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Job Chapter
Thirty-one
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO JOB 31
In
this chapter Job gives an account of himself in private life
of the integrity
and uprightness of his life
and his holy walk and conversation
with this
view
that it might be thought that the afflictions which were upon him were
not on account of a vicious course of life he had indulged unto
as was
suggested; and he clears himself from various crimes which it might be
insinuated he was guilty of
as from unchastity; and he observes the method he
took to prevent his falling into it
and the reasons that dissuaded him from
it
Job 31:1; from
injustice in his dealings with men
Job 31:5; from the
sin of adultery
Job 31:9; from ill
usage of his servants
Job 31:13; from
unkindness to the poor
which he enlarges upon
and gives many instances of his
charity to them
Job 31:16; from
covetousness
and a vain confidence in wealth
Job 31:24; from
idolatry
the worship of the sun and moon
Job 31:26; from a
revengeful spirit
Job 31:29; and from
inhospitality to strangers
Job 31:32; from
covering his sin
Job 31:33; and fear
of men
Job 31:34; and then
wishes his cause might be heard before God
Job 31:35; and the
chapter is closed with an imprecation on his head if guilty of any injustice
Job 31:38.
Job 31:1 “I
have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman?
YLT
1A covenant I made for mine
eyes
And what -- do I attend to a virgin?
I made a covenant with mine eyes
.... Not to look upon a
woman
and wantonly gaze at her beauty
lest his heart should be drawn thereby
to lust after her; for the eyes are inlets to many sins
and particularly to
uncleanness
of which there have been instances
both in bad men and good men
Genesis 34:2; so
the poetF20Musaeus de Heron. & Leand. v. 92
&c. represents
the eye as the way through which the beauty of a woman passes swifter than an
arrow into the hearts of men
and makes impressions there; see 2 Peter 2:14; hence
Zaleucus ordered adulterers to be punished
by plucking out the eyes of the
adultererF21Aelian. Var. Hist. l. 13. c. 24. ; wherefore Job
to
prevent this
entered into a solemn engagement with himself
laid himself under
a strong obligation
as if he had bound himself by a covenant
made a
resolution in the strength of divine grace
not to employ his eyes in looking
on objects that might ensnare his heart
and lead him to the commission of sin;
he made use of all ways and means
and took every precaution to guard against
it; and particularly this
to shut or turn his eyes from beholding what might
be alluring and enticing to him: it is saidF24Tertullian. Apolog. c.
46. of Democritus
that he put out his eyes because he could not look upon a
woman without lusting after her:
why then should I think upon a maid; of corrupting and
defiling her
since he had made a covenant with his eyes
and this would be a
breach of that covenant: and therefore
besides the sin of lusting after her
or of corrupting her
he would be a covenant breaker
and so his sin would be
an aggravated one: or he made a covenant with his eyes
to prevent any impure
thoughts
desires
and inclinations in him; for the eye affects the heart
and
stirs up lust in it
and excites unclean thoughts and unchaste desires: this
shows that the thought of sin is sin; that fornication was reckoned a sin
before the law of Moses; and that Job better understood the spirituality of the
law than the Pharisees did in the time of Christ
and had the same notion of
lust in the heart being fornication and adultery as he had; and that good men
are not without temptation to sin
both from within and from without; and
therefore should carefully shun all appearances of evil
and whatsoever leads
unto it
and take every necessary precaution to guard against it.
Job 31:2 2 For what is the
allotment of God from above
And the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
YLT
2And what [is] the portion
of God from above? And the inheritance of the Mighty from the heights?
For what portion of God is there from above?.... What good
portion
as the Targum paraphrases it
can impure persons expect from God? such
who indulge themselves
and live in the sin of uncleanness
cannot hope to have
any part in God
or a portion of good things from him; he is above
and in the
highest heavens
and every good thing comes from thence
and from him there;
and particularly the spiritual blessings
wherewith he blesses his people
are
in heavenly places in Christ
and from thence come to them; and here a special
respect may be had to God himself
who is the portion of his people
both in
life and at death
and to all eternity; but men that live a vicious course of
life cannot conclude they have any part in God and Christ
nor in the grace of
God
and the blessings of it
nor enjoy communion with him:
and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high? heaven is an
inheritance which belongs to the children of God
and he
as their heavenly
Father
has bequeathed it unto then; this is from the almighty God
God all
sufficient; he has chosen this inheritance for them
and appointed them unto
it; this is laid up by him and reserved in heaven for them; and he gives both a
right unto it
and a meetness for it
and will put them into the possession of
it: but then impure persons
as fornicators and adulterers
have no inheritance
in the kingdom of God and of Christ
Ephesians 5:5; and
this was a reason with Job
and what had an influence on him
to be careful to
avoid the sin of uncleanness. Some understand the words as a question
concerning what would be the portion and heritage of a wicked man
a corrupter
of virgins; the answer to which is given in the next verse
destruction and a
strange punishment; this is their portion from God
and the heritage appointed
to them by him; see Job 20:29.
Job 31:3 3 Is
it not destruction for the wicked
And disaster for the workers of iniquity?
YLT
3Is not calamity to the
perverse? And strangeness to workers of iniquity?
Is not destruction to the
wicked?.... It is even to such wicked men
who live in the sin of
fornication
and make it their business to ensnare and corrupt virgins; and
which is another reason why Job was careful to avoid that sin; wickedness of
every sort is the cause of destruction
destruction and misery are in the ways
of wicked men
and their wicked ways lead unto it
and issue in it
even destruction
of soul and body in hell
which is swift and sudden
and will be everlasting:
this is laid up for wicked men among the treasures of God's wrath
and they are
reserved that
and there is no way of deliverance from it but by Christ:
and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity; the iniquity
of fornication and whoredom
Proverbs 30:20; who
make it their business to commit it
and live in a continued course of
uncleanness and other sins; a punishment
something strange
unusual
and
uncommon
as the filthy venereal disease in this world
and everlasting
burnings in another; or "alienation"F25ונכר
"et abalienatio"
Munster; "et alienatio"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
Mercerus
Drusius
Schmidt.
a state of estrangement and banishment
from the presence of God and Christ
and from the society of the saints
to all
eternity; see Matthew 25:46.
Job 31:4 4 Does He not see my ways
And
count all my steps?
YLT
4Doth not He see my ways
And all my steps number?
Doth not he see my ways
and count all my steps? That is
God
who is above
and the Almighty that dwells on high; he looks down from heaven
and beholds all the ways and works
the steps and motions
of the children of
men; there is no darkness where the workers of iniquity can hide themselves;
the fornicator and adulterer choose the night season for the commission of
their sin
fancying no eye sees them; but they cannot escape the eye of God
who is omniscient; he observes the ways they walk in
the methods they take to
compass their designs; he marks and counts every step taken by them
as he does
indeed take notice of and reckons up every action of men
good and bad; and the
consideration of this was another argument with Job to avoid the sin of
uncleanness; for however privately he might commit it
so as not to be seen by
men
it could not be hidden from the all seeing eye of God. Some take these
words to be an obtestation
or appeal to God for the truth of what he had said;
that he made a covenant with his eyes
and took every precaution to prevent his
failing into the sin of uncleanness; and he whose eyes were upon his ways
knew
how holily and unblamably he had walked; or else
as if the sense was
that had
he given in to such an impure course of life
he might expect the omniscient
God
that is above
and dwells on high
would bring upon him destruction
and a
strange punishment
since he is the avenger of all such; others connect the
words with the following
doth he not see my ways and steps
whether I have
walked with vanity
&c. or not?
Job 31:5 5 “If I have walked with
falsehood
Or if my foot has hastened to deceit
YLT
5If I have walked with
vanity
And my foot doth hasten to deceit
If I have walked with vanity
.... Or with vain men
as
Bar Tzemach interprets it
keeping company and having fellowship with them in
their vain and sinful practices; or in the vanity of his mind
indulging
himself in impurity of heart and life; or rather using deceitful methods to
cheat and defraud others; for this seems to be another vice Job clears himself
of
acting unjustly in his dealings with men
or dealing falsely with them:
or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; to cheat men in buying
and selling
being ready and swift to do it
and in haste to become rich
which
puts men oftentimes on evil ways and methods to attain it; see Proverbs 28:20.
Job 31:6 6 Let me be weighed on
honest scales
That God may know my integrity.
YLT
6He doth weigh me in
righteous balances
And God doth know my integrity.
Let me be weighed in an even balance
.... Or
"in balances of righteousness"F26במאזני
צדק "in bilancibus justitiae"
Montanus
Mercerus
Drusius
so Junius & Tremellius
Cocceius
Michaelis
Schultens.
even in the balance or strict justice
the justice of God; he was so
conscious to himself that he had done no injustice to any man in his dealings
with them
that
if weight of righteousness
which was to be
and was the rule
of his conduct between man and man
was put into one scale
and his actions
into another
the balance would be even
there would be nothing wanting
or
however
that would require any severe censure:
that God may know mine integrity; God did knew his
integrity
and bore a testimony to it
and to his retaining it
Job 2:3; but his
meaning is
that should God strictly inquire into his life and conduct with
respect to his dealings with men
as it would appear that he had lived in all
good conscience to that day
so he doubted not but he would find his integrity
such
that he would own and acknowledge it
approve of it
and commend it
and
make it known to his friends and others
whereby he would be cleared of all
those calumnies that were cast upon him. Some connect these words with the
following
reading them affirmatively
"God knows mine integrity"; he
knows that my step has not turned out of the way of truth and righteousness;
that my heart has not walked after mine eye
in lustful thoughts and desires;
and that there is no spoil
nor rapine
nor violence in my hand
that I should
deserve such a punishment as to sow
and another eat: thus Sephorno.
Job 31:7 7 If my step has turned from
the way
Or my heart walked after my eyes
Or if any spot adheres to my hands
YLT
7If my step doth turn aside
from the way
And after mine eyes hath my heart gone
And to my hands cleaved
hath blemish
If my step hath turned out of the way
.... The way
of God
the way of his commandments
the good and right way
the way of truth
and righteousness
so far as Job had knowledge of it: for
besides the law and
light of nature the Gentiles had in common
good men had some revelation
and
notions of the mind and will of God unto them
both before and after the flood
previous to the Mosaic dispensation; which in some measure directed them what
way to walk in
with respect to worship and duty; and from this way Job swerved
not; not that he walked so perfectly in it as to be free from sin
and never
commit any; or that he never took a step out of the way
or stepped awry; but
he did not knowingly
wittingly
and purposely turn out of the way; and when
through infirmity of the flesh
the temptations of Satan
and snares of the
world
he was drawn aside
he did not obstinately and finally persist therein;
though this may have respect not to sin in general
but to the particular sin
he is clearing himself from
namely
dealing falsely and deceitfully with men
in whatsoever he had to do with them
in matters of "meum" and "tuum";
or with regard to the rules of justice and equity between man and man
he was
not conscious to himself he had departed from them; a like expression to those
in Psalm 7:3
where
some particular sin is referred unto:
and mine heart walked after mine eyes; meaning not
in the lust of uncleanness
of which he had spoken before
as such do whose
eyes are full of adultery; but in the sin of covetousness
so Achan's heart
walked after his eyes
Joshua 7:20; and
this is one of the three things the world is full of
and the men of it indulge
themselves in
the lust of the eyes
1 John 2:16; the
sense is
that when he saw the riches and wealth of others
he did not covet
them
nor take any illicit methods to get them out of their hands; or
when he
saw the goods they were possessed of
and had with them to dispose of
he did
not take the advantage of their ignorance
or use any evil ways and means to
cheat and beguile them of them: it is pleasing to the flesh for the heart to
walk after the eye
or to indulge to that which it is taken with; but it is
very vain and foolish
as well as very dangerous so to do
Ecclesiastes 2:10;
a good man chooses a better guide than his eyes; even to be a follower of God
to tread in the steps of his living Redeemer
to walk not after the flesh
but
after the Spirit
and according to the law and will of God:
and if any blot cleaved to my hands; any spot
stain
or
blemish
as all sin is of a defiling nature
particularly the hands may be
blotted by shedding innocent blood
by taking bribes to pervert judgment; which
the Septuagint version directs to here; and by getting
holding
and retaining
mammon of unrighteousness
or ill gotten goods; which is what is chiefly if not
solely intended here; for it may be rendered
"if any thing hath
cleaved"
&c. so Aben Ezra and Ben Gersom; for the word signifies both
a "blot" and "anything": and the Targum takes in both
senses: the meaning seems to be
that there was not anything of another man's
in his hands
which he had taken from him by force and violence
or find
obtained by any deceitful methods
and which he held fast
and it stuck with
him as pitch to the hands
and he did not care to part with it
or restore it
whereby his hands were defiled; otherwise Job had no such opinion of the
cleanness of his hands and actions
as if he thought there was no spot of sin
in them
or only such as he could wash out himself; he clearly speaks the
contrary
Job 9:30; which is
the sense of every good man
who
conscious of his spots and blemishes
washes
his hands
his actions
his conversation garments
and makes them white in the
blood of the Lamb; and such
and such only
have clean hands.
Job 31:8 8 Then
let me sow
and another eat; Yes
let my harvest be rooted out.
YLT
8Let me sow -- and another
eat
And my products let be rooted out.
Then let me sow
and another eat
.... If what he had before said was not true; but he had turned
out of the way of righteousness
and walked after the sight of his eyes
and
the mammon of unrighteousness cleaved to his hands; then he wishes might sow
his fields
and another enjoy the increase of them
which is one of God's
judgments threatened unto the wicked and disobedient
Leviticus 26:16;
let my offspring be rooted out; but Job had no offspring
or children at this time to be rooted out or destroyed; they were all destroyed
already; some think therefore that this imprecation was made by him in the time
of his prosperity
though here repeated as it was then
he made a covenant with
his eyes; but then this might have been improved against him and retorted on
him
that so it was according to his wish; and therefore he must have been
guilty of the sin he would have purged himself from; others suppose that he
refers to the future
and to the offspring he hoped to have hereafter; and when
he should have them
wishes they may be rooted out
if he had done what he
denies he had; but it does not appear that Job had any hope at all of being
restored to his former state of prosperity
and of being possessed of a family
and substance again
but the reverse. GussetiusF1Comment. Ebr. p.
338. will have it
that he means his grandchildren; those indeed are sometimes
called a man's children
and may propriety be said to be his offspring
they
springing frown him; and it is possible
that
as his sons were settled from
him
they were married and had children; but this is not certain
or
if they
had any
that these were not destroyed with them; wherefore it is best to take
the wordF2יאצאי "germina mea"
Beza
Montanus
Mercerus
Drusius
Michaelis
Schultens. in its first and
literal sense
for what springs out of the earth
herbs
plants
and trees
as
in Isaiah 42:5; so Ben
Gersom and Bar Tzemach
and which best agrees with the phrase of being
"rooted out"
and with what goes before; that as he had wished that
which was sown in his fields might be eaten up by another
so what was planted
and grew up in his gardens
orchards
vineyards
and olive yards
and the like
might be quite rooted out and destroyed; if he was not the man he declared
himself to be
or had wronged any of their goods and property
then this would
have been a just retaliation of him.
Job 31:9 9 “If my heart has been
enticed by a woman
Or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door
YLT
9If my heart hath been
enticed by woman
And by the opening of my neighbour I laid wait
If mine heart have been deceived by a woman
.... By
another man's wife
by wantonly looking at her beauty
and so lusting after
her; and so
not through any blame or fault of hers
or by any artful methods
made use of by her
to allure and ensnare; such as were practised by the
harlot
Proverbs 7:1; but
by neither was the heart of Job deceived
and drawn into the sin of
uncleanness; for he had made a covenant with his eyes
as not to look at a
virgin
so much less at another man's wife
to prevent his lusting after her;
and whatever temptations and solicitations he might have been attended with
through the grace of God
as Joseph was
he was enabled to withstand them;
though as wise a man
and the wisest of men
had his heart deceived and drawn
aside thereby
Ecclesiastes 7:26;
or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door: to meet with
his wife there
and carry on an intrigue with her; or to take the opportunity
of going in when opened
in order to solicit her to his embraces
knowing her
husband to be away from home; see Proverbs 5:8.
Job 31:10 10 Then
let my wife grind for another
And let others bow down over her.
YLT
10Grind to another let my
wife
And over her let others bend.
Then let my wife
grind unto another
.... Which some understand literally
of her being put to the
worst of drudgery and slavery
to work at a mill
and grind corn for the
service of a stranger
and be exposed to the company of the meanest of persons
and to their insults and abuses; as we find such as were taken captives and
made prisoners by an enemy were put unto
as Samson
Judges 16:21; and
it may be observed
that to grind in a mill was also the work of women
Exodus 11:5; as it
was in early times; HomerF3Odyss. 7. v. 107. & Odyss. 20. v.
109. speaks of it as in times before him; but others take the words in a
figurative sense
as if he imprecated that she lie with another man
and be
defiled by him
as the Targum
Aben Ezra
and othersF4So T. Bab
Sotah
fol. 10. 1. & Luther
Schmidt apud Stockium
p. 414. ; see Isaiah 47:1; and in
like manner the following clause:
and let others bow down upon her; both which phrases are
euphemisms
or clean and decent expressions
signifying what otherwise is not
to be named; the Scriptures hereby directing
as to avoid unchaste thoughts
inclinations
and desires
and impure actions
so obscene words and filthy
talking
as becometh saints: but there is some difficulty in Job's imprecating
or wishing such a thing might befall his wife; it could not be lawful
if he
had sinned
to wish his wife might sin also; or
if he was an adulterer
that
she should be an adulteress; the sense is not
that Job really wished such a
thing; but he uses such a way of speaking
to show how remote he was from the
sin of uncleanness
there being nothing more disagreeable to a man than for his
wife to defile his bed; it is the last thing he would wish for: and moreover
Job suggests hereby
that had he been guilty of this sin
he must own and
acknowledge that he would be righteously served
and it would be a just
retaliation upon him
should his wife use him
or she be used
in such a
manner; likewise
though a man may not wish nor commit a sin for the punishment
of another; yet God sometimes punishes sin with sin
and even with the same
kind of sin
and with this; so David's sin with Bathsheba was punished with
Absalom lying with his wives and concubines before the sun
2 Samuel 12:11; see
Deuteronomy 28:30.
Job 31:11 11 For that would be
wickedness; Yes
it would be iniquity deserving of judgment.
YLT
11For it [is] a wicked thing
and a judicial iniquity;
For this is an heinous crime
.... Adultery; it is
contrary to the light of nature
and is condemned by it as a great sin
Genesis 20:9; as
well as contrary to the express will and law of God
Exodus 20:14; and
though all sin is a transgression of the law of God
and deserving of death;
yet there are some sins greater and more heinous than others
being attended
with aggravating circumstances; and such is this sin
it is a breach of the
marriage contract and covenant between man and wife; it is doing injury to a
man's property
and to that which is the nearest and dearest to him
and is
what introduces confusion into families
kingdoms
and states; and therefore it
follows:
yea
it is an iniquity to he punished by the judges; who might
take cognizance of it
examine into it
and pass sentence for it
and execute
it; and
if they neglect do their duty
God
the Judge of all the earth
will
punish for it in the world to come
unless repented of: "for whoremongers
and adulterers God will judge"
Hebrews 13:4; the
punishment of adultery was death by the law of God
and that by stoning
as
appears from Leviticus 20:10;
and it is remarkable
that the Heathens
who were ignorant of this law
enjoined the same punishment for it; so HomerF5Iliad. 3. v. 57.
introduces Hector reproving Paris for this sin
and suggests to him
that if he
had his deserved punishment
he would have been clothed with a "stone
coat"
as he beautifully expresses it; which SuidasF6In voce λαινον. explains
by being
overwhelmed with stones
or stoned; as EustathiusF7In Homer. ibid. .
Job 31:12 12 For that would be a
fire that consumes to destruction
And would root out all my increase.
YLT
12For a fire it [is]
to
destruction it consumeth
And among all mine increase doth take root
For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction
.... Referring
either to the nature of the sin of uncleanness; it is inflammatory
a burning
lust
a fire burning in the breast; see 1 Corinthians 7:9;
or to the effect of it
either the rage of jealousy in the injured person
which is exceeding fierce
furious
and cruel
like devouring fire
not to be
appeased or mitigated
Proverbs 6:34; or
else it may respect the punishment of this sin in the times of Job
and which
we find was practised among the Gentiles
as the Canaanites
Job's neighbours
burning such delinquents with fire; see Genesis 38:24; or
rather the wrath of God for it
which is poured forth as fire
and burns to the
lowest hell
and into which lake of fire all such impure persons will be cast
unless the grace of God prevents; and which will be a fire that will consume
and destroy both soul and body
and so be an utter and everlasting destruction
Revelation 21:8;
and would root out all my increase; even in this world;
adultery is a sin that not only ruins a man's character
fixes an indelible
blot upon him
a reproach that shall not be wiped off
and consumes a man's
body
and destroys the health of it
but his substance also
the increase of
his fields
and of his fruits
and by means of it a man is brought to a piece
of bread
to beg it
and to be glad of it
Proverbs 6:26.
Job 31:13 13 “If I have despised the
cause of my male or female servant When they comlained against me
YLT
13If I despise the cause of
my man-servant
And of my handmaid
In their contending with me
If I did despise the cause of my manservant
or of my maidservant
.... Whether
it was a cause that related to any controversy or quarrel among themselves when
it was brought before him
he did not reject it
because of the meanness of the
contending parties
and the state of servitude they were in; but he received it
and searched into it
heard patiently what each had to say
examined them
thoroughly
entered into the merits of the cause
and either reconciled them
or passed a righteous sentence
punished the delinquent
and protected the
innocent; or
if it was a cause relating to himself
any complaint of their
work
or wages
or food
or clothing
as it seems to be from what follows:
when they contended with me; had anything to complain
of
or to object to him on the above account
or any other
where there was any
show or colour of foundation for it; otherwise it cannot be thought he would
indulge a saucy
impudent
and contradicting behaviour in them towards him:
masters in those times and countries had an unlimited
and exercised a despotic
power over their servants
and used them with great rigour
and refused to do
them justice upon complaints; but Job behaved as if he had had the rules of the
apostle before him to act by in his conduct towards his servants
Ephesians 6:9; and
even condescended to submit the cause between him and his servants to other
judges or arbitrators
or rather took cognizance of it himself
heard patiently
and carefully what they had to allege
and did them justice.
Job 31:14 14 What then shall I do when
God rises up? When He punishes
how shall I answer Him?
YLT
14Then what do I do when God
ariseth? And when He doth inspect
What do I answer Him?
What then shall I do when God riseth up?.... That is
if he had despised and rejected the cause of his servants
or had neglected
or
refused to do them justice; he signifies he should be at the utmost loss to
know what to do
what excuse to make
or what to say in his own defence
when
God should rise up to defend the cause of the injured; either in a way of
Providence in this life
or at the great day of judgment in the world to come
when everything will be brought to account
and masters and servants must stand
alike before the judgment seat of God
to receive for the things they have
done
whether good or evil:
and when he visiteth
what shall I answer him? when he makes
a visitation among men
either in this world
even in a fatherly way
visits
transgressions
and reproves and corrects for them; had he been guilty of ill
usage of his servants
he must have silently submitted to such visitations and
chastisements
having nothing to say for himself why he should not be thus
dealt with; or in the world to come
in the great day of visitation
when God
shall make inquisition for sin
and seek it out
and call to an account for it;
and should this be produced against him
even contempt of the cause of his
servants
he was sensible he could not answer him for it
nor for anyone sin of
a thousand
as no man will be able to do; but must be speechless
unless he has
a better righteousness than his own to answer for him in that time to come.
This is Job's first reason which deterred him from using his servants ill;
another follows.
Job 31:15 15 Did not He who made me in
the womb make them? Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?
YLT
15Did not He that made me in
the womb make him? Yea
prepare us in the womb doth One.
Did not he that made me in the womb make him?.... And her
also
both his manservant and maidservant: these were made
by the Lord as Job
was
and in a like place and manner as he himself; though parents are the
instruments of begetting children
and of bringing them into the world
God is
the Maker of men
as at the beginning
and all are alike made by him
in
whatsoever rank
condition
and circumstance of life
whether masters or
servants; and they are all fabricated in the same shop of nature
the womb of a
woman:
and did not one fashion us in the womb? that is
he
who is the one God
according to Malachi 2:10; God
is one in nature and essence
though there are three Persons in the unity of
the Godhead; and this one God
Father
Son
and Spirit
is the Creator of all
men and things; hence we read of "Creators"
Ecclesiastes 12:1;
and
though one God makes the bodies and creates the souls of men now as at the
first
and all are formed and fashioned by him
high
low
rich and poor
bond
and free; and they have all the same rational powers and faculties of soul
Psalm 33:15; as
well as the same curious art and skill are employed in forming and fashioning
their bodies and the members of them
in the lower parts of the earth
in their
mother's womb; yea
they are fashioned "in one womb"F8ברחם אחד εν
τη αυτη κοιλια
Sept. "in utero uno"
Munster; so Beza
Drusius
Michaelis.
as the words will better bear to be rendered according to
the position of them in the original and the accents; not indeed in the same
identical womb
but in a like one: there are two words in the original here
both translated "womb"; the one signifies the "ovarium"
in
which the conception is made; the other designs the "secundine"
in
which the fetus is wrapped or covered; for so it may be rendered
"did he
not cover us?" &c.F9Saturnal. l. 1. c. 11. ; though Jarchi
Aben Ezra
Ben Gersom
and others
interpret it of the one God as we do: Job's
reasoning is
that seeing he and his servants were equally the workmanship of
God
and both made in the womb by him
and curiously fashioned alike
and
possessed of the same rational powers
it would be unreasonable in him to use
them ill
who were his fellow creatures; and should he
he might expect the
Maker of them both would highly resent it. MacrobiusF11Vid. Hackman.
Praecidan. Sacr. p. 193.
an Heathen writer
gives a remarkable instance of
the care heaven
as he expresses it
has of servants
and how much the contempt
of it is resented thereby; and reasons much in the same manner concerning them
as Job does here
that they are men
though servants; are of the same original
breathe in the same air
live and die as other men.
Job 31:16 16 “If I have kept the poor
from their desire
Or caused the eyes of the widow to fail
YLT
16If I withhold from pleasure
the poor
And the eyes of the widow do consume
If I have withheld the poor from their desire
.... Their
reasonable desires
and which it was in his power to grant; as when they
desired a piece of bread
being hungry
or clothes to cover them
being naked;
but not unreasonable desires
seeking and asking great things for themselves
or unlimited and unbounded ones
such as the two sons of Zebedee desired of
Christ
Mark 10:35;
or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; through long
waiting for
and expecting help and succour from him
and at last disappointed.
Job did not use the widow in such a manner as to give her reason to hope for
relief or counsel from him she came for
and make her wait long
and then send
her away empty
as he was charged
Job 22:9; but he
soon dispatched her
by granting her what she sued to him for.
Job 31:17 17 Or eaten my morsel by
myself
So that the fatherless could not eat of it
YLT
17And I do eat my morsel by
myself
And the orphan hath not eat of it
Or have eaten my morsel myself alone
.... Though he
had kept no doubt a plentiful table in the time of his prosperity suitable to
his circumstances
yet had been no luxurious person
and therefore calls
provisions a "morsel"; however
be it what it would
more or less
he
did not eat it alone; what he had for himself the poor had a share of it with
him
and the same he ate himself he gave to them:
and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof: meaning the
poor fatherless: for as to the rich fatherless
it was no charity to feed them:
this verse contradicts the charge exhibited against him
Job 22:7.
Job 31:18 18 (But from my youth I
reared him as a father
And from my mother’s womb I guided the widow[a]);
YLT
18(But from my youth He grew
up with me as [with] a father
And from the belly of my mother I am led.)
For from my youth he was brought up with me as with a
father
.... That is
the poor or the fatherless
one or both; as soon as
he was at years of discretion
and was capable of observing the distressed
circumstances of others
he had a tender and compassionate regard to the poor
and fatherless
and acted the part of a father to them; was as affectionately
concerned for them as if he had been their father
and took such care of them as
if they were his children; see Job 29:16;
and I have guided her from my mother's womb; the widow
by
his counsel and advice; an hyperbolical expression
signifying how early he was
a succourer of such persons
by giving his friendly advice
or needful
assistance; the Vulgate Latin version renders it
"from my youth mercy
grew up with me"
&c. a merciful disposition
a compassionate regard
to the poor and fatherless; this was as it were connatural to him; for though
there is no good disposition really in man
without the grace of God
of which
Job might early partake
yet there is a show of it in some persons
in
comparison of others; some have a natural tender disposition to the poor
when
others are naturally cruel and hardhearted to them; and so Mr. Broughton
renders the words to this sense
"for
from my youth this grew with me as a father
and from my mother did I tender
it:'
but
the first sense seems best.
Job 31:19 19 If I have seen anyone
perish for lack of clothing
Or any poor man without covering;
YLT
19If I see [any] perishing
without clothing
And there is no covering to the needy
If I have seen any perish for want of clothing
.... A man may
be in such poor circumstances as to want proper clothing to cover his naked
body with
and preserve it from the inclemencies of the weather
and for want
of it be ready to perish or die with cold. Job denies he had seen any such; not
that he had never seen persons in such perishing circumstances; but he had not
seen them as to "despise" them
as the Vulgate Latin version
as to
have them in contempt
or look at them with disdain because of their poverty
and rags
or sordid apparel; or so as to "overlook" them
as the
Septuagint version
to neglect them
and to take no notice of them
and make no
provision for their clothing
a warm and comfortable garment
as in Job 31:20
or any poor without covering; without clothing
sufficient to cover himself with
and keep him warm; Job had seen such objects
but he did not leave them in such a condition; he saw them
and had compassion
on them
and clothed them.
Job 31:20 20 If his heart[b] has not
blessed me
And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
YLT
20If his loins have not
blessed me
And from the fleece of my sheep He doth not warm himself
If his loins have not blessed me
.... Which were girded
and covered with garments he gave him; which
as often as he put on and girded
his loins with
put him in mind of his generous benefactor
and this put him
upon sending up an ejaculatory wish to heaven
that all happiness and
blessedness might attend him
who had so comfortably clothed him; see Job 29:13;
and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my
sheep; not with a fleece of wool as taken off the back of the sheep
or
with a sheep's skin
having the wool on it
but with it
as made up into cloth;
with a woollen garment
which was a kind of clothing that very early obtained
and is what is warm and comfortable
see Deuteronomy 22:11.
Job clothed the naked
not with gay apparel
which was not necessary
but with decent
and useful raiment
and not with the fleece of other men's sheep
but with the
fleece of his own sheep
or with cloth made of the wool of his own flock
giving what was his own and not others; which always should be observed in acts
of charity; see 2 Samuel 12:4. Thus
Christ
the antitype of Job
feeds the poor and the fatherless whom he finds
though he does not leave them so; it is at his own table
and with his own
bread
with provisions of his own making; and clothes them with the robe of his
righteousness
and garments of salvation
which is a clothing and a covering to
them
and secures them from perishing
and causes joy and gladness in them
Isaiah 61:10.
Job 31:21 21 If I have raised my hand
against the fatherless
When I saw I had help in the gate;
YLT
21If I have waved at the
fatherless my hand
When I see in [him] the gate of my court
If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless
.... Either in
a menacing way
threatening what he would do to them; which
from a man of
wealth and authority
a civil magistrate
a judge
is very terrible to the poor
and fatherless; or in order to strike him
which would be to smite with the
fist of wickedness; or give a signal to others
by lifting up the hand to
smite
as Ananias gave orders to smite the Apostle Paul; or thereby to give his
vote against the fatherless wrongly
suffrages being sometimes made by lifting
up the hands; or hereby Job signifies
that he was so far from doing the
fatherless any real injury
that he had not so much as lifted up his hand
and
even a finger against him:
when I saw my help in the gate; in the court of
judicature held in the gate of the city
as was usual; though he knew he had
the bench of judges for him
or they would give sentence in his behalf
and
against the fatherless
if he did but hold up his hand
or lift up a finger to
them
so ready would they be take his part and be on his side; yet he never
made use of his power and interest to their detriment
or took such an
advantage against them.
Job 31:22 22 Then
let my arm fall from my shoulder
Let my arm be torn from the socket.
YLT
22My shoulder from its blade
let fall
And mine arm from the bone be broken.
Then let mine arm
fall from my shoulder blade
.... With which the upper part of it is
connected; let it be disjointed from it
or rot and drop off from it; a dreadful
calamity this
to lose an arm and the use of it
to have it full off
immediately
as a judgment from God
and in just retaliation for lifting up an
hand or arm against the fatherless; as Jeroboam's arm withered when he put it
forth from the altar
and ordered hands to be laid upon the prophet for crying
against the altar
1 Kings 13:4; and
mine arm be broken from the bone; from the channel bone
as the margin of our
Bibles
or rather from the elbow
the lower part of the arm and so may be
rendered
"or mine arm"
&c. Eliphaz had brought a charge against
Job
that the arms of the fatherless had been broken
and suggests that they
had been broken by him
or by his orders
Job 22:9; and Job
here wishes
that if that was the case
that his own arm was broken: such
imprecations are not to be made in common
or frequently
and only when a man's
innocence cannot be vindicated but by an appeal to the omniscient God; an
instance somewhat like this
see in Psalm 137:5.
Job 31:23 23 For destruction from
God is a terror to me
And because of His magnificence I cannot endure.
YLT
23For a dread unto me [is]
calamity [from] God
And because of His excellency I am not able.
For destruction from God was a terror to me
.... Though he
feared not men
they being at his beck and command
ready to do any thing for
him he should order
yet he feared God; and the dread of his resentment
and of
destruction from him the lawgiver
who is able to save and to destroy
had such
an influence on him as to deter and keep him from all unkindness to the poor
and in justice to the fatherless; he dreaded the destruction of himself
his
family
and substance in this world
and everlasting destruction of soul and
body in the world to come; which of all things is to be feared
Matthew 10:28; and
Old Testament saints were much under a spirit of bondage to fear
and were
actuated thereby; and
though Job might not be under any dread of eternal
damnation
knowing his interest in the living Redeemer; yet he might fear
temporal destruction
as it is certain he did; which thing he feared came upon
him
though not for any crime or crimes he was guilty of
see Job 30:25; he might
fear
as a good man may
the chastisements and corrections of his heavenly
Father:
and by reason of his highness I could not endure; God is higher
than the highest angels
or men; he is above all gods
so called; he is God
over all
blessed for ever; and such is his height
his glory
and his majesty
that it is terrible
and the dread of them makes men afraid; nor can any sinner
stand before him
nor withstand him
nor hope to prevail against him
nor flee
from his presence
nor escape out of his hand
nor bear his wrath and
indignation
and the coming down of his arm; for what hands can be strong
or
heart endure
when the almighty God deals with them? or Job's sense may be
that such an awe of the divine Being was always upon him
that he could not do
any unkind thing to the poor
or unjust one to the fatherless.
Job 31:24 24 “If I have made gold my
hope
Or said to fine gold
‘You are my confidence’;
YLT
24If I have made gold my
confidence
And to the pure gold have said
`My trust
'
If I have made gold my hope
.... Job here purges
himself from idolatry in a figurative sense
as he afterwards does from it
taken in a literal sense; for covetousness is idolatry
and a covetous man is
an idolater; he worships his gold and silver
placing his affections on them
and putting his trust and confidence in them
Ephesians 5:5; for
to make gold the object or ground of hope is to place it in the room of God
who is the Hope of Israel
and in whom every good man should trust
and whom he
should make his hope
Jeremiah 14:8; not
gold on earth
but glory in heaven
is what the good man is hoping for; and not
riches
but Christ and his righteousness
are the foundation of such an hope;
to make gold our hope
is to have hope in this life
and to make a thing
present the object of it; whereas true hope is of things not seen and future
and if only in this life good men have hope
they are of all most miserable;
but they have in heavens better and a more enduring substance
and a better ground
for hope of that substance
than worldly wealth and riches can give:
or have said to the fine gold
thou art my confidence; as bad men
do
and good men are prone unto
and therefore to be cautioned against it
Psalm 49:6; for
this is not only to trust in uncertain riches
and in unsatisfying ones
but to
put them in the stead of God
who is or ought to be the confidence of the ends
of the earth: not gold
but the living God
who gives all things richly to
enjoy
is to be trusted in; when men covet riches
and trust in them as their
security from evil
and that they may live independent of the providence of
God
it is virtually to deny it
and carries in it secret atheism; as well as
such a confidence is destruction of the worship of God
and such a temper makes
a man an unprofitable hearer
plunges him into errors and hurtful lusts
and
endangers his everlasting happiness
Habakkuk 2:9; in
later times the Romans worshipped the goddess "Pecunia"
or money
as
AustinF26De Civitate Dei
l. 4. c. 21. relates.
Job 31:25 25 If I have rejoiced because
my wealth was great
And because my hand had gained much;
YLT
25If I rejoice because great
[is] my wealth
And because abundance hath my hand found
If I rejoiced because my wealth was great
.... As it
was
see Job 1:2; yet he did
not set his heart upon it
please himself with it
indulge to a carnal joy on
account of it
nor suffer it to engross his affections
or alienate them from
God his chief joy; not but that a man may lawfully rejoice in the goodness of
God unto him
in increasing his wealth
and praise him for it
who has placed
him in such easy circumstances
and so comfortably provided for him and his
family
and put him into a capacity to do good to others; and he may rejoice in
what God has given him
and cheerfully partake of it
1 Chronicles 29:13;
and because my hand had gotten much; though he had much
wealth
he did not ascribe it to his own industry
and applaud his own wisdom
and diligence
as men are apt to do
for all comes of God
and is owing to his
blessing; he did not please himself when become rich
as if his own hand had
found him much substance
as Ephraim did
Hosea 12:8.
Job 31:26 26 If I have observed the sun[c] when it
shines
Or the moon moving in brightness
YLT
26If I see the light when it
shineth
And the precious moon walking
If I beheld the sun when it shined
.... Some take this to be
a reason why Job did not make gold his hope and confidence
because all
sublunary and earthly enjoyments must be uncertain
fading
and perish
since
the sun and moon are not without their deficiencies and changes
to which sense
the Septuagint version inclines; others
as Nachmanides
that they are a denial
that Job ascribed his wealth and substance to the influence of the heavenly
bodies; and many interpreters are of opinion that they are a continuation of
the same subject as before; Job hereby declaring that neither his eye nor his
heart were set upon his outward prosperity
comparable to the light of the sun
and the brightness of the moon; that he did not secretly please himself with
it
nor congratulate himself upon it nor applaud his own wisdom and industry;
and of late Schultens and others interpret it of flattering great personages
complimenting: them
and courting their favour
which we call worshipping the
rising sun; but I rather think it is to be understood
as it more generally is
of worshipping the sun and moon in a literal sense; which was the first kind of
idolatry men went into; those very ancient idolaters
the Zabii
worshipped the
sun as their greater god
as MaimonidesF1Moreh Nevochim
par. 3. c.
29. p. 424. observes
to whom he says they offered seven bats
seven mice
and
seven other creeping things
with some other things also; in later times horses
were offered to it
see 2 Kings 23:11. So
the ancient Egyptians worshipped the sun and moon
calling the one Osiris
and
the other IsisF2Diodor. Sic. l. 1. p. 10. . The word for sun is
"light"
and it is so called because it is a luminous body
and the
fountain of light to others; it is called the greater light
Genesis 1:16; and
from this Hebrew word "or"
with the Egyptians
Apollo
who is the
sun
is called Horus
as MacrobiusF3Saturnal. l. 1. c. 21. relates;
it is said to "shine"
as it always does
even when below our
horizon
or in an eclipse
or under a cloud
though not seen by us. Job has
here respect to its shining clearly and visibly
and perhaps at noon day
when
it is in its full strength; unless regard is had to its bright and shining
appearance at its rising
when the Heathens used to pay their homage and
adoration to itF4"Illi ad surgentem conversi limina
solem"
Virgil. Aeneid. 12. : now when Job denies that he beheld it
shining
it cannot be understood of the bare sight of it
which he continually
had; nor of beholding it with delight and pleasure
which might be very
lawfully done
Ecclesiastes 11:7;
nor of considering it as the work of God
being a very glorious and useful
creature
in which his glory is displayed
and for which he is to be praised
because of its beneficial influence on the earth; see Psalm 8:3; but of
his beholding it with admiration
as if it was more than a creature
ascribing
deity to it
and worshipping it as God; and the same must be understood of the
moon in the next clause:
or the moon walking in brightness; as at first
rising
or rather when in the full
in the middle of the month
as Aben Ezra;
when it walks all night
in its brightness
illuminated by the sun: these two
luminaries
the one called the king
the other the queen of heaven
were very
early worshipped
if not the first instances of idolatry. Diodorus SiculusF5Bibliothec.
l. 1. c. 10. says
that the first men of old
born in Egypt
beholding and
admiring the beauty of the world
thought there were two gods in the nature of
the universe
and that they were eternal; namely
the sun and moon
the one
they called Osiris
and the other Isis; hence the Israelites
having dwelt long
in Egypt
were in danger of being drawn into this idolatry
against which they
are cautioned
Deuteronomy 4:19;
and where was a city called Heliopolis
or the city of the sun
as in the Greek
version of Isaiah 19:18; where
was a temple dedicated to the worship of it; and so the Arabians
the
neighbours of Job
according to HerodotusF6Clio
sive
l. 1. c. 131.
worshipped the sun and moon; for he says the Persians were taught by them and
the Assyrians to sacrifice to the sun and moon; and so did the old Canaanites
and the Phoenicians; hence one of their cities is called Bethshemesh
the house
or temple of the sun
Joshua 19:22
yea
we are toldF7De la Valle Itinerar. par. 2. c. 9. apud Spanheim.
Hist. Job. c. 6. sect. 14. No. 6. p. 108
109.
that to this day there are
some traces of this ancient idolatry in Arabia
the neighbourhood of Job; as in
a large city in Arabia
upon the Euphrates
called Anna
where they worship the
sun only; this being common in those parts in Job's time
he purges himself
from it.
Job 31:27 27 So that my heart has been
secretly enticed
And my mouth has kissed my hand;
YLT
27And my heart is enticed in
secret
And my hand doth kiss my mouth
And mine heart hath been secretly enticed
.... Drawn
away by beholding the magnitude of these bodies
the swiftness of their motion
their glorious appearance
and great usefulness to mankind
to entertain a
thought of their being deities; and privately to worship them
in secret acts
of devotion
as by an honourable esteem of them as such
reverence and
affection for them
trust and confidence in them; for
as there is a secret
worshipping of the true God
so there is a secret idolatry
idolatry in the
heart
and setting up of idols there
as well as worshipping them in dark
places
in chambers of imagery
as the Jews did
Ezekiel 8:12;
or my mouth hath kissed my hand; idols used to be kissed
by their votaries
in token of their veneration of them
and as expressive of
their worship of them; so Baal and Jeroboam's calves were kissed by the
worshippers of them
1 Kings 19:18.
Kissing is used to signify the religious veneration
homage
and worship of a
divine Person
the Son of God
Psalm 2:12; and
such deities especially that were out of the reach of their worshippers
as the
sun
moon
and stars were
they used to put their hands to their mouths
and
kiss them
in token of their worship; just as persons now
at a distance from
each other
pay their civil respects to one another: instances of religious
adoration of idols performed in this manner; see Gill on Hosea 13:2. Job
denies that he had been guilty of such idolatry
either secretly or openly.
Job 31:28 28 This also would be
an iniquity deserving of judgment
For I would have denied God who is
above.
YLT
28It also [is] a judicial
iniquity
For I had lied to God above.
Verse 28
This also were an iniquity to be punished by the
judge
.... As well as adultery
Job 31:11; by the
civil magistrates and judges of the earth
who are God's vicegerents
and
therefore it behooves them to take cognizance of such an iniquity
and to
punish for it
which affects in so peculiar a manner the honour and worship of
the true God; this by the law of Moses was punished by stoning to death
Deuteronomy 13:9;
however this will be taken notice of and punished by God the Judge of all
whose law is broken hereby
and who will visit this iniquity more especially on
those who commit it
and their posterity after them. Idolaters of every sort
shall have their part and portion in the lake which burns with fire and
brimstone
Exodus 20:3; the
consideration of its being such a heinous sin
and so deserving of punishment
deterred Job from it; the Targum paraphrases it
a most amazing iniquity
it
being
as follows
a denial of the true God:
for I should have denied the God that is above; that is
had
he worshipped the sun and moon secretly or openly; for
as the atheist denies
him in words
the idolater denies him in facts
worshipping the creature
besides the Creator
and giving his glory to another
and his praise to idols;
which is a virtual denial of him
even of him who is above the sun and moon in
place
being higher than the heavens; and in nature
excellency
and glory
being the Creator of them
and they his creatures; and in power and authority
who commands the sun
and it rises not
and has appointed the moon for seasons
Job 9:7.
Job 31:29 29 “If I have rejoiced at the
destruction of him who hated me
Or lifted myself up when evil found him
YLT
29If I rejoice at the ruin of
my hater
And stirred up myself when evil found him
If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me
.... Job
though a good man
had his enemies
as all good men have
and that because of
their goodness
and who hated him with an implacable hatred
without a cause
there being a rooted bitter enmity in the seed of the serpent against the godly
in all generations; on whom sooner or later
at one time or another
destruction comes
one calamity or another on their families
diseases on their
bodies
loss of substance
death of themselves or relatives; now it is a common
thing with wicked men to rejoice in the adversity of their enemies
but good
men should not do so; yet it is a difficult thing
and requires a large measure
of grace
and that in exercise
not to feel any pleasing emotion
a secret joy
and inward pleasure
at the hearing of anything of this sort befalling an
enemy; which is a new crime Job purges himself from:
or lifted up myself when evil found him; either the
evil of sin
which sooner or later finds out the sinner
charges him with
guilt
and requires punishment
or the evil of punishment for sin; which
though it may seem to move slowly
pursues the sinner
and will overtake him
and light upon him. Mr. Broughton renders the words
"and bestirred me
when he found loss": loss in his family
in his cattle
and in his
substance; now
when this was the case
Job did not raise up himself in a
haughty manner
and insult and triumph over him
or stir up himself to joy and
rejoicing
or to make joyful motions
as Aben Ezra and Ben Gersom interpret it;
and by his gestures show that he was elated with the evil that had befallen his
enemy; indeed so far as the fall and destruction of the wicked make for the
public good
for the interest of religion
for the glory of God
and the honour
of his justice
it is lawful for good men to rejoice thereat; but not from a
private affection
or from a private spirit of revenge
see Psalm 58:10.
Job 31:30 30 (Indeed I have not allowed
my mouth to sin By asking for a curse on his soul);
YLT
30Yea
I have not suffered my
mouth to sin
To ask with an oath his life.
Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin
.... Which
as
it is the instrument of speech
is often the means of much sin; particularly of
cursing men
and expressing much bitterness against enemies; but Job laid an
embargo upon it
kept it as with a bridle
restrained it from uttering any
evil
or wishing any to his worst adversaries; which is difficult to do
when
provocations are given
as follows:
by wishing a curse to his soul; not to his soul as
distinct from his body
being the superior excellency and immortal part; that
it be everlastingly damned
as wicked men wish to their own souls
and the
souls of others
but to his person
wishing some calamity might befall him
some disease seize upon him
or that God would take him away by death: Job
would never suffer himself to wish anything of this kind unto his enemy.
Job 31:31 31 If the men of my tent have
not said
‘Who is there that has not been satisfied with his meat?’
YLT
31If not -- say ye
O men of
my tent
`O that we had of his flesh
we are not satisfied.'
If the men of my tabernacle
.... Either his friends
that came to visit him
and take a meal with him
and would sometimes tarry
awhile with him in his house
being very free and familiar with him; and who
were
as it were
at home in his tabernacle; or rather his domestic servants
that were under his roof
and dwelt in his house
see Job 19:15; if these
said not
oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied; of the flesh
of Job's enemy; and the sense is that his servants used to say
are cannot bear
to see our master so ill used and insulted by his enemy; we wish he would only
allow us to avenge him on him
we would eat him up alive; we would devour him
and destroy him at once; nor can we be satisfied unless we have leave to do it:
and so this is a further proof of Job's patience with his enemies
that though
he had fetters on in his family
his servants solicited him to revenge
yet he
abstained from it; which may be exemplified in the cases of David and of
Christ
1 Samuel 26:8
though some think these words express Job's patience towards his servants
who
were so angry with him for the strict discipline he observed in his house
that
they wished they had his flesh to eat
and could not be satisfied without it;
and yet
so far was he from taking pleasure in the calamities of his enemies
and wishing ill to them
that he did not resent the ill natured speeches of his
servants
and avenge himself on them for their wicked insults upon him: but it
can hardly be thought that Job would keep such wicked servants in his house;
but perhaps Job here enters upon a new crime
which he clears himself of
and
is opened more fully in Job 31:32
namely
inhospitality to strangers; since the particle "if" commonly begins a
new article in this chapter
and being taken in this sense
various
interpretations are given; some
as if Job's servants were displeased with him
for his hospitality
that his house was always so full of guests
that they
were continually employed in dressing food for them
that they had not time
or
that there was not enough left for them to eat of his flesh
his food
and be
satisfied with it; or else
as pleased with the plentiful table he kept
and
therefore desired to continue always in his service
and eat of his food; nor
could they be satisfied with the food of others
or live elsewhere; though
perhaps it is best of all to render the words
as by some
who will give
or
show the man "that is not satisfied of his flesh?"F8So
Schultens
"quis"; and Ikenius
apud ib. point out the man in all the
neighbourhood that has not been liberally entertained at Job's table to his
full satisfaction and content; and his liberality did not extend only to his
neighbours
but to strangers also; as follows.
Job 31:32 32 (But no sojourner
had to lodge in the street
For I have opened my doors to the traveler[d]);
YLT
32In the street doth not
lodge a stranger
My doors to the traveller I open.
The stranger did not lodge
in the street
.... By a stranger is not meant an unconverted man
that is a
stranger to God and godliness
to Christ
and the way of salvation by him
to
the Spirit of God and spiritual things
nor a good man
who is a stranger and
pilgrim on earth; but one that is out of his nation and country
and at a
distance from it
whether a good man or a bad man; these Job would not suffer
to lie in the streets in the night season
exposed to the air and the
inclemencies of it; see Judges 19:15;
but I opened my doors to the
traveller; even all the doors of his house
to denote his great liberality
that as many as would might enter it; and this was done by himself
or
however
by his order; and some think that it signifies that he was at his
door
waiting and watching for travellers to invite them in
as Abraham and
Lot
Genesis 18:1; or
his doors were opened "to the way"F9לארח
"ad semitam seu viam"
Mercerus; "versus viam"
Piscator
Michaelis; לדרך
Ben Gersom. : as it may be rendered
to the roadside; his house was built by the wayside; or
however
the doors
which lay towards that side were thrown open for travellers to come in at as
they pleased
and when they would; so very hospitable and kind to strangers and
travellers was Job
and so welcome were they to his house and the entertainment
of it
see Hebrews 13:2.
Job 31:33 33 If I have covered my
transgressions as Adam
By hiding my iniquity in my bosom
YLT
33If I have covered as Adam
my transgressions
To hide in my bosom mine iniquity
If I covered my
transgressions as Adam
.... Job could not be understood
by this account he had given of
the holiness of his life
that he thought himself quite free from sin; he had
owned himself to be a sinner in several places before
and disclaimed
perfection; and here he acknowledges he was guilty of transgressing the law of
God
and that in many instances; for he speaks of his
"transgressions" in the plural number; but then he did not seek to
cover them from the of God or men
but frankly and ingenuously confessed them
to both; he did not cover them
palliate
excuse
and extenuate them
as Adam
did his
by laying the blame to his wife; and as she by charging it on the
serpent; and those excuses they made are the inventions they found out
Ecclesiastes 7:29;
or the meaning is
Job did not do "as men"F11כאדם "ut homo"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
Beza
Bolducius
Mercerus
Drusius
Schmidt; "more hominum"
Junius &
Tremellius
Piscator; so Aben Ezra. in common do; who
when they have sinned
either through fear or shame
endeavour to conceal it
and keep it out of the
sight of others
unless they are very hardened and audacious sinners
such as
the men of Sodom were
see Hosea 6:7;
by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom; meaning perhaps some
particular iniquity which his nature was most inclined to; this he did not
attempt to hide in secret
as what is put into the bosom is; or that he did not
spare it and cherish it
and
from an affection to it
keep it as persons and
things beloved are
laid in the bosom; and so Mr. Broughton reads the words
"hiding my sin of a self-love"; either having a self-love to it
or
hiding it of self-love
that is
from a principle of self-love
to preserve his
honour
credit
and reputation among men.
Job 31:34 34 Because I feared the great
multitude
And dreaded the contempt of families
So that I kept silence And
did not go out of the door—
YLT
34Because I fear a great
multitude
And the contempt of families doth affright me
Then I am silent
I
go not out of the opening.
Did I fear a great
multitude?.... No
they did not deter him from confessing his sin in the
most public manner
when sensible or convicted of it
and when such a public
acknowledgment was necessary:
or did the contempt of families terrify me? no
the
contempt he might suppose he should be had in by some families that knew him
and he was well acquainted with
did not terrify him from making a free and
ingenuous confession of his sins:
that I kept silence; or "did I keep
silence"
and went not out of the door? so as not to
open his mouth by confession in public
but kept within doors through fear and
shame; or else the sense is
that he was not intimidated from doing his duty as
a civil magistrate
administering justice to the poor and oppressed; neither
the dread of a clamorous mob
nor the contempt of families of note
or great
personages
could deter him from the execution of his office with uprightness
so as to cause him to be silent
and keep at home; but without any regard to
the fear of the one
or the contempt of the other
he went out from his house
through the street to the court of judicature
took his place on the bench
and
gave judgment in favour of those that were oppressed
though the multitude was
against them
and even persons and families of note: or thus
though I could
have put a great multitude to fear
yet the most contemptible persons in any
family
so Aben Ezra and Ben Gersom interpret that phrase
the meanest person
or
but a beggar
if his cause was just
terrified him; or such was the fear of God
upon him
that he durst do no other than to do him justice; so that he could
not open his mouth against him
or stir out of doors to do him the tease;
injury; though perhaps it may be best of all
with Schultens
to consider these
words as an imprecation
that if what he had said before from Job 31:24 was not
true; if he was not clear from idolatry figurative
and literal
from a
malicious and revengeful spirit
from inhospitality and unkindness to
strangers
from palliating
excusing
and extenuating his sins; then as if he
should say
may I be frightened with a tumult
or a multitude of people
and
terrified with the public contempt of families; may I be as silent as a mope in
my own house
and never dare to stir out of doors
or show my thee
or see face
of any man any more: and then
before he had quite finished his account of
himself
breaks out in the following manner.
Job 31:35 35 Oh
that I had one to hear
me! Here is my mark. Oh
that the Almighty would answer me
That
my Prosecutor had written a book!
YLT
35Who giveth to me a hearing?
lo
my mark. The Mighty One doth answer me
And a bill hath mine adversary
written.
Oh
that one would hear me!.... Or
"who will give me a hearer?"F12מי
יתן לי שמע
לי "quis dabit mihi audientem me?"
Montanus; "utinam sit mihi auditor"
Tigurine version. Oh
that I had
one! not a nearer of him as a teacher and instructor of many
as he had been
Job 4:3; or only to
hear what he had delivered in this chapter; but to hear his cause
and hear him
plead his own cause in a judiciary way; he does not mean an ordinary hearer
one that
comes out of curiosity into courts of judicature to hear causes
tried
what is said on both sides
and how they will issue; but
as Bar Tzemach
paraphrases it
"who
shall give me a judge that shall hear me
'
that
would hear his cause patiently
examine it thoroughly
and judge impartially
which
is the business of judges to do
Deuteronomy 1:16;
he did not care who it was
if he had but such an one; though he seems to have
respect to God himself
from what he says in the next clause
and wishes that
he would but hear
try
and judge his cause:
behold
my desire is
that the Almighty would answer me: answer to
what he had said
or had further to say in his own defence; this is a request
he had made before
and now repeats it
see Job 13:22; some
render it
"behold my mark"
or "scope"F13הן תוי "en scopum
meum"
Junius & Tremellius. ; so Mr. Broughton
"behold my scope
in this"; this is what I aim at
what I design and mean by wishing for an
hearer
that the Almighty himself would take the cause in hand
and give me an
answer: or
"behold my sign"F14"Ecce signum
meum"
Pagninus
Montanus
Beza
Bolducius; so Ben Gersom. ; the sign of
my innocence
appealing to God
leaving my cause to be heard
tried
and judged
by him
who is my witness
and will answer for me; see Job 16:19; as well
as desiring mine adversary to put down in writing what he has against me; or
"behold my signature"F15"En Signaturam meam"
Schultens. ; the plea I have given is signed by my own hand: now "let the
Almighty answer me"; a bold expression indeed
and a making too free with
the Almighty
and was one of those speeches Job was to be blamed for
and for
which he was after humbled and repented of:
and that mine adversary had written a book; or "the
man of my contention"F16איש ריבי "vir litis meae"
Montanus
Beza
Bolducius
Drusius
Michaelis; so Vatablus
Mercerus. : either that contended for him
as
Aben Ezra
that pleaded for him
was his advocate in court
whom he would have
take a brief of him
and so distinctly plead his cause; or rather that
contended against him
a court adversary
by whom he means either his three
friends
or some one of them
whom he more especially took for his enemy; see Job 16:9; and who
he wishes had brought a bill of indictment
and put down in a book
on a paper
in writing
the charge he had against him; that so it might be clearly known
what could be alleged against him; and that it might be particularly and
distinctly examined; when he doubted not but he should be able to give a full
answer to every article in it; and that the very bill itself would carry in it
a justification of him: or it may be
rather he means God himself
who carried
it towards him as an adversary
at least in a providential way; he had before
requested that be would show him wherefore he contended with him
Job 10:2; and now
he desires he would give in writing his charge against him
being fully
confident
that if he had but the opportunity of answering to it before him
he
should be able sufficiently to vindicate himself; and that he should come off
with honour
as follows.
Job 31:36 36 Surely I would carry it on
my shoulder
And bind it on me like a crown;
YLT
36If not -- on my shoulder I
take it up
I bind it a crown on myself.
Surely I would take it
upon my shoulder
.... The bill of indictment
the charge in writing; this he would
take up and carry on his shoulder as a very light thing
having nothing weighty
in it
no charge of sin and guilt to bear him down; nothing but what he could
easily stand up under
only some trifling matter
which could not be
interpreted sin; for anything of that kind would have been a burden too heavy
for him to have borne: or else his sense is
that should he be convicted of any
sin
he would openly confess the charge
acknowledge the sin in the most public
manner
that being visible which is borne upon the shoulder; and would also
patiently bear the afflictions and chastisements that were laid upon him for
it: though rather the meaning is
that he should take up and carry such a bill
not as a burden
but as an honour
as one bears a sword of state
or carries a
sceptre as an ensign of royalty on his shoulder; to which the allusion may be
in Isaiah 9:6; not at
all doubting but it would turn out to his glory; which is confirmed by what
follows;
and bind it as a crown
to me
or "crowns"F17עטרות
"diademata"
Montanus; "corollas"
Tigurine version;
"coronas"
Vatablus
Piscator
Cocceius
Michaelis.
having various
circles of gold hung with jewels; signifying that he would not only take his
bill or charge
and carry it on his shoulder
but put it on his head
and wear
it there
as a king does his crown; which is an ornament and honour to him
as
he should reckon this bill
seeing it would give him an opportunity of clearing
himself effectually.
Job 31:37 37 I would declare to Him the
number of my steps; Like a prince I would approach Him.
YLT
37The number of my steps I
tell Him
As a leader I approach Him.
I would declare to him the
number of my steps
.... To his judge
or to him that contended with him
and drew up
the bill against him; he would forward it
assist in it
furnish materials for
it
give an account of all the transactions of his life that he could remember;
this he says not as though he thought that God stood in need of any such
declaration
since he better knows the actions of men than they themselves
compasses their paths
and is acquainted with all their ways; but to show how
confident he was of his innocence
and how little he feared the strictest and
closest examination of his ways and works
knowing that he had lived with all
good conscience unto that day:
and as a prince would I go near unto him; either he
should consider such an hearer and judge of his cause he desired as a prince
and reverence and respect him as such; he should be as dear unto him
though
his adversary that contended with him
as a prince; and he should be as
ambitious of an acquaintance with him as with a prince: or rather he means that
he himself as a prince
in a princely manner
and with a princely spirit
should draw nigh to his judge
to answer to the bill in writing against him;
that he should not come up to the bar like a malefactor
that shows guilt in
his countenance
and by his trembling limbs
and shrinking back
not caring to
come nigh
but choosing rather to stand at a distance
or get off and escape if
he could; but on the other hand
Job would go up to his judge
and to the
judgment seat
with all the stateliness of a prince
with an heroic
intrepid
and undaunted spirit; like a "bold prince"
as Mr. Broughton renders
the word; see Job 23:3.
Job 31:38 38 “If my land cries out
against me
And its furrows weep together;
YLT
38If against me my land doth
cry out
And together its furrows weep
If my land cry against me
.... Some
think that this verse and Job 31:39 stand out
of their place
and should rather follow after Job 31:34; and some
place them after Job 31:25; and
others after Job 31:8; but this
is the order of them in all copies and versions
as they stand in our Bibles;
and here
after Job had expressed his desire to have a hearer and judge of his
cause
and his charge exhibited in writing
and his confidence of the issue of
it
should it be granted
returns to his former subject
to clear himself from
any notorious vice he was suspected of or charged with; and as he had gone
through what might respect him in private life
here he gives another instance
in public life
with which he concludes; namely
purging himself from tyranny
and oppression
with which his friends had charged him without any proof; and he
denies that the land he lived on was possessed of
and of which he was the
proprietor
cried against him as being unjustly gotten
either by fraud or by
force
from others; or as being ill used by him either as being too much
cultivated
having never any rest
or lying fallow; and so much weakened and
drained of its strength
or neglected and overrun with weeds
thorns
and
thistles; or on account of the dressers and tillers of it being badly dealt
with
either overworked
or not having sufficiency of food
or their wages
detained from them; all which are crying sins
and by reason of which the land
by a figure may be said to cry out as the stone out of the wall
and the beam
out of the timber
because of the sins of spoil
violence
oppression
and
covetousness
Habakkuk 2:11;
or that the furrows likewise thereof complain; or
"weep"F1יבכיון
"defleant"
Pagninus
Montanus; "flent"
Beza
Piscator
Cocceius
&c.
on account of the like ill usage. Jarchi
and so the
Midrash
interpret this of not allowing the forgotten sheaf and corner of the
field to the poor
and detaining the tithes; and of ploughing and making
furrows with an ox and an ass together; but the laws respecting these things
were not yet in being; and if they had been
were only binding on Israelites
and not on Job
and the men of his country.
Job 31:39 39 If I have eaten its fruit[e] without
money
Or caused its owners to lose their lives;
YLT
39If its strength I consumed
without money
And the life of its possessors
I have caused to breathe out
If I have eaten the fruits
thereof without money
.... Or
"the strength thereof without silver"F2;
see Genesis 4:12
silver being the money chiefly in use in those times. Job's meaning is
that he
ate not anything of the fruits and increase of his own land
without having
paid for the same
which he would have done
if he had got his land out of the
hands of the rightful owners of it
by deceit or violence; or if he had not
paid his workmen for ploughing
sowing
reaping
&c. or if he had demanded
the fruits of the earth of his tenants
to whom he had let out his farms
without giving them a proper price for them:
or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life; as Jezebel
caused Naboth to lose his
who was the original proprietor
that Ahab might
possess it
1 Kings 21:7; or it
may signify tenants
to whom Job rented out fields
but did not starve them by
renting them under hard leases
or lands on hard terms
so that they could not
live upon them; or it may design the tillers of the land
as Jarchi and Bar
Tzemach; those that wrought in it
the servants that were employed in
ploughing
&c. to whom wages were due
and who had not too hard labour
imposed upon them
to the endangering of their lives; or he did not
"afflict and grieve"F3הפחתי
"afflixi"
V. L. "dolore affeci"
Pagninus; so Broughton.
them
as some versions; or make their lives bitter
through hard bondage and
service
as the Israelites in Egypt.
F2 כחה "robur ejus"
Montanus
Bolducius
Mercerus
Drusius; "vim ejus"
Junius & Tremellius
Cocceius
Michaelis
Schultens; בלי כסף
"sine
vel absque argento"
Mercer
Drusius
Cocceius
Michaelis
Schultens.
Job 31:40 40 Then
let thistles grow instead of wheat
And weeds instead of barley.” The words of
Job are ended.
YLT
40Instead of wheat let a
thorn go forth
And instead of barley a useless weed! The words of Job are
finished.
Let thistles grow instead
of wheat
and cockle instead of barley
.... This is an
imprecation of Job's
in which he wishes that if what he had said was not true
or if he was guilty of the crimes he denied
that when and where he sowed
wheat
thorns or thistles might come up instead of it
or tares
as some Jewish
writersF4Bar Tzemach
et alii. interpret it; and that when and where
he should sow barley
cockle
or darnel
or any "stinking" or
"harmful" weedF5באשה "herba
foetens"
Montanus
Bolducius; "spina foetida"
Drusius;
"vitium frugum"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator;
"labrusca"
Cocceius
Schultens.
as the word signifies
might
spring up in room of it; respect seems to be had to the original curse upon the
earth
and by the judgment of God is sometimes the case
that a fruitful land
is turned into barrenness for the wickedness of them that dwell in it
Genesis 3:18;
the words of Job are ended; which is either said by
himself
at the close of his speech; thus far says Job
and no farther
having
said enough in his own defence
and for the confutation of his antagonists
and
so closes in a way of triumph: or else this was added by Moses
supposed to
have written this book; or by some other hand
as Ezra
upon the revision of
it
and other books of the Old Testament
when put in order by him: and these were
the last words of Job to his friends
and in vindication of himself; for though
there is somewhat more said afterwards by him
and but little
yet to God
and
by way of humiliation
acknowledging his sin
and repentance for it with shame
and abhorrence; see Job 40:3. Jarchi
and so the Midrash
understand this concluding clause as all imprecation of
Job's; that if he had done otherwise than he had declared
he wishes that these
might be his last words
and he become dumb
and never open his mouth more;
but
as Bar Tzemach observes
the simple sense is
that his words were now
completed and finished
just as the prayers of David
the son of Jesse
are
said to be
Psalm 72:20.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)