Jewelry Scales
Moznayim, ζυγός, a pair of balances or scales: such are seen on the Egyptian monuments, with the weights in one scale and the article to be weighed in the other. They were needful also in early days for weighing the money: when Abraham bought a burying place he “weighed to Ephron the silver” (Gen. 23:16: Compare Jer. 32:10). Job asked to be weighed in an even balance, (Job 31:6: Compare Lev. 19:36; Ezek. 45:10), for men contrived to falsify the balance, as well as the weights, which was an abomination to the Lord (Prov. 11:1; Prov. 16:11; Hos. 12:7; Amos 8:5). In Isaiah 46:6 another Hebrew word is used, ganeh, which signifies a reed, rod or beam, which may refer to the beam of the scales, for it is not known that the steel-yard was then in use. In Revelation 6:5 the rider on the black horse had a pair of balances with which to weigh out the food, showing that great scarcity will be one of God’s judgments in the future.