Job 31
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
2For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
3Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?
4Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
5If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;
6Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.
7If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;
8Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
9If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door;
10Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.
11For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.
12For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
13If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
14What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
15Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?
16If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
17Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;
18(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb;)
19If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;
20If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
21If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:
22Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.
23For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.
24If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;
25If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;
26If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;
27And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:
28This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.
29If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:
30Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.
31If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.
32The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.
33If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:
34Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?
35Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.
36Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.
37I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.
38If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;
39If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:
40Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- אִםʼimH51817× in this chapter
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
- כִּיkîyH358813× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- לֹאlôʼH380812× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- עַלʻalH59218× in this chapter
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
- הוּאhûwʼH19315× in this chapter
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
- אָכַלʼâkalH3985× in this chapter
to eat (literally or figuratively)
- מָהmâhH41004× in this chapter
properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses
- רָאָהrâʼâhH72004× in this chapter
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
- הָלַךְhâlakH19803× in this chapter
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
- יָדyâdH30273× in this chapter
a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),
- אַחֵרʼachêrH3123× in this chapter
properly, hinder; generally, next, other, etc.
- לֵבlêbH38203× in this chapter
the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything
- אֵלʼêlH4103× in this chapter
strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity)
- נָתַןnâthanH54143× in this chapter
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
- עָוֺןʻâvônH57713× in this chapter
perversity, i.e. (moral) evil
- עַיִןʻayinH58693× in this chapter
an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
- עָשָׂהʻâsâhH62133× in this chapter
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
- בְּלִיbᵉlîyH10972× in this chapter
properly, failure, i.e. nothing or destruction; usually (with preposition) without, not yet, because not, as long as, etc.
- דֶּרֶךְderekH18702× in this chapter
a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
- יָצָאyâtsâʼH33182× in this chapter
to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.
- אֵידʼêydH3432× in this chapter
oppression; by implication misfortune, ruin
- יָתוֹםyâthôwmH34902× in this chapter
a bereaved person
- כֹּלkôlH36052× in this chapter
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
- מִיmîyH43102× in this chapter
who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix
- אֱלוֹהַּʼĕlôwahhH4332× in this chapter
a deity or the Deity
- מִןminH44802× in this chapter
properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
- מַעַלmaʻalH46052× in this chapter
properly, the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etc.
- מָצָאmâtsâʼH46722× in this chapter
properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present
- נֶפֶשׁnepheshH53152× in this chapter
properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
- אָמַרʼâmarH5592× in this chapter
to say (used with great latitude)
- פָּתָהpâthâhH66012× in this chapter
to open, i.e. be (causatively, make) roomy; usually figuratively (in a mental or moral sense) to be (causatively, make) simple or (in a sinister way) delude
- פֶּתַחpethachH66072× in this chapter
an opening (literally), i.e. door (gate) or entrance way
- צַעַדtsaʻadH68062× in this chapter
a pace or regular step
- רַבrabH72272× in this chapter
abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)
- רִיבrîybH73792× in this chapter
a contest (personal or legal)
- שַׁדַּיShaddayH77062× in this chapter
the Almighty
- אִשָּׁהʼishshâhH8022× in this chapter
a woman
- שָׂמַחsâmachH80552× in this chapter
probably to brighten up, i.e. (figuratively) be (causatively, make) blithe or gleesome
- שָׁרַשׁshârashH83272× in this chapter
to root, i.e. strike into the soil, or (by implication) to pluck from it
- תַּחַתtachathH84782× in this chapter
the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.