Job31
World English Bible · Public Domain
1“I made a covenant with my eyes; how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?
2For what is the portion from God above, and the heritage from the Almighty on high?
3Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?
4Doesn’t he see my ways, and count all my steps?
5“If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hurried to deceit
6(let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity);
7if my step has turned out of the way, if my heart walked after my eyes, if any defilement has stuck to my hands,
8then let me sow, and let another eat. Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out.
9“If my heart has been enticed to a woman, and I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door,
10then let my wife grind for another, and let others sleep with her.
11For that would be a heinous crime. Yes, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
12for it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all my increase.
13“If I have despised the cause of my male servant or of my female servant, when they contended with me,
14what then will I do when God rises up? When he visits, what will I answer him?
15Didn’t he who made me in the womb make him? Didn’t one fashion us in the womb?
16“If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
17or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it
18(no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, I have guided her from my mother’s womb);
19if I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;
20if his heart hasn’t blessed me, if he hasn’t been warmed with my sheep’s fleece;
21if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate;
22then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.
23For calamity from God is a terror to me. Because of his majesty, I can do nothing.
24“If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold, ‘You are my confidence;’
25If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;
26if I have seen the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in splendor,
27and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth;
28this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have denied the God who is above.
29“If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him
30(I have certainly not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse);
31if the men of my tent have not said, ‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?’
32(the foreigner has not camped in the street, but I have opened my doors to the traveler);
33if like Adam I have covered my transgressions, by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
34because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and didn’t go out of the door—
35oh that I had one to hear me! Behold, here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me! Let the accuser write my indictment!
36Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, and I would bind it to me as a crown.
37I would declare to him the number of my steps. I would go near to him like a prince.
38If my land cries out against me, and its furrows weep together;
39if I have eaten its fruits without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life,
40let briers grow instead of wheat, and stinkweed instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Job 31.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Job declares his uprightness. (1–8). His integrity. (9–15). Job merciful. (16–23). Job not guilty of covetousness or idolatry. (24–32). Job not guilty of hypocrisy and violence. (33–40).
vv1-8
Job did not speak the things here recorded by way of boasting, but in answer to the charge of hypocrisy. He understood the spiritual nature of God's commandments, as reaching to the thoughts and intents of the heart. It is best to let our actions speak for us; but in some cases we owe it to ourselves and to the cause of God, solemnly to protest our innocence of the crimes of which we are falsely accused. The lusts of the flesh, and the love of the world, are two fatal rocks on which multitudes split; against these Job protests he was always careful to stand upon his guard. And God takes more exact notice of us than we do of ourselves; let us therefore walk circumspectly. He carefully avoided all sinful means of getting wealth. He dreaded all forbidden profit as much as all forbidden pleasure. What we have in the world may be used with comfort, or lost with comfort, if honestly gotten. Without strict honestly and faithfulness in all our dealings, we can have no good evidence of true godliness. Yet how many professors are unable to abide this touchstone!
vv9-15
All the defilements of the life come from a deceived heart. Lust is a fire in the soul: those that indulge it, are said to burn. It consumes all that is good there, and lays the conscience waste. It kindles the fire of God's wrath, which, if not quenched by the blood of Christ, will consume even to eternal destruction. It consumes the body; it consumes the substance. Burning lusts bring burning judgments. Job had a numerous household, and he managed it well. He considered that he had a Master in heaven; and as we are undone if God should be severe with us, we ought to be mild and gentle towards all with whom we have to do.
vv16-23
Job's conscience gave testimony concerning his just and charitable behaviour toward the poor. He is most large upon this head, because in this matter he was particularly accused. He was tender of all, and hurtful to none. Notice the principles by which Job was restrained from being uncharitable and unmerciful. He stood in awe of the Lord, as certainly against him, if he should wrong the poor. Regard to worldly interests may restrain a man from actual crimes; but the grace of God alone can make him hate, dread, and shun sinful thoughts and desires.
Key Words
כָּרַת: to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to covenant (i.e. make an alliance or bargain, originally by cutting flesh and passing between the pieces)
בְּרִית: a compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh)
עַיִן: an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
מָה: properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses
בִּין: to separate mentally (or distinguish), i.e.(generally) understand
בְּתוּלָה: a virgin (from her privacy); sometimes (by continuation) a bride; also (figuratively) a city or state
חֵלֶק: properly, smoothness (of the tongue); also an allotment
אֱלוֹהַּ: a deity or the Deity
מַעַל: properly, the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etc.
נַחֲלָה: properly, something inherited, i.e. (abstractly) occupancy, or (concretely) an heirloom; generally an estate, patrimony or portion
Cross References
Job 31Christ's teaching on checking the heart's lustful look matches Job's covenant with his eyes.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Appeals to one common Creator in the womb as the basis for treating servants justly.
Supported by JFB
Equates covetousness and trust in wealth directly with idolatry, linking Job 31:24 to v26-28.
Supported by JFB
Contrasts Job's integrity with those who cover their transgressions rather than confessing.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallels the terminology of 'portion' and 'inheritance' appointed by God to the wicked.
Supported by JFB
The precise curse of sowing seed in vain while enemies eat the harvest.
Supported by JFB
Grinding at the mill as a poetic depiction of the most abject, humiliated service.
Supported by JFB
Demonstrates that adultery was recognized as a heinous crime worthy of judgment in patriarchal times.
Supported by JFB
Adultery described as taking fire to the bosom, matching Job's description of a consuming fire.
Supported by JFB
New Testament call to hospitality without grudging, echoing Job opening his doors to travelers.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Job reiterates his self-description as a father to the poor and needy.
Supported by JFB
Joseph's refusal of adultery due to his fear of sinning against God.
Supported by JFB
The explicit Pentateuchal warning against looking to the sun and moon to worship them.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Alludes to Adam attempting to hide his transgression from God in the garden.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The agricultural cries of withheld wages and abused land reaching the ears of God.
Supported by Matthew Poole