New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Job 31
1
"I made an agreement with my eyes. I promised not to look at another woman with sexual longing.
Reference
2
What do human beings receive from God above? What do they get from the Mighty One in heaven?
Reference
References God
Job 20:29
5
"I haven't told any lies. My feet haven't hurried to cheat others.
Reference
Parallel theme
Proverbs 12:11
6
So let God weigh me in honest scales. Then he'll know I haven't done anything wrong.
Reference
Parallel theme
Daniel 5:27
Matthew 7:23
Isaiah 26:7
Job 6:2
Proverbs 16:11
Micah 6:11
References God
1 Samuel 2:3
Psalm 139:23
Psalm 1:6
Joshua 22:22
7
Suppose my steps have turned away from the right path. Suppose my heart has longed for what my eyes have seen. Or suppose my hands have become 'unclean.'
Reference
9
"Suppose my heart has been tempted by a woman. Or suppose I've prowled around my neighbor's door.
Reference
11
Wanting another woman would have been a shameful thing. It would have been a sin that should be judged.
Reference
12
It's like a fire that burns down to the grave. It would have caused my crops to be pulled up by the roots.
Reference
Parallel theme
Proverbs 6:27
13
"Suppose I haven't treated my male and female servants fairly when they've brought charges against me.
14
Then what will I do when God opposes me? What answer will I give him when he asks me to explain myself?
Reference
15
Didn't he who made me make my servants also? Didn't the same God form us inside our mothers?
Reference
16
"I haven't said no to what poor people have wanted. I haven't let widows lose their hope.
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 38:14
17
I haven't kept my bread to myself. I've shared it with children whose fathers had died.
18
From the time I was young, I've helped those widows. I've raised those children as a father would.
19
Suppose I've seen people dying because they didn't have any clothes. I've seen needy people who had nothing to wear.
Reference
Parallel theme
Job 22:6
20
And they didn't give me their blessing when I warmed them with wool from my sheep.
Reference
Blessing
Deuteronomy 24:13
21
Suppose I've raised my hand against children whose fathers have died. And I did it because I knew I had power in the courts.
Reference
22
Then let my arm fall from my shoulder. Let it be broken off at the joint.
23
I was afraid God would destroy me. His glory terrifies me. So I'd never do things like that.
Reference
24
"Suppose I've put my trust in gold. I've said to pure gold, 'You make me feel secure.'
Reference
Creation
Psalm 52:7
Parallel theme
Proverbs 11:28
Psalm 62:10
Psalm 49:17
Proverbs 10:15
Proverbs 30:9
1 Timothy 6:10
1 Timothy 6:17
25
And I'm happy because I'm so wealthy. I'm glad because my hands have earned so much.
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 62:10
26
Suppose I've worshiped the sun in all of its glory. I've bowed down to the moon in all of its beauty.
Reference
Kingdom
Jeremiah 44:17
2 Kings 23:5
2 Kings 23:11
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 8:16
Deuteronomy 4:19
Deuteronomy 17:3
Jeremiah 8:2
27
My heart has been secretly tempted. My hand has thrown kisses to the sun and moon.
28
Then those things would have been sins that should be judged. And I wouldn't have been faithful to God in heaven.
Reference
29
"I wasn't happy when hard times came to my enemies. I didn't enjoy seeing the trouble they had.
Reference
Parallel theme
Proverbs 17:5
31
The workers in my house always said, 'Job always gives plenty of food to everyone.'
32
No stranger ever had to spend the night in the street. My door was always open to travelers.
Reference
34
I was never afraid of the crowd. I never worried that my relatives might hate me. I didn't have to keep quiet or stay inside.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 23:2
35
"I wish someone would listen to me! I'm signing my name to everything I've said. I hope the Mighty One will give me his answer. I hope the one who brings charges against me will write them down.
Reference
36
I'll wear them on my shoulder. I'll put them on my head like a crown.
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 22:22
37
I'll give that person a report of every step I take. I'll approach him like a prince.
Reference
Parallel theme
Job 13:15
38
"Suppose my land cries out against me. And all of its soil is wet with tears.
39
Suppose I've used up its crops without paying for them. Or I've broken the spirit of its renters.
Reference
40
Then let thorns grow instead of wheat. Let weeds come up instead of barley." The words of Job end here.
Summary of Job 31
Job Chapter 31 is Job's most detailed and comprehensive declaration of personal integrity, in which he reviews nearly every major area of moral life and challenges anyone to identify a genuine pattern of wrongdoing in his past. After describing his former honor in Chapter 29 and his humiliation in Chapter 30, Job now presents what is almost a formal defense of his character, moving systematically through sexual morality, honesty, justice, treatment of servants, care for the poor, use of wealth, religious loyalty, treatment of enemies, hospitality, and responsible use of property.
Job begins with his private thoughts and desires, explaining that he deliberately guarded himself against sexual temptation rather than merely avoiding outward misconduct. He then moves to honesty and asks to be examined by God, using the image of accurate scales to express his confidence that his life can withstand careful evaluation.
His defense becomes especially strong when he discusses how he treated people who had less power than he did. He insists that he did not abuse servants, neglect the poor, ignore widows or orphans, refuse clothing to those in need, or use his influence against vulnerable people at the city gate. His argument is significant because his righteousness is not presented as merely avoiding obvious sins; it is demonstrated through active responsibility toward other people.
Job also emphasizes that he did not allow wealth to become his security. Although he had been extremely prosperous, he did not believe that gold or possessions were worthy of ultimate trust. He likewise denies worshiping the sun or moon, showing that his loyalty remained directed toward God rather than toward created powers.
Another important part of his defense concerns his enemies. Job says that he did not celebrate when an enemy suffered or secretly wish for that person's destruction. This reveals that his understanding of integrity extends beyond outward actions to his private attitudes and emotions.
He also emphasizes hospitality, explaining that strangers were welcomed into his home rather than being left outside without shelter. In the ancient world, where travelers often depended on private households for food and protection, this was a meaningful demonstration of generosity and social responsibility.
Toward the end of the chapter, Job's language becomes strongly legal. He wants his case written down and presented before God so that the Almighty can examine the evidence. He is not asking for his life to be accepted merely because he says he is innocent; he is effectively saying, "Examine everything I have done and find the evidence."
The historical background is especially important here because Job's world was structured around honor, family, property, social rank, legal authority, and agricultural wealth. Job addresses each of these areas because each could provide opportunities for corruption. A wealthy person could exploit servants, manipulate legal decisions, withhold food, abuse land, mistreat strangers, misuse money, or take advantage of the weak. Job argues that he deliberately avoided these abuses.
His final statements concerning his land are particularly significant. He is willing to accept that his crops should fail if he has exploited people or abused his property. The image of thorns replacing wheat and weeds replacing barley functions almost like a final oath: if his moral claims are false, let the productivity of his own land testify against him.
The central theme of Job Chapter 31 is integrity under examination. Job does not simply say that he is innocent; he explains the principles by which he has tried to live and invites God to examine them.
This chapter also prepares the way for the next major stage of the book. Job has completed his long defense, and he has effectively placed his entire life before God as evidence. He has defended himself against the idea that his suffering must be the result of hidden wickedness, while still acknowledging that God has the ultimate authority to judge him.
The deeper significance of the chapter is that Job's righteousness is presented as comprehensive rather than selective. He considers not only obvious wrongdoing but also thoughts, motives, treatment of powerless people, attitudes toward enemies, use of wealth, religious loyalty, hospitality, and economic behavior.
He is essentially saying that if his suffering proves that he is guilty, then he wants the evidence identified.
Job Chapter 31 therefore represents the climax of Job's personal defense before the speeches of Elihu and, ultimately, God's response. Job has examined his life from almost every possible direction and remains convinced that his suffering cannot be explained simply as punishment for secret wrongdoing.
The chapter can be summarized simply:
Job places his entire moral life before God for examination, insisting that he has sought to live with honesty, sexual purity, justice, generosity, humility, hospitality, faithfulness, and compassion, and he challenges anyone—including God—to identify the wrongdoing that would justify the suffering he has endured.
Job begins with his private thoughts and desires, explaining that he deliberately guarded himself against sexual temptation rather than merely avoiding outward misconduct. He then moves to honesty and asks to be examined by God, using the image of accurate scales to express his confidence that his life can withstand careful evaluation.
His defense becomes especially strong when he discusses how he treated people who had less power than he did. He insists that he did not abuse servants, neglect the poor, ignore widows or orphans, refuse clothing to those in need, or use his influence against vulnerable people at the city gate. His argument is significant because his righteousness is not presented as merely avoiding obvious sins; it is demonstrated through active responsibility toward other people.
Job also emphasizes that he did not allow wealth to become his security. Although he had been extremely prosperous, he did not believe that gold or possessions were worthy of ultimate trust. He likewise denies worshiping the sun or moon, showing that his loyalty remained directed toward God rather than toward created powers.
Another important part of his defense concerns his enemies. Job says that he did not celebrate when an enemy suffered or secretly wish for that person's destruction. This reveals that his understanding of integrity extends beyond outward actions to his private attitudes and emotions.
He also emphasizes hospitality, explaining that strangers were welcomed into his home rather than being left outside without shelter. In the ancient world, where travelers often depended on private households for food and protection, this was a meaningful demonstration of generosity and social responsibility.
Toward the end of the chapter, Job's language becomes strongly legal. He wants his case written down and presented before God so that the Almighty can examine the evidence. He is not asking for his life to be accepted merely because he says he is innocent; he is effectively saying, "Examine everything I have done and find the evidence."
The historical background is especially important here because Job's world was structured around honor, family, property, social rank, legal authority, and agricultural wealth. Job addresses each of these areas because each could provide opportunities for corruption. A wealthy person could exploit servants, manipulate legal decisions, withhold food, abuse land, mistreat strangers, misuse money, or take advantage of the weak. Job argues that he deliberately avoided these abuses.
His final statements concerning his land are particularly significant. He is willing to accept that his crops should fail if he has exploited people or abused his property. The image of thorns replacing wheat and weeds replacing barley functions almost like a final oath: if his moral claims are false, let the productivity of his own land testify against him.
The central theme of Job Chapter 31 is integrity under examination. Job does not simply say that he is innocent; he explains the principles by which he has tried to live and invites God to examine them.
This chapter also prepares the way for the next major stage of the book. Job has completed his long defense, and he has effectively placed his entire life before God as evidence. He has defended himself against the idea that his suffering must be the result of hidden wickedness, while still acknowledging that God has the ultimate authority to judge him.
The deeper significance of the chapter is that Job's righteousness is presented as comprehensive rather than selective. He considers not only obvious wrongdoing but also thoughts, motives, treatment of powerless people, attitudes toward enemies, use of wealth, religious loyalty, hospitality, and economic behavior.
He is essentially saying that if his suffering proves that he is guilty, then he wants the evidence identified.
Job Chapter 31 therefore represents the climax of Job's personal defense before the speeches of Elihu and, ultimately, God's response. Job has examined his life from almost every possible direction and remains convinced that his suffering cannot be explained simply as punishment for secret wrongdoing.
The chapter can be summarized simply:
Job places his entire moral life before God for examination, insisting that he has sought to live with honesty, sexual purity, justice, generosity, humility, hospitality, faithfulness, and compassion, and he challenges anyone—including God—to identify the wrongdoing that would justify the suffering he has endured.