Micah 6:10 cautions us that hidden wickedness, especially in commerce and social dealings, is seen and judged by God.
“Is there yet a man in the wicked house, along with treasures of wickedness And a short measure that is cursed?” (v.10) addresses the corrupt practices prevalent among the people of Israel in the time of the prophet Micah, around the 8th century B.C. Micah ministered primarily to the kingdom of Judah, warning them that dishonest dealings and exploitation of the vulnerable would bring divine judgment (Micah 1:1). The phrase “treasures of wickedness” condemns the accumulation of wealth through ungodly means, while the “short measure” refers to deceitful scales used to cheat customers, both of which God declares “cursed” (v.10).
In Micah’s context, people were complacent in their wrongdoing, believing that their external religious rituals could mask their unrighteous behavior. This verse implies that wickedness could still be found “in the wicked house” (v.10), despite the warnings from God’s prophets Amos 8:4-6). Such greed and corruption were not merely personal sins—they had serious social implications. Cheating one’s neighbor contradicts the command to show love and mercy, a principle that Jesus emphasizes in the New Testament when He summarizes the Law in terms of loving God and loving one’s neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40).
Micah’s condemnation of dishonest measures resonates with other passages that uphold honesty and fairness, such as Leviticus 19:36, which commands accurate weights and balances. By challenging a society that was complacent in cheating, “Is there yet a man in the wicked house…” (v.10) calls believers today to practice integrity in every sphere of life. Ultimately, it directs us toward the heart of God’s righteousness, exemplified in Jesus’ teaching that sincerity and uprightness are necessary if we are to live faithfully before the Lord (Matthew 5:8).
Set to dark mode
Micah 6:10 meaning
“Is there yet a man in the wicked house, along with treasures of wickedness And a short measure that is cursed?” (v.10) addresses the corrupt practices prevalent among the people of Israel in the time of the prophet Micah, around the 8th century B.C. Micah ministered primarily to the kingdom of Judah, warning them that dishonest dealings and exploitation of the vulnerable would bring divine judgment (Micah 1:1). The phrase “treasures of wickedness” condemns the accumulation of wealth through ungodly means, while the “short measure” refers to deceitful scales used to cheat customers, both of which God declares “cursed” (v.10).
In Micah’s context, people were complacent in their wrongdoing, believing that their external religious rituals could mask their unrighteous behavior. This verse implies that wickedness could still be found “in the wicked house” (v.10), despite the warnings from God’s prophets Amos 8:4-6). Such greed and corruption were not merely personal sins—they had serious social implications. Cheating one’s neighbor contradicts the command to show love and mercy, a principle that Jesus emphasizes in the New Testament when He summarizes the Law in terms of loving God and loving one’s neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40).
Micah’s condemnation of dishonest measures resonates with other passages that uphold honesty and fairness, such as Leviticus 19:36, which commands accurate weights and balances. By challenging a society that was complacent in cheating, “Is there yet a man in the wicked house…” (v.10) calls believers today to practice integrity in every sphere of life. Ultimately, it directs us toward the heart of God’s righteousness, exemplified in Jesus’ teaching that sincerity and uprightness are necessary if we are to live faithfully before the Lord (Matthew 5:8).