Job 31 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Job 31:1-40: 31:1-40 Job called down curses on himself if he were guilty of the accusations made against him. Except for his mention of idolatry (31:26-27 ), Job addressed his fidelity to God in terms of the second half of the Ten Commandments, summarized by the command to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev 19:18 ; Rom 13:9 ). 31:1 Job’s covenant with his eyes included a self-cursing oath (cp. Matt 5:28-29 ). Perhaps lust of the eyes was at the head of Job’s list because the eye is the first instrument of sin (Gen 3:6 ). • To look with lust at a young woman violates the spirit of the seventh (Deut 5:18 , see Matt 5:27-28 ), and potentially the tenth (Deut 5:21 ), commandment.

Summary for Job 31:1-40: 31:1-40 ^a Job called down curses on himself if he were guilty of the accusations made against him. Except for his mention of idolatry (31:26-27 ^b), Job addressed his fidelity to God in terms of the second half of the Ten Commandments, summarized by the command to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev 19:18 ^c; Rom 13:9 ^d). 31:1 ^e Job’s covenant with his eyes included a self-cursing oath (cp. Matt 5:28-29 ^f). Perhaps lust of the eyes was at the head of Job’s list because the eye is the first instrument of sin (Gen 3:6 ^g).

• To look with lust at a young woman violates the spirit of the seventh (Deut 5:18 ^h, see Matt 5:27-28 ⁱ), and potentially the tenth (Deut 5:21 ^j), commandment.
Summary for Job 31:5-8: 31:5-8 ^k If Job had lied to anyone as part of a business deal, it would violate the eighth commandment (Deut 5:19 ^l); if it occurred in court, it would violate the ninth (Deut 5:20 ^m). This sin would merit fiery judgment (Rev 21:8 ⁿ).

• If Job lusted for what his eyes had seen, he would violate the tenth commandment (Deut 5:21 ^o).

• then let someone else eat: This was a self-curse.
Summary for Job 31:9-10: 31:9-10 ^p Whether she seduced him or he waited for her (24:15-16 ^q), if Job lusted for his neighbor’s wife he would break the seventh (Deut 5:18 ^r, Matt 5:27-28 ^s) and tenth (Deut 5:21 ^t) commandments.

• serve: Literally grind for. This might refer to servitude (Exod 11:5 ^u) or to sexual intercourse.
31:11 ^v The Hebrew term zimmah (shameful sin) is associated with sexual crimes such as incest (“wicked act,” Lev 18:17 ^w), gang-rape (“terrible ... crime,” Judg 20:6 ^x), and prostitution (Ezek 23:49 ^y).
31:12 ^z The association of fire with hell or the grave is rare in the Old Testament (cp. Deut 32:22 ^aa).
Summary for Job 31:13-15: 31:13-15 ^ab unfair to ... servants: This might refer to violations of the fourth commandment (Deut 5:12-15 ^ac).

• God created both me and my servants: Job extended the implications of being created in God’s image to the poor (Prov 14:31 ^ad; 22:2 ^ae) and even to slaves.
31:21 ^af knowing the judges would take my side: Job was respected and regarded as a member of the elite class (29:7-10 ^ag).
Summary for Job 31:22-23: 31:22-23 ^ah If an arm was used in sinful action (31:21 ^ai), having it torn from its socket would be a fitting punishment and better than facing God’s judgment (cp. Matt 5:28-30 ^aj).
31:24 ^ak Have I put my trust in ... my gold: Job left the consequence of this oath unstated because the if-then pattern was now established (31:5-23 ^al). He rejected Eliphaz’s implied judgment (22:24-25 ^am; see Pss 52:7 ^an; 62:10 ^ao; 1 Tim 6:10 ^ap, 17 ^aq).
31:25 ^ar gloated about my wealth: See Deut 8:17-18 ^as; cp. Isa 10:12-14 ^at; Dan 4:28-30 ^au; Hos 12:8 ^av.
Summary for Job 31:26-28: 31:26-28 ^aw Like adultery (cp. 31:1 ^ax, 9-12 ^ay), worshiping the sun and moon was a capital crime. Both were sins of the eye that enticed the heart, and both types of sin were tried before judges. 31:26 ^az Have I looked at the sun ... or the moon: This oath denies violation (cp. Jer 8:2 ^ba; 44:17 ^bb; Ezek 8:16 ^bc; Acts 7:43 ^bd) of the first commandment (Deut 5:7 ^be; see Deut 4:19 ^bf; 17:2-7 ^bg).
31:27 ^bh secretly enticed in my heart: See 31:9 ^bi.

• throw kisses at them in worship: Cp. 1 Kgs 19:18 ^bj; Hos 13:2 ^bk.
31:28 ^bl In Israel, the judges (see 31:11 ^bm) were to punish idol worship by execution (Deut 17:2-7 ^bn).

• Denying the God of heaven violated the first commandment (Deut 5:7 ^bo).
Summary for Job 31:29-30: 31:29-30 ^bp rejoiced when disaster struck my enemies: See Prov 24:17-18 ^bq; cp. 2 Sam 16:5-8 ^br.

• Cursing anyone violated the spirit of the sixth commandment (Deut 5:17 ^bs; see Matt 5:21-22 ^bt).

• It was against God’s will to ask for revenge (Matt 5:43-44 ^bu; Rom 12:14 ^bv; Jas 3:6-10 ^bw; 1 Pet 3:9 ^bx).
Summary for Job 31:31-32: 31:31-32 ^by never turned away a stranger: The Old Testament values hospitality (Gen 18:1-13 ^bz; 19:2-3 ^ca; Judg 19:20-21 ^cb), and the New Testament commands it (Matt 25:35 ^cc; Rom 12:13 ^cd; 1 Tim 3:2 ^ce; Heb 13:2 ^cf; 1 Pet 4:9 ^cg).
31:35 ^ch sign my name: Job wanted to make the proceedings official (19:23-24 ^ci).
31:36 ^cj face the accusation proudly (literally carry it on my shoulder; cp. Exod 28:12 ^ck; Isa 22:22 ^cl): He would take full responsibility for his actions.
31:37 ^cm A prince who had been wrongly accused had the right to come before his king to make an appeal.
31:38 ^cn The land was the chief witness to crimes committed upon it (20:27 ^co; see Gen 4:10 ^cp; cp. Jas 5:4 ^cq).
31:40 ^cr let thistles grow: Job’s curse on himself echoed God’s primal curse on Adam (Gen 3:17-18 ^cs; cp. Isa 7:25 ^ct; Zeph 2:9 ^cu).