Job 31

This chapter concludes Job's final long defense in the Book of Job, which begins in chapter 29. In chapter 29 Job recalled his former glory, and in chapter 30 he described his present misery. In this chapter he asserts his innocence through a series of oaths in the form "if I have done this, then let that befall me." Job's speeches end here, and Elihu begins speaking in chapter 32.

Outline

• Verses 1–4 Job says he made a covenant with his eyes not to look upon a maiden. He confesses that God counts all his steps.
• Verses 5–8 Since he has practiced no falsehood or deceit, he asks to be weighed in an even balance. If it were otherwise, he says, it would be right for others to eat what he has sown.
• Verses 9–12 If he had lain in wait for his neighbor's wife, it would be right for his own wife to grind for another man. He calls such a sin a grave crime deserving judgment.
• Verses 13–15 He says he did not despise the cause of his servants when they contended with him, because the same God fashioned both master and servant in the womb.
• Verses 16–23 He says he cared for the poor and the widow, the fatherless and the naked. If he had lifted his hand against the fatherless in the gate, it would be right for his arm to fall from his shoulder.
• Verses 24–28 He says he did not trust in gold or rejoice in his wealth. Nor did he commit idolatry by beholding the sun and moon and kissing his hand to them.
• Verses 29–34 He says he did not rejoice at his enemy's calamity and that he opened his door to the traveler. Nor did he hide sin in his bosom out of fear of others.
• Verses 35–37 Offering his signature, he asks the Almighty to answer him. If his adversary had written an indictment, he says, he would wear it like a crown.
• Verses 38–40 He swears that he has not exploited the land; otherwise, it would be right for thistles to grow instead of wheat. The chapter closes with "The words of Job are ended."

Key Verses

• Job 31:1 "I made a covenant with mine eyes"
• The chapter addresses not only outward conduct but also purity of the eyes and heart.
• Job 31:15 "Did not he that made me in the womb make him?"
• Job grounds his respect for his servants in the fact that master and servant come from the same Creator.
• Job 31:35 "Behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me"
• This direct demand for an answer from God leads to God's speech in chapter 38.

Characters and Places

• Job: The speaker of this chapter.
• God (the Almighty): The one Job addresses as the judge who examines his ways.
• Job's three friends: Though not named in this chapter, they are the audience of Job's defense.
• The gate (verse 21): In ancient Israel, the place where judgment and public affairs were conducted; though not a named location, it appears as part of the setting.

Points for Reflection

• Form
• The chapter takes the form of an ancient Near Eastern oath of innocence, in which the speaker lists offenses one by one and invokes punishment on himself.
• Scholars often compare it with the "negative confession" in chapter 125 of the Egyptian Book of the Dead.
• Evaluations of Job's righteousness
• Elihu is angered because Job justified himself (Job 32:2).
• God, by contrast, says that Job spoke what was right (Job 42:7–10).
• Interpretations therefore divide between reading this chapter as an expression of self-righteousness and reading it as a confession of honest faith.
• "Like others" in verse 33: The Hebrew can also be read "as Adam." The King James Version and other translations render it this way, as a reference to Adam's concealment of his sin.
• Placement of verses 38–40: Some scholars hold that this section originally stood before verse 35.
• Connections with the New Testament
• Verse 1 is often read alongside Matthew 5:28 in the Sermon on the Mount.
• Verses 16–23 are read alongside James 1:27.
• Verses 24–25 are read alongside 1 Timothy 6:17–19.
• Verse 32 is read alongside Hebrews 13:2.

In Korean Churches

The "covenant with mine eyes" of verse 1 is frequently cited in sermons and Bible studies on sexual purity in young adult ministries and at retreats.