Job 31
31
Job’s Final Appeal
1“I have made a covenant with my #[Isa. 33:15; Matt. 5:28]eyes;
how then could I gaze at a virgin?
2What would be #See ch. 20:29my portion from God above
and #See ch. 20:29my heritage from the Almighty on high?
3Is not calamity for the unrighteous,
and disaster for the workers of iniquity?
4 # ch. 14:16; 34:21; 2 Chr. 16:9; Prov. 5:21; 15:3; Jer. 16:17; 32:19; Zech. 4:10 Does not he see my ways
and #ch. 14:16number all my steps?
5“If I have walked with falsehood
and my foot has hastened to deceit;
6(Let me be #Dan. 5:27weighed in a just balance,
and let God know my integrity!)
7if my step has turned aside from the way
and #Num. 15:39; Eccles. 11:9 my heart has gone after my eyes,
and if any #[ch. 11:15]spot has stuck to my hands,
8then let me #Lev. 26:16; Deut. 28:30, 38; [John 4:37]sow, and another eat,
and let what grows for me#31:8 Or let my descendants be rooted out.
9“If my heart has been enticed toward a woman,
and I have #[ch. 24:15]lain in wait at my neighbor’s door,
10then let my wife #[Ex. 11:5; Isa. 47:2] grind for another,
and let others #[2 Sam. 12:11; Jer. 8:10]bow down on her.
11For that would be a heinous crime;
that would be an iniquity #ver. 28; [Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22]to be punished by the judges;
12for that would be a fire #See Prov. 6:27-29that 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,
14what then shall I do when God rises up?
When he #Ps. 17:3makes inquiry, what shall I answer him?
15Did #ch. 34:19; Prov. 14:31; 22:2; [Eph. 6:9]not he who made me in the womb make him?
And did not one fashion us in the womb?
16“If I have #[ch. 22:7] withheld anything that the poor desired,
or have #ch. 11:20; 17:5caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
17or have eaten my morsel alone,
and the fatherless has not eaten of it
18(for from my youth the fatherless#31:18 Hebrew he grew up with me as with a father,
and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow#31:18 Hebrew her),
19if I have seen anyone #ch. 29:13 perish for #ch. 24:7, 10lack of clothing,
or the needy without #ch. 24:7, 10covering,
20if his body has not #ch. 29:13; Deut. 24:13blessed me,#31:20 Hebrew if his loins have not blessed me
and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21if I have raised my hand against #ch. 22:9 the fatherless,
because I saw my help in #See ch. 5:4the gate,
22then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,
and let my arm be broken from its socket.
23For I was #ch. 13:11in terror of calamity from God,
and I could not have faced his #ch. 13:11majesty.
24 #
Mark 10:24, 25 “If I have made gold my #ch. 4:6 trust
or called #ch. 28:16fine gold my confidence,
25if I have #Ps. 62:10 rejoiced because my wealth was abundant
or because #Deut. 8:17my hand had found much,
26 #
Deut. 4:19; [Deut. 17:3; 2 Kgs. 23:5, 11; Ezek. 8:16] if I have looked at the sun#31:26 Hebrew the light when it shone,
or #See Jer. 44:17-19the moon moving in splendor,
27and my heart has been secretly enticed,
and my mouth has kissed my hand,
28this also would be #ver. 11an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
for I would have been false to God above.
29“If I have #Prov. 17:5rejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me,
or exulted when evil overtook him
30(#[Matt. 5:44; Rom. 12:14]I have not let my mouth sin
by asking for his life with a curse),
31if the men of my tent have not said,
‘Who is there that has not been filled with his #Ex. 16:12; 1 Sam. 25:11meat?’
32(#[Gen. 19:2, 3; Judg. 19:20, 21; Matt. 25:35; Heb. 13:2]the sojourner has not lodged in the street;
I have opened my doors to the traveler),
33if I #Prov. 28:13 have concealed my transgressions #Gen. 3:8, 12as others do#31:33 Or as Adam did
by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
34because I stood in great fear of #[Ex. 23:2]the multitude,
and the contempt of families terrified me,
so that I kept silence, and did not go out of doors—
35Oh, that I had one to hear me!
(Here is my signature! Let the Almighty #ch. 13:22 answer me!)
Oh, that I had #[ch. 19:23]the indictment written by my adversary!
36Surely I would carry it on my #Isa. 9:6; 22:22 shoulder;
I would #Prov. 6:21 bind it on me as #Zech. 6:11a crown;
37I 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 # [ch. 22:6-9; Luke 10:7; 2 Tim. 2:6; James 5:4] if I have eaten its yield without payment
and made its owners #[1 Kgs. 21:16, 19]breathe their last,
40let #Gen. 3:18thorns grow instead of wheat,
and foul weeds instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.
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Job 31: ESV
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