---
title: "Ezekiel 45:9-10"
description: "God commands rulers to keep 'just balances' — honest, equal weights and measures. Unequal measures are elsewhere called an abomination. A legal system that assigns unequal weight to human lives based on developmental stage uses 'dishonest scales' and stands condemned."
type: "scripture"
book: "Ezekiel"
chapter: 45
verses: "9-10"
translation: "NASB"
refutes: "Pro-life incrementalism"
affirms_abolition: true
themes:
  - "equal weights"
  - "equal protection"
  - "justice and righteousness"
  - "rulers' duty"
  - "no expropriation"
source_url: "https://www.abhortion.org/scripture/ezekiel-45-9-10.html"
---

# Ezekiel 45:9-10

Book of Ezekiel · Chapter 45

## The text

> ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Enough, you princes of Israel; put away violence and destruction, and practice justice and righteousness. Stop your expropriations from My people,” declares the Lord God. “You shall have just balances, a just ephah and a just bath.”’
> — Ezekiel 45:9-10, NASB

**The claim this verse counters:** "It is acceptable for the law to weigh some lives as more protectable than others."

## The argument

God commands rulers to keep 'just balances' — honest, equal weights and measures. Unequal measures are elsewhere called an abomination. A legal system that assigns unequal weight to human lives based on developmental stage uses 'dishonest scales' and stands condemned.

## Context & notes

The speaker uses the 'equal weights and measures' motif as a biblical image of equal protection: manipulating the scales to do justice for some and not others is abominable (cf. Proverbs 20:10, 23). Directly analogizes to gestational-stage carve-outs.

## Themes

- equal weights
- equal protection
- justice and righteousness
- rulers' duty
- no expropriation

## Discussion questions

1. 'Just balances' means the same standard for everyone. What is the legal equivalent of a dishonest scale in abortion law?
2. God addresses 'princes' — rulers and lawmakers. What is their specific duty here?

## Source transcript

Drawn from Does the Pro-Life Movement Hate Justice? (T. Russell Hunter, 'Justice Alone') — 'Ezekiel reminds them that they are wicked and abominable... if they do not use equal weights and measures.'.

## Related

**Related scriptures:**

- [Isaiah 10:1-2](isaiah-10-1-2.md)
- [Amos 5:14-15](amos-5-14-15.md)
- [Deuteronomy 16:19](deuteronomy-16-19.md)

**Related arguments:**

- [“Equal protection does not require prosecuting mothers; targeting abortionists (and…”](../arguments/arg-equal-protection-14th.md)
- [God commands 'justice, and only justice' — not partial or deferred justice](../arguments/arg-justice-only.md)
- [“Bills that ban abortion at a heartbeat, at pain-capability, or after an ultrasound…”](../arguments/def-milestone-bills.md)

## Attribution

Verse text is quoted from the NASB. Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org