פֶּ֫לֶס (pe.les)
pe.les
balance
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun peles refers to a balance or scale, specifically the device used for weighing goods in ancient markets. In the Hebrew Bible, it appears only twice, yet its presence carries significant weight regarding justice and divine order. The word describes the physical instrument that determines value through precise measurement.
Its rare usage highlights how seriously Scripture treats fairness. In Proverbs 11:1, dishonest scales are described as an abomination to the Lord, while just weights find His delight. Similarly, Isaiah 40:12 uses the image of weighing mountains in scales to illustrate God’s limitless power and wisdom. These instances show that peles is not merely a tool for trade but a symbol of moral integrity and cosmic authority.
Translators typically render peles as "balance" or "scales," keeping the concrete imagery intact. The word reminds readers that what we weigh matters, both in commerce and in character. It stands as a quiet witness to the idea that true value is measured with honesty before God.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word peles describes the physical scale used for weighing goods in ancient markets. This simple tool appears only twice in Scripture, yet it carries a heavy message about honesty and divine order. When Proverbs mentions honest balances, it highlights that fairness is not just a social rule but something belonging to Yahweh Himself.
This imagery reminds us that God cares deeply about integrity in our daily lives. Whether we are handling money or keeping promises, He notices how we measure out our actions. The same God who weighs mountains with such scales also values the small, quiet choices we make every day.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- with <the>/ balance1×
- a balance1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- פֶּ֤לֶס\׀1×
- בַּ/פֶּ֙לֶס֙1×
Key Verses
-
Proverbs 16:11
Honest balances and scales are Yahweh’s; all the weights in the bag are his work.
This verse attributes honest weighing directly to Yahweh, showing that commercial fairness is part of His divine work.
-
Isaiah 40:12
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and marked off the sky with his span, and calculated the dust of the earth in a measuring basket, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
Here the scale illustrates God's immense power by describing Him weighing mountains, contrasting human limits with divine strength.