Job chapter 31
Job reviews his life, probing for sins he may have forgotten. However, he finds none. These are the final words of Job.
JOB’S FINAL WORDS
VERSE 1. “I made a covenant with my eyes, how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?
look lustfully. Job had not lusted after a woman.
VERSE 2. For what is the portion from God above, and the heritage from the Almighty on high?
VERSE 3. Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity?
VERSE 4. Doesn’t he see my ways, and count all my steps?
VERSE 5. “If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hurried to deceit
walked with falsehood. Job had not dealt dishonestly with others.
VERSE 6. (let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity);
VERSE 7. if my step has turned out of the way, if my heart walked after my eyes, if any defilement has stuck to my hands,
VERSE 8. then let me sow, and let another eat. Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out.
VERSE 9. “If my heart has been enticed to a woman, and I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door,
enticed to a woman. Job had not committed adultery.
VERSE 10. then let my wife grind for another, and let others sleep with her.
VERSE 11. For that would be a heinous crime. Yes, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges:
VERSE 12. For it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all my increase.
a fire that consumes to destruction. The New Testament describes heaven and eternal life. But what does the Old Testament say about life after death? Read more »
VERSE 13. “If I have despised the cause of my male servant or of my female servant, when they contended with me;
male .. or .. female servant. Job treated his servants fairly.
VERSE 14. What then shall I do when God rises up? When he visits, what shall I answer him?
VERSE 15. Didn’t he who made me in the womb make him? Didn’t one fashion us in the womb
VERSE 16. “If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
the poor. Job had not withheld assistance from the poor.
the widow. Job had not withheld assistance from widows.
VERSE 17. or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it
VERSE 18. (no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, her I have guided from my mother’s womb);
VERSE 19. if I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering;
want of clothing. Job provided clothing for those who lacked it.
VERSE 20. if his heart hasn’t blessed me, if he hasn’t been warmed with my sheep’s fleece;
VERSE 21. if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate,
the fatherless. Job never never mistreated orphans in court.
VERSE 22. then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.
VERSE 23. For calamity from God is a terror to me. Because his majesty, I can do nothing.
VERSE 24. “If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold, ‘You are my confidence;’
made gold my hope. Job did not put his trust in his money.
VERSE 25. If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;
VERSE 26. if I have seen the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in splendor,
the sun when it shined. Job did not worship the sky’s luminaries. That was a common practice in those days.
VERSE 27. and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,
VERSE 28. this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges; for I should have denied the God who is above.
VERSE 29. “If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him
rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me. Job was not glad over the troubles of an enemy.
VERSE 30. (yes, I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse);
VERSE 31. if the men of my tent have not said, ‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?’
VERSE 32. (the foreigner has not camped in the street, but I have opened my doors to the traveler);
VERSE 33. if like Adam I have covered my transgressions, by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
VERSE 34. because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and didn’t go out of the door—
VERSE 35. oh that I had one to hear me! Behold, here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me! Let the accuser write my indictment!
oh that I had one to hear me! Job’s three “friends” had been present. However, they did not listen to him at all. They simply waited for opportunities to attack him.
VERSE 36. Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; and I would bind it to me as a crown.
VERSE 37. I would declare to him the number of my steps. As a prince would I go near to him.
VERSE 38. If my land cries out against me, and its furrows weep together;
VERSE 39. if I have eaten its fruits without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life,
VERSE 40. let briers grow instead of wheat, and stinkweed instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.
JOB
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Job’s Dark Night
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.