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Micah places the dishonest measurements punished by Hammurabi under God's judgment. Wealth gained by cheating becomes evidence against the merchant, rather than proof of success, because the profit comes from taking another person's goods.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Code of Hammurabi 1:105
Babylonian Legal Text
Ancient Near East
82 If a merchant lends grain or silver at interest, and when he makes the loan he pays out the silver by the small weight or the grain by the small measure, but when he is repaid he takes the silver by the large weight or the grain by the large measure, that merchant forfeits whatever he lent. 83 If a merchant lends ... at interest, ... he forfeits whatever he gave. 84 If a man borrows grain or silver from a merchant and has no grain or silver with which to repay, but does have other goods, he shall give his merchant whatever he has on hand, before witnesses, according to its value; the merchant shall not object, and he shall accept it.
Micah 6:10
Hebrew Bible
8 He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord really wants from you: He wants you to carry out justice, to love faithfulness, and to live obediently before your God. 9 Listen! The Lord is calling to the city! It is wise to respect your authority, O Lord. Listen, O nation, and those assembled in the city! 10 “I will not overlook, O sinful house, the dishonest gain you have hoarded away or the smaller-than-standard measure I hate so much. 11 I do not condone the use of rigged scales or a bag of deceptive weights. 12 The city’s wealthy people readily resort to violence; her inhabitants tell lies; their tongues speak deceptive words. 13 I will strike you brutally and destroy you because of your sin.
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Notes and References
“... 6:10. ill-gotten treasures. Micah condemns corrupt merchants who cheat their customers to enrich themselves. While these practices were to be condemned whenever they occurred, it would be particularly harmful during times of war when profiteers would take advantage of shortages to raise prices (2 Kings 6:25). This is also a theme developed by Amos (8:5-6) and Hosea (12:7-8). There are also a series of fair business practice laws in the Code of Hammurabi and the Laws of Eshnunna which set prices and establish standards of behavior. ...”
Walton, John H.
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament
(p. 786) InterVarsity Press, 2000
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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