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Job
Chapter
31
{Chapters
22-31: The Third Debate}
{Chapters
25-31: Third Debate with Bildad -
Job Restates His Position - Job Is Not Under Punitive Suffering -
No Secret Sins - Here are Job's Policies}
{Verses
1-4: Job's Dealing with Category - Lust for Opposite Sex}
1-2~~"I
{Job} made a covenant with my eyes . . .
not
to look lustfully upon a girl . . . 2~~
for
what is man's lot from God/'Elowahh above (?) . . .
his
heritage of the Almighty from on high?
3~~Is
it not ruin for the wicked (?) . . .
disaster
for those who do wrong?
4~~Does He {God} not see my Ways, and count my every step?
{Verses
5-6: Job's Dealing with Category - Lying/Deceit}
5-6~~If
I have Walked in falsehood,
or
if my foot has hurried after deceit; 6~~
let
God/'Elowahh weigh me on honest scales,
so
that He will know that I am blameless.
{Verses
7-8: Job's Dealing with Category - Honest Dealing with People}
7-8~~If
my steps have 'turned from the path'/
'have
turned out of the Way'
and
if my heart/'right lobe' has been lead by my eyes,
or
if my hands have been defiled, 8~~
then
may others eat what I have sown
and
may my crops be uprooted.
{Verses
9-12: Job's Dealing with Category - Adultery}
9-11~~If
my heart/'right lobe' has been enticed by a woman,
or
if I have lurked at my neighbor's door; 10~~
then
may my wife grind another man's grain,
and
may other men sleep with her
{meaning that if he is committing adultery, then others could
commit adultery with his wife - just an idiom of denial not a true
offer!} 11``
for
this is an heinous crime.
Yes,
it is a 'consequence of the guilt'/iniquity {`avon}
to
be punished by the judges.
12~~It
is a fire that burns to destruction . . .
it
would have uprooted my harvest.
{Verses
13-15: Job's Dealing with Category - Good Leadership}
13-14~~If
I have denied justice
to
my 'servants - male or female'/'manservant or of my maidservant',
when
they had a grievance against me; 14~~
what
then will I do when God/'El confronts me?
What will I answer when I am called to account?
15~~Did not He Who made me in the womb . . . make them?
Did not the same One form us both in 'our Mothers'/'the womb'?
{Verses
13-23: Job's Dealing with Category -
Needy and Widows and Orphans}
16-22~~If
I have denied the desires of the poor,
or
let the eyes of the widow grow weary, 17~~
of
if I kept my wealth/food to myself,
and
'not sharing with the orphans/
'the
fatherless have not eaten thereof' . . . 18~~
but
from my youth, I reared him like a father,
and
from my birth I guided the widow . . . 19~~
if
I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
or
a needy man without a garment 20~~
and
his heart/'right lobe' did not bless me
for
warming him with the fleece of my sheep . . . 21~~
if
I have raised my hand against the orphan
knowing
that I had influence in court/'in the gate' . . . 22~~
then
let my arm fall from my shoulder . . .
let
it be broken off at the joint.
23~~I
{Job} dreaded destruction from God/'El
and
for fear of His splendor/magnificence, I could not do such things
{Job's integrity is the only kind that counts - it comes from the
bible doctrine in his soul His love/fear/respect for God requires that
he do not do these things}.
{Verses
24-28: Job's Dealing with Category -
Love of Money (Details of Life)}
24-28~~If
I put my trust in gold . . .
or
said to pure gold , 'You are my security' . . .25~~
or
if I had rejoiced over my great wealth . . .
the
fortune my hands have gained . . . 26~~
if
I had regarded the sun and its radiance
or
the moon 'moving in splendor'/'walking in brightness' . . .27~~
so
that my heart/'right lobe' was secretly enticed,
and
my hands offering them/'their mouths' a kiss of homage 28~~
this
these also would be sins to be judged . . .
for
I would have been unfaithful to God/'El Who is on high.
{Verses
29-30: Job's Dealing with Category - 'Those who Hate You'}
29-30~~If
I rejoiced at 'my enemies misfortune'/
'the
destruction of him who hated me',
or
gloated over trouble that came to him . . . 30~~
but
I have not allowed my mouth to sin
by
evoking a curse against his life/soul.
{Verse
31: Job's Dealing with Category - 'Employees'}
31~~If
the men of my household/tent have never said,
"
'Who has not been well paid?'
{idiom: literally 'Who has not had his fill of Job's food? We can not
be satisfied'} . . .
{Verses
32: Job's Dealing with Category - Travelers/Guests}
32~~And
no stranger had to spend the night in the street.
My door has always been open to the traveler.
{Verses
33-38: Job's Conclusion}
33~~If
I had concealed my sins . . . as men do . . .
by
hiding my guilt in my bosom/heart 34~~
because
I feared the crowd/mob
and
so dreaded the contempt of the clans
that
I kept silence,
and
would not go outside . . . 35~~
Oh
that I had someone to hear me!
Let the Almighty answer me!
I
sign now my defense
{meaning let my accusers put my indictment in writing}.
36~~Surely I would wear it (my indictment) on my shoulder.
I would put it on like a crown.
37~~I
would give Him
an
account of my every step . . .
like
a prince, I would approach Him.
38~~If
my country cries out against me,
and
all of its furrows are wet with tears . . . 39~~
if
I have devoured its yields without payment . . .
or
'broken the spirits of its tenants'/
'caused
the tenants to lose their lives/souls' . . .40~~
then
let the briars come up instead of wheat . . .
and
weeds instead of barley."
The declaration/words {dabar} of Job {'Iyowb} are ended.
{Note: This would be the point Zophar would speak up. But note the silence of Zophar. He does not take his turn. Now we will meet Elihu in the next chapter (RBT says Elihu might be the human author of the book of Job). Either Zophar is sulking with the remarks Job made to him, or maybe he is finally seeing the Light.}
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