Weight Used to Cheat in Trade During First Temple Era Found in Jerusalem

You shall not have in your bag differing weights, a heavy and a light. You shall not have in your house differing measures, a large and a small. You shall have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure, that your days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. For all who do such things, all who behave unrighteously, are an abomination to the Lord your God. (Deuteronomy 25:13-16)

The Jerusalem Post: Archaeologists have uncovered a weight used for trading in ancient Jerusalem that scholars believe was used to defraud traders. Found in the northern part of the City of David in Jerusalem’s Old City and dating back to 2,700 years ago during the First Temple period, the weight in question is just 14 mm. in diameter and 12 mm. in height, and is only the second one of its kind to have been found in Israel.

Made of hard limestone, the it contained engravings indicating it has a weight of two gerah, which equals 0.944 grams.Despite this, however, the weight does not weigh two gerah. Rather, the researchers found that it weighed at least 3.61 grams, over three times as much.

While this may seem odd, Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Eli Shukron and Hagai Cohen Kolonimus say that the likely explanation is that whoever used this weight in commerce was using it to cheat people.

This type of scamming is actually extensively described in the Bible, where it is harshly criticized.

“Do not have two differing weights in your bag – one heavy, one light,” reads Deuteronomy 25:13-16. “Do not have two differing measures in your house – one large, one small. You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. For the Lord your God detests anyone who does these things, anyone who deals dishonestly.”

Another quote from Proverbs 20:23 reads: “The Lord detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him.” Read More

Sources

1. Weight used to cheat in trade during First Temple era found in Jerusalem (September 2nd, 2021) – The Jerusalem Post
2. JERUSALEM: ARCHAEOLOGISTS DISCOVER TEMPLE PERIOD ‘CHEAT-WEIGHT’ PROVING ACCURACY OF BIBLE (September 2nd, 2021) – Israel365News