Chapter Overview
Summary
Job 31 closes Job's-summary-defense with the OATH OF INNOCENCE — a 14-fold 'IF I HAVE DONE X, LET Y HAPPEN' protestation covering all major-ethical-categories: lust (vv. 1–4), falsehood (vv. 5–8), adultery (vv. 9–12), justice-to-servants (vv. 13–15), care-of-the-poor (vv. 16–23), trust-in-wealth (vv. 24–28), enemy-rejoicing (vv. 29–32), and concealment-of-sin (vv. 33–34). Verse 13–15's 'did not he who made me in the womb make him?' is a foundational SAME-CREATOR ethic for human-equality.
Notable Variants
31:1 'I made a covenant with my eyes' visual-ethics covenant; 31:13–15 'did not he who made me make him?' — same-Creator equality ethic; 31:35 'oh that I had one to hear me!' final cry-for-witness.
Structural Notes
MT Job 31 = LXX Job 31. 40 verses. Closes Job's SUMMARY-DEFENSE — the OATH OF INNOCENCE.
I made a covenant with my eyes — how then could I gaze at a young woman?
'I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?' tracks MT. COVENANT-WITH-MY-EYES. Visual-ethics covenant. Matthew 5:28's 'whoever looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery in his heart' Christologically-extends, internalizing the eye-discipline.
For what portion does God assign from above? What inheritance does the Almighty give from on high?
'What would be my portion from God above and my heritage from the Almighty on high?' tracks MT.
Is not disaster for the unjust, and calamity for those who do evil?
'Is not calamity for the unrighteous, and disaster for the workers of iniquity?' tracks MT.
Does he not see my ways and count my every step?
'Does not he see my ways and number all my steps?' tracks MT.
If I have walked alongside falsehood, or if my foot has hurried toward deceit —
'If I have walked with falsehood and my foot has hastened to deceit' tracks MT. The 'IF' protestation begins (continues through v. 34).
let God weigh me on honest scales, and let God know my integrity.
'Let me be weighed in a just balance, and let God know my integrity!' tracks MT.
If my step has strayed from the path, or my heart has followed my eyes, or any stain has clung to my hands —
'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' tracks MT.
then let me sow and another eat, and let my crops be uprooted.
'Then let me sow, and another eat, and let what grows for me be rooted out' tracks MT.
If my heart has been enticed by a woman, or if I have lurked at my neighbor's door —
'If my heart has been enticed toward a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door' tracks MT. ADULTERY-DENIAL.
then let my wife grind grain for another man, and let others kneel over her.
'Then let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down on her' tracks MT.
For that would be depravity, an offense deserving judgment.
'For that would be a heinous crime; that would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges' tracks MT.
For it is a fire that devours to the pit of destruction, and it would uproot all my harvest.
'For that would be a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon, and it would burn to the root all my increase' tracks MT.
If I have rejected the just claim of my servant, man or woman, when they brought a dispute against me —
'If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant, when they brought a complaint against me' tracks MT. JUST-TREATMENT-OF-SERVANTS — even-slaves get-due-process under Job's-household-justice.
For what would I do when God rises to judge? When he examines, what would I answer him?
'What then shall I do when God rises up? When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him?' tracks MT.
Did not the one who made me in the womb make him? Did not the same God form us both in the womb?
'Did not he who made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb?' tracks MT. SAME-CREATOR EQUALITY ETHIC. One of the OT's strongest theological-grounds for human-equality and ANTI-SLAVERY ethics. Galatians 3:28 ('there is neither slave nor free … you are all one in Christ Jesus'), Philemon (Onesimus 'no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother') Christologically extend.
If I have withheld from the poor what they needed, or made the widow's eyes grow dim with waiting —
'If I have withheld anything that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail' tracks MT. CARE-FOR-POOR-AND-WIDOW direct-denial of Eliphaz's 22:9 charge.
or eaten my bread alone, without the fatherless sharing in it —
'Or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it' tracks MT.
For from my youth I raised the orphan like a father, and from my mother's womb I guided the widow —
'For from my youth the fatherless grew up with me as with a father, and from my mother's womb I guided the widow' tracks MT.
If I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing, or the destitute without a covering —
'If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or the needy without covering' tracks MT.
if his body did not bless me, warmed by the fleece of my sheep —
'If his loins have not blessed me, and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep' tracks MT.
If I have raised my hand against the fatherless because I saw my supporters in the gate —
'If I have raised my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate' tracks MT.
then let my arm fall from its shoulder, let my forearm snap from its socket.
'Then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder, and let my arm be broken from its socket' tracks MT.
For disaster from God was my dread, and before his majesty I could not stand.
'For I was in terror of calamity from God, and I could not have faced his majesty' tracks MT.
If I have made gold my security, or said to fine gold, 'You are my trust' —
'If I have made gold my trust or called fine gold my confidence' tracks MT. NOT-TRUSTED-IN-GOLD denial. 1 Tim 6:17 ('charge those who are rich … not to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches') extends.
if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, or because my hand had gained much —
'If I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant or because my hand had found much' tracks MT.
If I have gazed at the sun as it blazed, or at the moon moving in splendor,
'If I have looked at the sun when it shone, or the moon moving in splendor' tracks MT.
and my heart was secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth —
'And my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand' tracks MT. KISSING-THE-HAND — astrolatrous-gesture. Job denies sun-and-moon worship.
that too would be an offense deserving judgment, for I would have denied the God who is above.
'This also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have been false to God above' tracks MT.
If I have rejoiced at the ruin of my enemy, or felt a surge of triumph when disaster found him —
'If I have rejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me, or exulted when evil overtook him' tracks MT. NOT-REJOICING-OVER-ENEMY'S-RUIN. Proverbs 24:17 ('do not rejoice when your enemy falls') and Matt 5:44 ('love your enemies') extend.
I did not let my mouth sin by asking for his life with a curse.
'I have not let my mouth sin by asking for his life with a curse' tracks MT.
Did not the people of my tent say, 'Who can find anyone not satisfied by his meat?' —
'If the men of my tent have not said: Who is there that has not been filled with his meat?' tracks MT.
No stranger spent the night in the street; I opened my doors to the traveler.
'The sojourner has not lodged in the street; I have opened my doors to the traveler' tracks MT. HOSPITALITY-TO-SOJOURNER. Hebrews 13:2 ('do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares') extends.
If I have concealed my sins as Adam did, hiding my guilt in my heart —
'If I have concealed my transgressions as Adam did, by hiding my iniquity in my bosom' tracks MT. ADAM-LIKE-HIDING — Genesis 3:8 echoed. Concealment-of-sin denied.
because I feared the great crowd, or the scorn of clans terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside —
'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' tracks MT.
If only someone would hear me! Here is my signature — let the Almighty answer me! Let the indictment my accuser has written be given to me!
'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!' tracks MT. JOB'S-FINAL-CRY-FOR-WITNESS. The signature/sign (taw — last-Hebrew-letter — also-Job's-X-mark legal-sign) appended to-his-defense, awaiting-divine-response. Chapters 38–41 will be God's-answer.
I would carry it on my shoulder; I would bind it on like a crown.
'Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; I would bind it on me as a crown' tracks MT.
I would give him an account of my every step; like a prince I would approach him.
'I would give him an account of all my steps; like a prince I would approach him' tracks MT.
If my land has cried out against me, and its furrows have wept together —
'If my land has cried out against me and its furrows have wept together' tracks MT.
if I have eaten its yield without payment, or snuffed out the life of its tenants —
'If I have eaten its yield without payment and made its owners breathe their last' tracks MT.
then let thorns grow instead of wheat, and weeds instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
'Let thorns grow instead of wheat, and foul weeds instead of barley. The words of Job are ended' tracks MT. THE-WORDS-OF-JOB-ARE-ENDED. Editorial-colophon. Chapters 32–37 belong to Elihu (a new-character); chapters 38–42 to God-and-Job's-final-response.