Deuteronomy 25: Fair Weights and Kind Hearts

Judges must limit punishment to forty stripes so a brother is not degraded. An ox treading grain must not be muzzled. A brother should raise up a family name for a brother who died childless. Israel must use honest weights and measures, and must remember how Amalek attacked the weak and weary at the back of the line.

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Read Deuteronomy 25

World English Bible · 19 verses

¹ If there is a controversy between men, and they come to judgment and the judges judge them, then they shall justify the righteous and condemn the wicked.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
² It shall be, if the wicked man is worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down and to be beaten before his face, according to his wickedness, by number.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³ He may sentence him to no more than forty stripes. He shall not give more, lest if he should give more and beat him more than that many stripes, then your brother will be degraded in your sight.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁴ You shall not muzzle the ox when he treads out the grain.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁵ If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead shall not be married outside to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her, and take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁶ It shall be that the firstborn whom she bears shall succeed in the name of his brother who is dead, that his name not be blotted out of Israel.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁷ If the man doesn’t want to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders, and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to raise up to his brother a name in Israel. He will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁸ Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak to him. If he stands and says, “I don’t want to take her,”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁹ then his brother’s wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders, and loose his sandal from off his foot, and spit in his face. She shall answer and say, “So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁰ His name shall be called in Israel, “The house of him who had his sandal removed.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹¹ When men strive against each other, and the wife of one draws near to deliver her husband out of the hand of him who strikes him, and puts out her hand, and grabs him by his private parts,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹² then you shall cut off her hand. Your eye shall have no pity.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹³ You shall not have in your bag diverse weights, one heavy and one light.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁴ You shall not have in your house diverse measures, one large and one small.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁵ You shall have a perfect and just weight. You shall have a perfect and just measure, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁶ For all who do such things, all who do unrighteously, are an abomination to Yahweh your God.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁷ Remember what Amalek did to you by the way as you came out of Egypt,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁸ how he met you by the way, and struck the rearmost of you, all who were feeble behind you, when you were faint and weary; and he didn’t fear God.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁹ Therefore it shall be, when Yahweh your God has given you rest from all your enemies all around, in the land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance to possess it, that you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under the sky. You shall not forget.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org

Worksheets

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Deuteronomy 25 · Preschool

Be Kind to Animals

Name Date

Color the ox and the grain! God wanted the ox to eat while it worked.

Can you find these in the picture? Circle each one!

Bible Verse

“You shall not muzzle the ox when he treads out the grain.”

Deuteronomy 25:4 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read the verse aloud. Say: God cares about animals. We can be kind to them.

Open Grade 4 on its own page

Deuteronomy 25 · Grade 4

Fairness in Every Part of Life

Name Date

Read and Think

Deuteronomy 25 limits punishment to forty stripes. Then a guilty brother would not be shamed too much. Even wrongdoers kept their dignity. The ox treading grain must not be muzzled. Paul used this verse to say that workers deserve to be paid (1 Corinthians 9:9).

A brother could marry his dead brother's widow. This cared for her and kept the dead man's name alive. Boaz later helped Ruth in a similar way. Jesus came from that family (Matthew 1:5).

Honest business was worship. Israel must not keep two weights, one heavy and one light. God hated false scales. Finally, Israel must remember Amalek, who attacked the weak at the rear and did not fear God. God judged Amalek for attacking the weak.

Show What You Know

Why were stripes limited to forty?
How did Paul use the ox law?
What did a brother marrying the widow do?
Why did God judge Amalek?

Word Bank Fill-In

Use the word bank to fill in each blank.

AmalekfortyGodweightsgrain

Deuteronomy 25 limits punishment to stripes.
The ox treading must not be muzzled.
Israel must not keep two , one heavy and one light.
hated false scales.
Finally, Israel must remember , who attacked the weak at the rear and did not fear God.

Think About It

Honest business is called worship here. Where could you be tempted to be dishonest, even in small things?
God protected the dignity of even guilty people. How should that shape the way we treat people who do wrong?

Memory Verse

“You shall have a perfect and just weight. You shall have a perfect and just measure, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.”

Deuteronomy 25:15 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for being fair. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

How did God care for widows in this chapter?
Why does God care about how we treat the weak and the tired?

Open Grade 5 on its own page

Deuteronomy 25 · Grade 5

Just Weights and the Weak

Name Date

Read and Think

Deuteronomy 25 continues Moses' laws of justice. Judges must justify the righteous and condemn the wicked. Physical punishment was capped at forty stripes, lest your brother be degraded in your sight. Even a guilty person remained a brother whose dignity God protected.

The ox treading out grain must not be muzzled. Paul applies this to people: the worker deserves his wages (1 Corinthians 9:9; 1 Timothy 5:18). The law of levirate marriage required a brother to marry his childless brother's widow and raise up a name for the dead. Refusal brought public shame, the removal of a sandal. Boaz acted as a kinsman redeemer for Ruth, and through that line came David and Jesus.

Merchants must not carry two weights, one heavy and one light, for buying and selling dishonestly. God demands a perfect and just weight; all who deal unrighteously are an abomination to Him. The chapter closes by recalling Amalek, who attacked Israel's feeble stragglers and did not fear God. Israel was to blot out Amalek's memory, God's judgment on a nation that preyed on the weak.

Show What You Know

How did the forty stripe limit protect dignity?
How does Paul apply the ox law?
What did levirate marriage require?
What does God demand in business?
Why was Amalek judged?

Crossword

Across

Do not ____ the ox.
The widow pulled it off.
The most stripes a judge could give.

Down

They attacked the weak at the back.
A perfect and just one.

Think About It

How does the line from Ruth and Boaz to Jesus show God's care for widows and outsiders?
Why does God hate dishonest scales so strongly?

Memory Verse

“You shall have a perfect and just weight. You shall have a perfect and just measure, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.”

Deuteronomy 25:15 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for being fair. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

Where are you tempted to be a little dishonest, and how can you choose fairness?
Why should the strong protect the weak and weary?
What is one way you could live out this chapter this week?

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Deuteronomy 25: Fair Weights and Kind Hearts

Read Deuteronomy 25

Worksheets

Be Kind to Animals

Prayer

Take It Home

Kind and Fair

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

Mini Maze

Draw It

Prayer

Take It Home

Honest and Kind

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

Fair and Honest

Prayer

Take It Home

Fair and Honest

Read the Story

Show What You Know

Word Search

Prayer

Take It Home

Honest Measures

Read the Story

Answer the Questions

Fair and Honest

Word Search

Prayer

Take It Home

Fairness in Every Part of Life

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Word Bank Fill-In

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

Just Weights and the Weak

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Crossword

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

More print options