Job 31:5 | KingComments | STEP | A second evil from which Job vigorously distances himself is falsehood and deceit ( ). He has never resorted to falsehood, for example by misrepresenting himself in order to exonerate himself from an accusation. Nor has he ever used deceit quickly, for example, in order to benefit from something. He has always been sincere and honest. Here does not follow a curse, but a challenge to God to weigh him with accurate scales ( ). Then the righteous God will see how the scales turn to the side of his sincerity. The next “if” to testify of his innocence concerns the way he has gone ( ). He has not deviated from the right path. There has been nothing in his heart that has caused him to attach himself to anything sinful that his eyes have seen and that has led him to wrong deeds, so that sin now clings to his hands. To this “if” he attaches a “let” followed by a curse that should strike him in case of guilt ( ). If a finger could be laid at him for any of these things, he wants to be punished for it. That punishment is the lack of blessing for which he has sown and worked. In addition, he must face the fact that another person benefits from it or that the result of his work is destroyed (cf. ; ).

‏ Job 31:5

Falsehood and Deceit

A second evil from which Job vigorously distances himself is falsehood and deceit (Job 31:5). He has never resorted to falsehood, for example by misrepresenting himself in order to exonerate himself from an accusation. Nor has he ever used deceit quickly, for example, in order to benefit from something. He has always been sincere and honest. Here does not follow a curse, but a challenge to God to weigh him with accurate scales (Job 31:6). Then the righteous God will see how the scales turn to the side of his sincerity.

The next “if” to testify of his innocence concerns the way he has gone (Job 31:7). He has not deviated from the right path. There has been nothing in his heart that has caused him to attach himself to anything sinful that his eyes have seen and that has led him to wrong deeds, so that sin now clings to his hands.

To this “if” he attaches a “let” followed by a curse that should strike him in case of guilt (Job 31:8). If a finger could be laid at him for any of these things, he wants to be punished for it. That punishment is the lack of blessing for which he has sown and worked. In addition, he must face the fact that another person benefits from it or that the result of his work is destroyed (cf. Deu 28:33a; Lev 26:16b).