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Job 31:1-40

Job, a servant of God

Job

Keith Simons

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Chapter 31

Job finishes his last speech

Job’s attitude with regard to attractive women

v1 I promised that I would not think about young women in a sexy manner. v2 God has decided what men deserve. He would not reward me for such behaviour. v3 So God will punish wicked men. And people who do evil deeds will suffer. v4 God sees my behaviour. God knows all my actions.

Chapter 31

In Job 22:4-9, Eliphaz accused Job. Eliphaz supposed that Job was guilty of many evil deeds. Eliphaz made a list of particular evil deeds. But Eliphaz was guessing. He had no evidence.

Job replied to Eliphaz in chapter 31. Job made a list of many more evil deeds. And Job insisted that he was innocent. Job agreed that a guilty person deserved a terrible punishment. But Job was not guilty, and he did not deserve his troubles.

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See also Job 31:1-40 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER XXXI _Job makes a solemn protestation of his chastity and integrity_, 1-12; _of his humanity_, 13-16; _of his charity and mercy_, 17-23; _of his abhorrence of covetousness and idolatry_,...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    I MADE A COVENANT WITH MINE EYES - The first virtue of his private life to which Job refers is chastity. Such was his sense of the importance of this, and of the danger to which man was exposed, that...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 31 _ 1. My chastity and righteousness (Job 31:1)_ 2. My philanthropy (Job 31:13) 3. My integrity and hospitality (Job 31:24) 4. Let God and man disprove me ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    JOB 31. THE OATH OF CLEARING. Job's final protestation of his innocence, and appeal to God to judge him. This chapter, says Duhm, is the high-water mark of the OT ethic, higher than the Decalogue or e...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    I. Note the "I" of self-justification; and see note on Job 29:2. WHY... ? Figure of speech _Erotesis._ App-6....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    _JOB MAKES A SOLEMN PROTESTATION OF HIS INTEGRITY, AND CONCLUDES WITH A PRAYER THAT HIS DEFENCE MIGHT BE HEARD AND RECORDED._ _Before Christ 1645._ _JOB 31:1. WHY THEN SHOULD I THINK UPON A MAID?_—...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    Solemn declaration that neither in him nor in his conduct was there justification for the change, and he is ready to face God (Job 31:1-40) a. He was not lustful. (Job 31:1-8) TEXT 31:1-8 1 I MADE...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _I MADE A COVENANT WITH MINE EYES; WHY THEN SHOULD I THINK UPON A MAID?_ Job 31:1. Job proceeds to prove that he deserved a better lot. As in Job 29:1 he showed his uprightness as an emir, or magistr...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    I MADE A COVENANT WITH MINE EYES] Job resolved to keep a guard over them that they should not transgress. WHY THEN SHOULD I THINK?] RV 'How then should I look?' 2A. RM 'What portion _should_ I have o...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    JOB PROTESTS THE INNOCENCE OF HIS PAST LIFE Job's virtues are those of a great Arab prince, such as are admired still: namely, blameless family life, consideration for the poor and weak, charity, mod...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    XXXI. (1) I MADE A COVENANT WITH MINE EYES. — Job makes one grand profession of innocence, rehearsing his manner of life from the first; and here he does not content himself with traversing the accusa...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    בְּ֭רִית כָּרַ֣תִּי לְ עֵינָ֑י וּ מָ֥ה אֶ֝תְב

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    XXIV. AS A PRINCE BEFORE THE KING Job 29:1; Job 30:1; Job 31:1 Job SPEAKS FROM the pain and desolation to which he has become inured as a pitiable second state of existence, Job looks back to the y...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE CLEAN LIFE Job 31:1 Job had specially guarded against impurity, for its heritage is one of calamity and disaster. He is sure that even if he were weighed by God Himself there would be no iniquity...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    This whole chapter is taken up with Job's solemn oath of innocence. It is ills official answer to the line of argument adopted by his three friends. In the process of his declaration he called on God...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    I made a covenant with mine (a) eyes; why then should I think upon (b) a maid? (a) I kept my eyes from all wanton looks. (b) Would not God then have punished me?...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    I made. Job is compelled to proclaim his own praises, for his vindication, as St. Paul was, being at the same time convinced that he had only done his duty, Luke xvii. 10. This is the third part of hi...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS The subject of Job's defense is still prosecuted. He enters, somewhat more largely, into the particular justification of himself from that sin which he seemed so much hurt at having been cha...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 4 THROUGH 31. As to the friends of Job, they do not call for any extended remarks. They urge the doctrine that God's earthly government is a full measure and...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    I MADE A COVENANT WITH MINE EYES,.... Not to look upon a woman, and wantonly gaze at her beauty, lest his heart should be drawn thereby to lust after her; for the eyes are inlets to many sins, and par...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid? Ver. 1. _I made a covenant with mine eyes_] This chapter, since it is one of the largest in all the book, so it is elegant, vari...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _I made a covenant with mine eyes_, &c. So far have I been from any gross wickedness, that I have abstained from the least occasions and appearances of evil. It was possible Job's friends might make q...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    JOB RECOUNTS HIS BLAMELESS CONDUCT...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    I made a covenant with mine eyes, prescribing to his organs of vision their conduct; WHY, THEN, SHOULD I THINK UPON A MAID, casting lustful, adulterous looks upon a person of the opposite sex?...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    Though Job's misery was complete, he returns in this chapter to the defence of his whole life, which was comparatively more virtuous than that of any other man. God had said this to Satan long before...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "I HAVE MADE. COVENANT WITH MY EYES; HOW THEN COULD. GAZE AT. VIRGIN?" Job cites his attitudes as well as his actions. Not only was he innocent of adultery; he was not even guilty of the lustful look...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-8 Job did not speak the things here recorded by way of boasting, but in answer to the charge of hypocrisy. He understood the spiritual nature of God's commandments, as reaching to the thoughts and...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    JOB CHAPTER 31 He protesteth his continency and chastity; God's providence, presence, and judgments; his motives, JOB 31:1. His just dealings, JOB 31:5. Free from adultery, which ought to be punished...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Job 31:1 made H3772 (H8804) covenant H1285 eyes H5869 look H995 (H8709) woman H1330 a covenant -...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Job's answer continued. He insists on his integrity. CHARACTERS: God, Job, friends. CONCLUSION: An upright heart does not dread a scrutiny. A good man is willing to know the worst of himse...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Job 31:1. _A maid._ The LXX, followed by the Chaldaic, read virgin; but our English version has the most ancient support. Job was pure and spotless in conversation with women. He abhorred seduction, a...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _I made a covenant with mine eyes._ GUARD THE SENSES Set a strong guard about thy outward senses: these are Satan’s landing places, especially the eye and the ear. (_W. Gurnall._) METHODS OF MORAL...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JOB—NOTE ON JOB 31:1 Job believes that his life is lived before and governed by THE ALMIGHTY, who does NUMBER ALL MY STEPS. A COVENANT WITH MY EYES. Job professes purity in avoiding sexual

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _JOB’S SELF-VINDICATION.—HIS SOLILOQUY CONTINUED_ Concludes his speeches by a solemn, particular, and extended declaration of the purity and uprightness of his life. Especial reference to his _private...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION The conclusion of Job's long speech (ch. 26-31.) is now reached. He winds it up by a solemn vindication of himself from all the charges of wicked conduct which have been alleged or insinuat...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Shall we turn in our Bibles to the book of Job, chapter 31. Job has pretty well talked down all of his friends. Bildad has had his last word and Job is still responding, and has been responding, actua...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 John 2:16; 2 Samuel 11:2; Genesis 6:2; James 1:14; James 1:15;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    I made — So far have I been from any gross wickedness, that I have abstained from the least occasions and appearances of evil....

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