Self-interpreting Bible
Job 31
Job maketh a solemn protestation of his integrity in several duties.
1 I aMADE a covenant with mine beyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
2 For cwhat portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
3 dIs not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?
4 eDoth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
5 fIf I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;
6 1Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.
- 1: Heb. Let him weigh me in balances of justice, Ps. 26.1; 139.23; 18.20-24; 17.2,3. , Ps. 26:1 , Ps. 139:23 , Ps. 18:20 - 24 , Ps. 17:2 , Ps. 17:3
7 gIf my step hath turned out of the way, and hmine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;
8 Then ilet me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
9 If jmine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door;
10 Then let my wife kgrind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.
- k: Ex. 11:5 , Is. 47:2 , Mat. 24:41 , Lu. 17:35 , 2Sa. 12:11
11 For this is an lheinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity mto be punished by the judges.
12 For it is a nfire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
13 If I odid despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
14 What then shall I do when pGod riseth up? and when he visiteth, qwhat shall I answer him?
15 rDid not he that made me in the womb make him? and 2did not one fashion us in the womb?
16 If I have swithheld the poor from their desire, or have tcaused the eyes of the widow to fail;
17 Or have ueaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;
18 (For from my youth vhe was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have wguided 3her from my mother's womb;)
- v: Ja. 1:27 , Eze. 18:16 , Eze. 18:17 , Job 29:13 , Job 29:16
- w: Job 38:32
- 3: That is, the widow. v.16. , Job 31:16
19 If I have xseen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;
- x: Mat. 25:43 , Ja. 2:16 , Job 22:6
20 If yhis loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
- y: De. 24:13 , Mat. 25:36 , 2Ti. 1:16
21 If I have zlifted up my hand aagainst the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:
22 Then blet mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the 4bone.
23 For cdestruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his dhighness I could not endure.
- c: Is. 13:6 , Ge. 39:9 , 1:15 , 2Co. 5:11 , Mat. 10:28 , Ps. 119:120
- d: Ps. 76:7
24 If I ehave made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;
25 If I frejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had 5*gotten much;
26 If gI beheld 6the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in 7brightness;
27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or 8my mouth hath hkissed my hand:
- 8: Heb. my hand hath kissed my mouth.
- h: Ps. 2:12 , Ho. 13:2 , 1Ki. 19:18
28 This also were ian iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have jdenied the God that is above.
- i: Job 31:11 , De. 13:1 - 17 , De. 17:2 - 7 , 2Ch. 15:13 , Re. 21:8
- j: Ex. 20:3 , Ex. 20:5 , Is. 42:8 , Mat. 4:10
29 If I krejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:
30 Neither have I suffered 9my mouth to sin by wishing la curse to his soul.
31 mIf the men of my *tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.
32 The nstranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors 10to the traveller.
- n: Is. 58:7 , Ge. 19:2 , Ge. 19:3 , Mat. 25:35
- 10: Or, to the way.
33 If I covered my transgressions 11as Adam, by hiding omine iniquity in my bosom:
34 Did pI fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?
35 qOh that one would hear me! behold, 12my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.
- q: Job 9:33 - 35 , Job 10:2 , Job 13:3 , Job 13:21 , Job 13:22 , Job 17:3 , Job 23:3 - 7 , Job 33:6
- 12: Or, my sign is that the Almighty will answer me.
37 I swould declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.
38 If my land tcry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof 13complain;
39 If I uhave eaten 14the fruits thereof without money, or have vcaused 15the owners thereof to lose their life:
- u: Ja. 5:4
- 14: Heb. the strength thereof.
- v: 1Ki. 21:13
- 15: Heb. the soul of the owners thereof to expire or breathe out.