Logos Bible Study

Job 31:26–28

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31:26if I looked at the sun40 when it was shining,

and the moon advancing as a precious thing,

31:27so that my heart was secretly enticed,

and my hand threw them a kiss from my mouth,41

31:28then this42 also would be iniquity to be judged,43

for I would have been false44 to God above.

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Footnotes

  1. 40 Heb “light”; but parallel to the moon it is the sun. This section speaks of false worship of the sun and the moon.
  2. 41 Heb “and my hand kissed my mouth.” The idea should be that of “my mouth kissed my hand.” H. H. Rowley suggests that the hand was important in waving or throwing the kisses of homage to the sun and the moon, and so it receives the focus. This is the only place in the OT that refers to such a custom. Outside the Bible it was known, however.
  3. 42 Heb “it.”
  4. 43 See v. 11 for the construction. In Deut 17:2ff. false worship of heavenly bodies is a capital offense. In this passage, Job is talking about just a momentary glance at the sun or moon and the brief lapse into a pagan thought. But it is still sin.
  5. 44 The verb כָּחַשׁ (kakhash) in the Piel means “to deny.” The root meaning is “to deceive; to disappoint; to grow lean.” Here it means that he would have failed or proven unfaithful because his act would have been a denial of God.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

if I have looked at the sun when it shone,

or the moon moving in splendor,

and my heart has been secretly enticed,

and my mouth has kissed my hand,

this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,

for I would have been false to God above.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

if I have regarded the sun in its radiance

or the moon moving in splendor,

so that my heart was secretly enticed

and my hand offered them a kiss of homage,

then these also would be sins to be judged,

for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

if I have gazed at the sun when it was shining

or at the moon moving in splendor,

so that my heart was secretly enticed

and I threw them a kiss,

this would also be an iniquity deserving punishment,

for I would have denied God above.

NLTNew Living Translation

“Have I looked at the sun shining in the skies,

or the moon walking down its silver pathway,

and been secretly enticed in my heart

to throw kisses at them in worship?

If so, I should be punished by the judges,

for it would mean I had denied the God of heaven.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

if I looked at the sun when it shone

or at the moon moving in splendor,

and I was secretly enticed,

and my hand threw them a kiss,

this also is an iniquity to be judged,

for I have deceived God above.

KJV 1900King James Version

If I beheld the sun when it shined,

Or the moon walking in brightness;

And my heart hath been secretly enticed,

Or my mouth hath kissed my hand:

This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge:

For I should have denied the God that is above.