Job 31 He protesteth his continency and chastity; God’s providence, presence, and judgments; his motives, Job 31:1–4. His just dealings, Job 31:5–8. Free from adultery, which ought to be punished by the magistrate, Job 31:9–12. His just carriage to his servants, and the reason, Job 31:13–15.

So far have I been from wallowing in the mire of uncleanness, or any gross wickedness, wherewith you charge me, that I have abstained even from the least occasions and appearances of evil, having made a solemn resolution within myself, and a solemn covenant and promise to God, that I would not…

The reason of my continency and chastity was, the consideration of God’s presence, and providence, and judgments. What portion of God; what fruit or recompence might be expected from God for those who do such things? Nothing but destruction, as it follows, Job 31:3.

Destruction is their portion, and a strange punishment, some extraordinary and dreadful judgment, which of right and course belongs to them, and only to such as they are, although it hath pleased God out of his sovereign power to inflict it upon me, who have lived in all good conscience before him.

i.e. All my counsels and courses. This is another reason why he was so circumspect and exact in restraining his thoughts, and senses, and whole man from sinful practices, because he knew that God would discern them, and therefore punish them, as he said, Job 31:3.

Walked, i.e. conversed in the world, dealt with men. With vanity, i.e. with lying, or falsehood, or hypocrisy, as this word is oft used, as Ps. 4:2, Ps. 12:3, Ps. 36:3, Prov. 30:8, and as the next words explain it.

This is either, 1. An imprecation; or rather, 2. A submission to trial, as the following words show. The sense is, I am so far from being conscious to myself of any hypocrisy or secret wickedness, whereby I have brought these unusual judgments upon myself, as you traduce me, that I desire nothing…

If I have wittingly, and willingly, and customarily (as you accuse me) swerved from the way of truth and justice which God hath prescribed to me; for otherwise no man here is so just, but he sometimes takes a wrong step, Eccles. 7:20.

Let strangers enjoy the fruit of my labours, according to God’s curse, Lev. 26:16, Deut. 28:30. My offspring; as this word is used, Job 5:25, Job 27:14. Or rather, my increase, or growths, or sprouts, i.e. all my plants, and fruits, and improvements. For, 1. So the word properly signifies. 2.

By a woman, to wit, by a strange woman, or rather by my neighbour’s wife, as the next words limit it; for of a maid he spoke before, Job 31:1, and this cannot be meant of his own wife. He saith, by a woman, i.e.

Let my wife grind unto another; either, 1. Let her be taken captive, and made a slave to grind in other men’s mills; which was a sore and vile servitude, Ex. 11:5, Judg. 16:21, Isa. 47:2, Matt. 24:41. Or rather, 2.

To wit, adultery, whether committed by choice and design, or by the solicitation of the woman, Job 31:9. Heb. an iniquity of the judges, i.e. which belongs to them to take cognizance of, and to punish, and that with death; and that not only by the law of Moses, Deut.

For this sin would be as a secret but consuming fire, wasting my estate and reputation, and body and soul too, provoking God and enraging the husband, and bringing down some extraordinary vengeance upon me; and therefore the fear of God kept me from this and such-like wickedness.

If I did despise the cause of my man-servant; if I used my power over him to overthrow him or his just rights. And seeing it is known that I was so just and kind to them, over whom I had such unlimited power, it is not probable that I should be guilty of such cruelty to others, as you impute to me.

When God riseth up, to wit, to plead the cause of the oppressed against the oppressor, and to execute judgment, as this phrase is used, Ps. 68:1, Zech. 2:13, and elsewhere. I used my servant like one who was also myself a servant, and had a Master in heaven, Col.

I considered that he was, though my servant, yet my fellow creature, made by the same God, and therefore one of God’s subjects, whom I could not abuse without the injury of his supreme Lord. Did not one fashion us in the womb, Heb.

Withheld the poor from their desire, i.e. denied them what they desired of me, either in justice or from necessity; for he was not obliged to grant their vain or inordinate desires. Caused the eyes of the widow to fail, to wit, with tedious expectation of my justice or charity.

Eaten my morsel myself alone; without communicating part of my provisions or estate to the poor, as it follows. The fatherless: this one kind of necessitous persons is put for all the rest.

From my youth; as soon as I was capable of managing my own affairs, and of doing good to others. He was brought up with me, in my family, or at least under my care and protection. As with a father, i.e. with all the diligence and tenderness of a father. I have guided her, i.e.

When it was in my power to clothe and arm them against cold and nakedness.

Blessed me, i.e. given him occasion to bless and praise me, and to pray to God to bless me for covering them; the loins being put synecdochically for the whole body: see the like expression Deut. 24:13, Gen. 4:10, Luke 16:9. With the fleece of my sheep; with clothing made of my wool.

To smite him with the fist of wickedness, as the phrase is, Isa. 58:4; to bring him to the judgment-seat, that under colour of justice I might take away his right, as powerful oppressors use to do, or any ways to threaten, injure, or crush him.

I am contented that that arm which hath been so wickedly employed may either rot off, or fall out of joint, and so be useless and burdensome to me.

I was so far from denying or questioning God’s providence, wherewith you seem to charge me, that I always reverenced it; and when by reason of my great wealth, and power, and interest I had little reason to fear man, I stood in awe of God and of his judgments, and made it my care and business to…

My hope, i.e. the matter of my hope and trust, placing my chief joy and satisfaction in worldly wealth, expecting safety and happiness from it. Compare Ps. 62:10.

If I rejoiced, to wit, carnally and excessively, esteeming myself happy therein without God’s love and favour; for otherwise it is not only lawful, but a duty and gift of God, moderately and thankfully to rejoice in the good things of this life; of which see Deut. 12:7, Eccles. 2:24–26, Eccles.

If I beheld; not simply, nor only with admiration; (for it is a glorious work of God, which we ought to contemplate and admire;) but for the end here following, or so as to ascribe to it the honour peculiar to God. The sun, Heb.

Secretly; in my inward thoughts or affections, whilst I made open profession of my adherence to God and to the true religion. Enticed, or seduced, or deceived, by its plausible and glorious appearance, which might easily cheat a credulous and inconsiderate person to believe that there was something…

This also, no less than the other forementioned sins, adultery, oppression, &c. By the judge, i.e. by the civil magistrate; who being advanced and protected by God, is obliged to maintain and vindicate his honour, and consequently to punish idolatry.

I was so far from malice and revenging myself of mine enemy, which is the common and allowed practice of ungodly men, that I did not so much as desire or delight in his ruin, when it was brought upon him by other hands. Compare Ex. 23:4, Prov. 24:17–18.

My mouth, Heb. my palate, which being one of the instruments of speech, is put for another, or for all the rest. The sense is, If any secret passion or desire of his hurt did arise in me, I forthwith suppressed it, and did not suffer it to grow and break forth into an imprecation of hurt to him.

The men of my tabernacle, i.e. my domestics and familiar friends, who were much conversant with me in my house, and were witnesses of my carriage to others, and of their carriages to me, and therefore best able to judge in the case. Of his flesh; either, 1.

The stranger; or, traveller as it follows. Did not lodge in the street; but in my house, according to the laws of hospitality, and the usage of those times, when there were no public inns provided for the conveniency of such persons: see Gen. 18:3, Gen. 19:2, Judg. 19:15, Judg. 19:21.

This he adds to prevent or answer an objection. So the sense is, either, 1. And whereas amongst these and other virtues it may well be presumed that I had divers failings, as I do not now deny them, so I never covered them, but was forward to confess them to God or to men, as I had occasion.

This verse either, 1. Contains new matter, and another argument or evidence of his integrity, taken from his courage and faithfulness in the discharge of his duty as a magistrate. The interrogation implies a denial; and so the sense is either, 1.

Oh that one would hear me! Oh that I might have my cause heard by any just and impartial judge! That the Almighty would answer me, i.e. answer my desire herein; either by hearing me himself, or by appointing some indifferent person to judge whether I be such a hypocrite as my friends make me, or an…

I would take it, i.e. that book containing my charge or accusation. Upon my shoulder; as a trophy or badge of honour. I should not fear nor smother it, but glory in it, and make open show of it, as that which gave me the happy and long-desired occasion of vindicating myself, which I doubt not fully…

Unto him, i.e. to my judge, or adversary. The number of my steps, i.e. the whole course of my life and actions, which I would exactly number to him, step by step, so far as I can remember.

To wit, to God for revenge, as the like phrase is used, Gen. 4:10, Hab. 2:11, because I have gotten it from the right owners by fraud or violence, as my friends charge me, and as is implied in the next verse.

Without money; either without paying the price required by the right owner for the land, or by defrauding my workmen of the wages of their labours. To lose their life; killing them, that so I might have undisturbed possession of it, as Ahab did Naboth.

To wit, in answer to his friends; for he speaks but little afterwards, and that is to God.