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10 Diverse weights and diverse measures[a]
the Lord abhors[b] both of them.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:10 tn The construction simply uses repetition to express different kinds of weights and measures: “a stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah.”
  2. Proverbs 20:10 tn Heb “an abomination of the Lord.” The phrase features a subjective genitive: “the Lord abhors.” sn Behind this proverb is the image of the dishonest merchant who has different sets of weights and measures which are used to cheat customers. The Lord hates dishonesty in business transactions.

10 
Differing weights [one for buying and another for selling] and differing measures,
Both of them are detestable and offensive to the Lord.(A)

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23 The Lord abhors[a] differing weights,
and dishonest scales are wicked.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:23 tn Heb “an abomination of the Lord.” This expression features a subjective genitive: “the Lord abhors.”
  2. Proverbs 20:23 tn Heb “not good.” This is a figure known as tapeinosis—a deliberate understatement to emphasize a worst-case scenario: “it is wicked!” (e.g., 11:1; 20:10).

23 
Differing weights are detestable and offensive to the Lord,
And fraudulent scales are not good.

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