Logos Bible Study

Job 31:16–23

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31:16If I have refused to give the poor what they desired,26

or caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

31:17If I ate my morsel of bread myself,

and did not share any of it with orphans27—

31:18but from my youth I raised the orphan28 like a father,

and from my mother’s womb29

I guided the widow!30

31:19If I have seen anyone about to perish for lack of clothing,

or a poor man without a coat,

31:20whose heart did not bless me31

as he warmed himself with the fleece of my sheep,32

31:21if I have raised my hand33 to vote against the orphan,

when I saw my support in the court,34

31:22then35 let my arm fall from the shoulder,36

let my arm be broken off at the socket.37

31:23For the calamity from God was a terror to me,38

and by reason of his majesty39 I was powerless.

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Footnotes

  1. 26 Heb “kept the poor from [their] desire.”
  2. 27 Heb “and an orphan did not eat from it.”
  3. 28 Heb “he grew up with me.” Several commentators have decided to change the pronoun to “I,” and make it causative.
  4. 29 The expression “from my mother’s womb” is obviously hyperbolic. It is a way of saying “all his life.”
  5. 30 Heb “I guided her,” referring to the widow mentioned in v. 16.
  6. 31 The has simply “if his loins did not bless me.” In the conditional clause this is another protasis. It means, “if I saw someone dying and if he did not thank me for clothing them.” It is Job’s way of saying that whenever he saw a need he met it, and he received his share of thanks—which prove his kindness. G. R. Driver has it “without his loins having blessed me,” taking “If … not” as an Aramaism, meaning “except” ( 52 [1935/36]: 164f.).
  7. 32 This clause is interpreted here as a subordinate clause to the first half of the verse. It could also be a separate clause: “was he not warmed …?”
  8. 33 The expression “raised my hand” refers to a threatening manner or gesture in the court rather than a threat of physical violence in the street. Thus the words “to vote” are supplied in the translation to indicate the setting.
  9. 34 Heb “gate,” referring to the city gate where judicial decisions were rendered in the culture of the time. The translation uses the word “court” to indicate this to the modern reader, who might not associate a city gate complex with judicial functions.
  10. 35 Here is the apodosis, the imprecation Job pronounces on himself if he has done any of these things just listed.
  11. 36 The point is that if he has raised his arm against the oppressed it should be ripped off at the joint. The has “let fall my shoulder [כְּתֵפִי, kétefi] from the nape of the neck [or shoulder blade (מִשִּׁכְמָה, mishikhmah)].”
  12. 37 The word קָנֶה (qaneh) is “reed; shaft; beam,” and here “shoulder joint.” All the commentaries try to explain how “reed” became “socket; joint.” This is the only place that it is used in such a sense. Whatever the exact explanation—and there seems to be no convincing view—the point of the verse is nonetheless clear.
  13. 38 The has “For the terror of God restrained me.” Several commentators changed it to “came upon me.” Driver had “The fear of God was burdensome.” I. Eitan suggested “The terror of God was mighty upon me” (“Two unknown verbs: etymological studies,” 42 [1923]: 22–28). But the makes clear sense as it stands.
  14. 39 The form is וּמִשְּׂאֵתוֹ (umissé’eto); the preposition is causal. The form, from the verb נָשָׂא (nasa’, “to raise; to lift high”), refers to God’s exalted person, his majesty (see Job 13:11).

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“If I have withheld anything that the poor desired,

or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

or have eaten my morsel alone,

and the fatherless has not eaten of it

(for from my youth the fatherless grew up with me as with a father,

and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow),

if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,

or the needy without covering,

if his body has not blessed me,

and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,

if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,

because I saw my help in the gate,

then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,

and let my arm be broken from its socket.

For I was in terror of calamity from God,

and I could not have faced his majesty.

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“If I have denied the desires of the poor

or let the eyes of the widow grow weary,

if I have kept my bread to myself,

not sharing it with the fatherless—

but from my youth I reared them as a father would,

and from my birth I guided the widow—

if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing,

or the needy without garments,

and their hearts did not bless me

for warming them with the fleece from my sheep,

if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,

knowing that I had influence in court,

then let my arm fall from the shoulder,

let it be broken off at the joint.

For I dreaded destruction from God,

and for fear of his splendor I could not do such things.

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

If I have refused the wishes of the poor

or let the widow’s eyes go blind,

if I have eaten my few crumbs alone

without letting the fatherless eat any of it—

for from my youth, I raised him as his father,

and since the day I was born I guided the widow—

if I have seen anyone dying for lack of clothing

or a needy person without a cloak,

if he did not bless me

while warming himself with the fleece from my sheep,

if I ever cast my vote against a fatherless child

when I saw that I had support in the city gate,

then let my shoulder blade fall from my back,

and my arm be pulled from its socket.

For disaster from God terrifies me,

and because of his majesty I could not do these things.

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

“Have I refused to help the poor,

or crushed the hopes of widows?

Have I been stingy with my food

and refused to share it with orphans?

No, from childhood I have cared for orphans like a father,

and all my life I have cared for widows.

Whenever I saw the homeless without clothes

and the needy with nothing to wear,

did they not praise me

for providing wool clothing to keep them warm?

“If I raised my hand against an orphan,

knowing the judges would take my side,

then let my shoulder be wrenched out of place!

Let my arm be torn from its socket!

That would be better than facing God’s judgment.

For if the majesty of God opposes me, what hope is there?

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“If I have withheld the desire of the poor from them,

or I have caused the widow’s eyes to fail,

or I have eaten my morsel alone,

and the orphan has not eaten from it

(for from my childhood he grew up with me like a father,

and from my mother’s womb I guided her),

if I have seen the one who perishes because of no clothing

or that there is no covering for the poor,

if his loins have not blessed me,

or by means of my sheep’s fleece he has warmed himself,

if I have raised my hand against an orphan

because I saw my supporters at the gate,

then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,

and let my arm be broken from its socket.

Indeed, the disaster from God was a dread for me,

and I was powerless because of his majesty.

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

If I have withheld the poor from their desire,

Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

Or have eaten my morsel myself alone,

And the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;

(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father,

And I have guided her from my mother’s womb;)

If I have seen any perish for want of clothing,

Or any poor without covering;

If his loins have not blessed me,

And if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless,

When I saw my help in the gate:

Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade,

And mine arm be broken from the bone.

For destruction from God was a terror to me,

And by reason of his highness I could not endure.

Public Domain