Job 31:32 | KingComments | STEP | In this testimony of innocence Job says that he was never guilty of gloating ( ). When someone who hated him got into great financial difficulties, for example, no triumphant sense of joy came over him. Nor did he suddenly become in an excellent mood when his hater was struck by, for example, a terrible illness. Can we repeat that after him? Apart from the fact that he did not allow any gloating within him, he also refrained from expressing it in words ( ). He distinguishes between the inner and outer sin of gloating. Job now speaks of the outer side of this sin. He did not wish his enemy anything evil by casting a curse on him, for example that he may drop dead. To be able to say in all sincerity what Job is saying here, someone has to live close to God. An accusation of lack of hospitality is refuted by Job by pointing out people who can testify of his hospitality ( ). We can think of his servants. Anyone who has ever sat at Job’s table has enjoyed the meat he had served. Job’s hospitality was well known and widely praised. His hospitality was not limited to a meal and not to acquaintances. He went out into the streets and invited the stranger who had no shelter to sleep with him ( ). The traveler did not have to go to an inn, but Job opened his doors to him and welcomed him into his home.

‏ Job 31:32

Gloating and Lack of Hospitality

In this testimony of innocence Job says that he was never guilty of gloating (Job 31:29). When someone who hated him got into great financial difficulties, for example, no triumphant sense of joy came over him. Nor did he suddenly become in an excellent mood when his hater was struck by, for example, a terrible illness. Can we repeat that after him?

Apart from the fact that he did not allow any gloating within him, he also refrained from expressing it in words (Job 31:30). He distinguishes between the inner and outer sin of gloating. Job now speaks of the outer side of this sin. He did not wish his enemy anything evil by casting a curse on him, for example that he may drop dead. To be able to say in all sincerity what Job is saying here, someone has to live close to God.

An accusation of lack of hospitality is refuted by Job by pointing out people who can testify of his hospitality (Job 31:31). We can think of his servants. Anyone who has ever sat at Job’s table has enjoyed the meat he had served. Job’s hospitality was well known and widely praised.

His hospitality was not limited to a meal and not to acquaintances. He went out into the streets and invited the stranger who had no shelter to sleep with him (Job 31:32). The traveler did not have to go to an inn, but Job opened his doors to him and welcomed him into his home.