6:6 They drink wine from sacrificial bowls, 1
and pour the very best oils on themselves. 2
Yet they are not concerned over 3 the ruin 4 of Joseph.
8:5 You say,
“When will the new moon festival 5 be over, 6 so we can sell grain?
When will the Sabbath end, 7 so we can open up the grain bins? 8
We’re eager 9 to sell less for a higher price, 10
and to cheat the buyer with rigged scales! 11
1 sn Perhaps some religious rite is in view, or the size of the bowls is emphasized (i.e., bowls as large as sacrificial bowls).
2 tn Heb “with the best of oils they anoint [themselves].”
3 tn Or “not sickened by.”
4 sn The ruin of Joseph may refer to the societal disintegration in Israel, or to the effects of the impending judgment.
5 sn Apparently work was prohibited during the new moon festival, just as it was on the Sabbath.
6 tn Heb “pass by.”
7 tn The verb, though omitted in the Hebrew text, is supplied in the translation from the parallel line.
8 tn Heb “sell grain.” Here “grain” could stand by metonymy for the bins where it was stored.
9 tn Here and in v. 6 the words “we’re eager” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
10 tn Heb “to make small the ephah and to make great the shekel.” The “ephah” was a unit of dry measure used to determine the quantity purchased, while the “shekel” was a standard weight used to determine the purchase price. By using a smaller than standard ephah and a heavier than standard shekel, these merchants were able to increase their profit (“sell less for a higher price”) by cheating the buyer.
11 tn Heb “and to cheat with deceptive scales”; NASB, NIV “dishonest scales”; NRSV “false balances.”