight, they carry about with them a sort of small steelyard, by which they weigh those metals taken in exchange.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
To observe justice in dealings between man and man is God's appointment.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Proverbs 16:11 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

פֶּ֤לֶס\׀Pe.lesa balanceH6425
וּמֹאזְנֵ֣יu.moz.Neiand scales ofH3976
מִ֭שְׁפָּטMish.potjusticeH4941
לַֽיהוָ֑הla.Yah.weh[belong] to YahwehH3068
מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗הוּma.'a.Se.hu[are] work hisH4639
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
אַבְנֵי\־'av.nei-[the] weights ofH68
כִֽיס\׃Khis[the] bagH3599

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Proverbs 16:11

  • Proverbs 11:1

    A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight.

  • Proverbs 20:10

    Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the Lord.

  • Proverbs 20:23

    Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord; and a false balance is not good.

  • Deuteronomy 25:13-15

    Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small. Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small. 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.

  • 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: I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.

  • Hosea 12:7

    He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.

  • Ezekiel 45:10

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

  • Micah 6:11

    Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?

  • Amos 8:5

    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?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
just.
11:1; 20:10,23; Le 19:35,36; De 25:13-15; Eze 45:10; Ho 12:7
Am 8:5; Mic 6:11
weights. Heb. stones.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Proverbs 16:10

    A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.

  • Proverbs 16:11

    A just weight and balance are the Lord’s: all the weights of the bag are his work.

  • Proverbs 16:12

    It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.

Read all of Proverbs 16

Proverbs 16:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Peso y balanzas justas son de Jehová: obra suya son todas las pesas de la bolsa.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		La balance et les plateaux justes sont de l’ Éternel; tous les poids du sac sont son ouvrage.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Gerechte Waage und Waagschalen sind Jehovas; sein Werk sind alle Gewichtsteine des Beutels.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Pondus et statera judicia Domini sunt, et opera ejus omnes lapides sacculi.