Proverbs 11:1

11:1 The Lord abhors ¹  dishonest scales, ² 

but an accurate weight ³  is his delight.

Proverbs 16:11

16:11 Honest scales and balances ⁴  are from the Lord;

all the weights ⁵  in the bag are his handiwork.

Proverbs 20:23

20:23 The Lord abhors ⁶  differing weights,

and dishonest scales are wicked. ⁷ 

¹ tn Heb “an abomination of the Lord.” The term יְהוָה (yÿhvah, “the Lord”) is a subjective genitive.

² tn Heb “scales of deception.” The genitive is attributive: “deceptive scales.” This refers to dishonesty in the market where silver was weighed in the scales. God condemns dishonest business practices (Deut 25:13-16; Lev 10:35-36), as did the ancient Near East (ANET 388, 423).

³ tn Heb “a perfect stone.” Stones were used for measuring amounts of silver on the scales; here the stone that pleases the Lord is whole, complete, perfect (from שָׁלֵם, shalem). It was one that would give an honest, accurate measurement.

⁴ tn Heb “a scale and balances of justice.” This is an attributive genitive, meaning “just scales and balances.” The law required that scales and measures be accurate and fair (Lev 19:36; Deut 25:13). Shrewd dishonest people kept light and heavy weights to make unfair transactions.

⁵ tn Heb “stones.”

⁷ tn Heb “an abomination of the Lord.” This expression features a subjective genitive: “the Lord abhors.”

⁸ 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).