Job 31 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Job 31

Job’s Final Appeal

31:1   “I have made a covenant with my eyes;
    how then could I gaze at a virgin?
2   What would be my portion from God above
    and my heritage from the Almighty on high?
3   Is not calamity for the unrighteous,
    and disaster for the workers of iniquity?
4   Does not he see my ways
    and number all my steps?
5   “If I have walked with falsehood
    and my foot has hastened to deceit;
6   (Let me be weighed in a just balance,
    and let God know my integrity!)
7   if my step has turned aside from the way
    and my heart has gone after my eyes,
    and if any spot has stuck to my hands,
8   then let me sow, and another eat,
    and let what grows for me¹ be rooted out.
9   “If my heart has been enticed toward a woman,
    and I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door,
10   then let my wife grind for another,
    and let others bow down on her.
11   For that would be a heinous crime;
    that would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges;
12   for that would be a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon,
    and it would burn to the root all my increase.
13   “If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant,
    when they brought a complaint against me,
14   what then shall I do when God rises up?
    When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him?
15   Did not he who made me in the womb make him?
    And did not one fashion us in the womb?
16   “If I have withheld anything that the poor desired,
    or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
17   or have eaten my morsel alone,
    and the fatherless has not eaten of it
18   (for from my youth the fatherless² grew up with me as with a father,
    and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow³),
19   if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
    or the needy without covering,
20   if his body has not blessed me,⁴
    and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21   if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,
    because I saw my help in the gate,
22   then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,
    and let my arm be broken from its socket.
23   For I was in terror of calamity from God,
    and I could not have faced his majesty.
24   “If I have made gold my trust
    or called fine gold my confidence,
25   if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant
    or because my hand had found much,
26   if I have looked at the sun⁵ when it shone,
    or the moon moving in splendor,
27   and my heart has been secretly enticed,
    and my mouth has kissed my hand,
28   this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
    for I would have been false to God above.
29   “If I have rejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me,
    or exulted when evil overtook him
30   (I have not let my mouth sin
    by asking for his life with a curse),
31   if the men of my tent have not said,
    ‘Who is there that has not been filled with his meat?’
32   (the sojourner has not lodged in the street;
    I have opened my doors to the traveler),
33   if I have concealed my transgressions as others do⁶
    by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
34   because I stood in great fear of the multitude,
    and the contempt of families terrified me,
    so that I kept silence, and did not go out of doors—
35   Oh, that I had one to hear me!
    (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!)
    Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary!
36   Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;
    I would bind it on me as a crown;
37   I would give him an account of all my steps;
    like a prince I would approach him.
38   “If my land has cried out against me
    and its furrows have wept together,
39   if I have eaten its yield without payment
    and made its owners breathe their last,
40   let thorns grow instead of wheat,
    and foul weeds instead of barley.”

The words of Job are ended.

Footnotes

[1] 31:8 Or let my descendants
[2] 31:18 Hebrew he
[3] 31:18 Hebrew her
[4] 31:20 Hebrew if his loins have not blessed me
[5] 31:26 Hebrew the light
[6] 31:33 Or as Adam did

Commentary

v1: Job's desire for purity, see 1 John 3.3.

v2-4: Compare 1 Sam 12.3-5; Job is willing to be examined by God. He acknowledges that specific sins be exposed and judged.

v5-8: Deceit and dishonesty;

if I have walked in falsehood;
if my foot has hurried after deceit;
if my steps have turned from the path;
if my heart has been led by my eyes;
if my hands have been defiled.

Job is willing to suffer loss if he is found guilty.

v9-12: Impurity and infidelity;

if my heart has been enticed by a woman;
if I have lurked at my neighbour's door.

His loss would be that his own wife be unfaithful to him. He sees the seriousness of adultery, as in Prov 6.28; 7.27. This is the way to destruction.

v13-15: Unfairness and injustice;

if I have denied justice to my menservants and maidservants when they had a grievance against me.

How different to the attitude of many. Job realises that the same God made master and servant alike, and that we will all be called to give account of our lives. See Eph 6.9.

John Calvin (Sermons on Job) says: 'although according to human right a master might have power both of death and of live over his serf, yet we see how Job used them: namely, that he hwld himself back, and imposed law upon himself, since he knew that according to God those who have such mastery must not abuse it, they must not be tyrants, they must nor tread reasonable creatures under foot.' Adding: 'we have a common Creator, that we are all descended from God; and then, that there is a like nature, so that we must conclude that all men, although they may be of low condition and despised according to the world, nevertheless have brotherhood with us.'

v16-23: Attitude to the poor; the list here is sins of omission, a failure to do acts of justice and kindness.

if I have denied the desires of the poor;
if I have let the eyes of the widow grow weary;
if I have kept my bread to myself, not sharing it with the fatherless;
if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a garment;
if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, knowing that I had influence in court.

Job's regular practice was clearly to care for the poor. Injustice comes upon many because others keep silent. God's character is our motivation, "His splendour."

v24-28: Greed and trusting in riches;

if I have out my trust in gold, or said to pure gold, 'You are my security';
if I have rejoiced over my great wealth, the fortune my hands had gained;
if I have regarded the sun in its radiance, or the moon moving in splendour (a possible reference to occultic practices);
if my heart was secretly enticed, and my hand offered then a kiss of homage.

Faith apart from God is not true faith; whether faith in our own achievements, or faith in false religion.

v29-32: The uncharitable attitude;

if I have rejoiced at my enemy's misfortune;
if I have gloated over the trouble that came to him;

for Job had not given in to such temptation.

if the men of my household have never said, 'Who has not had his fill of Job's meat?';

for Job had provided accommodation for strangers and travellers.

v33-37: Covering up sins. Job has lived his life before others,

if I have concealed my sin as men do, by hiding my guilt in my heart.

He is willing for God to examine him, "I sign now my defence"; will God answer him?

v38-40: Misuse of land;

Treatment of land is related to treatment of those who work on it. Note that some earned their livelihoods from Job's land.

if my land cries out against me, and all its furrows are wet with tears;
if I have devoured its yield without payment, or broken the spirit of its tenants.