Job 31:9-15

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 31:11

For this is an heinous crime . The crime of adultery subverts the family relation, on which it has pleased God to erect the entire fabric of human society. Hence, in the Jewish Law, adultery was made a capital offence (Le Job 20:10 ; Deuteronomy 22:22 ), both in the woman and in the man. Among other nations the adulteress was commonly punished with death, but the adulterer escaped scot-free. In modern communities adultery is mostly regarded, not as a crime, but as a civil wrong, on... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 31:11

A heinous crime. Job justly regards adultery as a heinous crime which is deserving of punishment; I. THE GREAT EVIL OF THIS CRIME . It contains within it a combination of various dreadful kinds of wickedness. 1 . Unfaithfulness. Husband and wife have vowed to be true to one another. Adultery is a breach of marriage vows. Even if purity were not originally binding, the voluntary assumption of the yoke of matrimony would have made it so. The sin of unfaithfulness to the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 31:12

For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction ; i.e. it is a thing which brings down the wrath of God upon a man, so that "a fire is kindled in his anger, which shall burn unto the lowest hell" ( Deuteronomy 32:22 ). Compare the sentence on David for his great transgression ( 2 Samuel 12:9-12 ). And would root out all mine increase ; i.e. "would destroy all my estate;" either by leading me to waste my substance upon my companion in sin, or by bringing down God's judgments upon me... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 31:13

If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant. Job now disclaims a fourth sin—the oppression of his dependants. Eliphaz had taxed him generally with harshness and cruelty in his relations towards those weaker than himself ( Job 22:5-9 ), but had not specially pointed to this kind of oppressiveness. As, however, this was the commonest form of the vice, Job deems it right to disclaim it, before addressing himself to the several charges brought by Eliphaz. He has not ill... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 31:14-15

What then shall I do when God riseth up? Job regards God as the Avenger and Champion of all the oppressed. If he had been harsh and cruel to his dependants, he would have provoked God's anger, and God would assuredly "rise up" one day to punish. What, then, could he (Job) do? What but submit in silence? When he visiteth, what shall I answer him? There could be no valid defence. The slave was still a man, a brother—God's creature, equally with his master. Did not he that made me in the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 31:9

If mine heart have been deceived by a woman - If I have been enticed by her beauty. The word rendered “deceived” פתה pâthâh means to open, to expand. It is then applied to that which is open or ingenuous; to that which is unsuspicious - like a youth; and thence is used in the sense of being deceived, or enticed; Deuteronomy 11:16; Exodus 22:16; Proverbs 1:10; Proverbs 16:29. The word “woman” here probably means a married woman, and stands opposed to “virgin” in ver. 1. The crime which he here... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 31:10

Then let my wife grined unto another - Let her be subjected to the deepest humiliation and degradation. Probably Job could not have found language which would have more emphatically expressed his sense of the enormity of this crime, or his perfect consciousness of innocence. The last thing which a man would imprecate on himself, would be that which is specified in this verse. The word “grind” (טחן ṭâchan) means to crush, to beat small; then to grind, as in a handmill; Judges 16:21; Numbers... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 31:11

For this is an heinous crime - This expresses Job’s sense of the enormity of such an offence. He felt that there was no palliation for it; he would in no way, and on no pretence, attempt to vindicate it.An iniquity to be punished by the judges - A crime for the judges to determine on and decide. The sins which Job had specified before this, were those of the heart; but here he refers to a crime against society - an offence which deserved the interposition of the magistrate. It may be observed... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 31:12

For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction - This may mean that such an offence would be a crime that would provoke God to send destruction, like a consuming fire upon the offender (Rosenmuller and Noyes), or more likely it is designed to be descriptive of the nature of the sin itself. According to this, the meaning is, that indulgence in this sin tends wholly to ruin and destroy a man. It is like a consuming fire, which sweeps away everything before it. It is destructive to the body, the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 31:13

If I did despise the cause of my man-servant - Job turns to another subject, on which he claimed that his life had been upright. It was in reference to the treatment of his servants. The meaning here is, “I never refused to do strict justice to my servants when they brought their cause before me, or when they complained that my dealings with them had been severe.”When they contended with me - That is, when they brought their cause before me, and complained that I had not provided for them... read more

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