Job 31:18

_IF I DID DESPISE THE CAUSE OF MY MANSERVANT OR OF MY MAIDSERVANT, WHEN THEY CONTENDED WITH ME;_ Job affirms his freedom from unfairness toward his servants: from harshness and oppression toward the needy. DESPISE THE CAUSE - refused to do them justice. Verse 14,15. Parenthetical; the reason why Job did not despise the cause of his servants. Translate, What then (had I done so) could I have done, when God arose (to call me to account); and when He visited (came to inquire), what could I have answered Him? Verse 15. Slaveholders try to defend themselves by maintaining the original inferiority of the slave. But Malachi 2:10; Acts 17:26; Ephesians 6:9, make the common origin of masters a

16-23 Job's conscience gave testimony concerning his just and charitable behaviour toward the poor. He is most large upon this head, because in this matter he was particularly accused. He was tender of all, and hurtful to none. Notice the principles by which Job was restrained from being uncharitable and unmerciful. He stood in awe of the Lord, as certainly against him, if he should wrong the poor. Regard to worldly interests may restrain a man from actual crimes; but the grace of God alone can make him hate, dread, and shun sinful thoughts and desires....

Verse Job 31:18. This is a very difficult verse, and is variously translated. Take the following instances: - For from his youth _he_ (the male orphan) was brought up with me as a father. Yea, I have guided _her_ (the female orphan) from her mother's womb. - _Heath_. Nam a pueris educavit me commiseratio; jam inde ab utero matris meae illa me deduxit. - _Houbigant_. "For commiseration educated me from my childhood; And she brought me up even from my mother's womb." This is agreeable to the Vulgate. "Behold, from my youth calamity hath quickened me; Even from my mother's womb have I distributed it....

FOR FROM MY YOUTH HE WAS BROUGHT UP WITH ME - This verse is usually regarded as a parenthesis, though very various expositions have been given of it. Some have understood it as denying that he had in any way neglected the widow and the fatherless, and affirming that the orphan had always, even from his youth, found a father in him, and the widow a guide. Others, as our translators, suppose that it is a parenthesis thrown in to indicate his general course of life, although the imprecation which he makes on himself, if he had neglected the widow and the orphan, is found in Job 31:22. Luther reads the two previous verses as questions, and this as an answer to them, and so also do Rosenmuller and Noyes. Umbreit regards this verse as a parenthesis. This is probably to be considered as the correct interpretation, for this better agrees with the Hebrew than the other propose

EXPOSITION The conclusion of Job's long speech (ch. 26-31.) is now reached. He winds it up by a solemn vindication of himself from all the charges of wicked conduct which have been alleged or insinuated against him. perhaps it may be said that he goes further, maintaining generally his moral rectitude in respect of all the principal duties which a man owes either to God (verses 4-6, 24-28, 35-37) or to his fellows (verses 1-3, 7-23, 29-34, 38-40). He protests that he is innocent of impure thoughts (verses 1-4); of false seeming (verses 5-8); of adultery (verses 9-12); of injustice towards dependants (verses 13-15); of hardness towards the poor and needy (verses 16-23); of covetousness (verses 24, 25); of idolatry (verses 26-28); of malevolence (verses 29, 30); of want of hospitality (verses 31, 32); of hiding his transgressions (verses 33, 34); and of injustice as a landlord (verses 38-4...

FOR FROM MY YOUTH HE WAS BROUGHT UP WITH ME AS [WITH] A FATHER,.... That is, the poor or the fatherless, one or both; as soon as he was at years of discretion, and was capable of observing the distressed circumstances of others, he had a tender and compassionate regard to the poor and fatherless, and acted the part of a father to them; was as affectionately concerned for them as if he had been their father, and took such care of them as if they were his children; see Job 29:16; AND I HAVE GUIDED HER FROM MY MOTHER'S WOMB; the widow, by his counsel and advice; an hyperbolical expression, signifying how early he was a succourer of such persons, by giving his friendly advice, or needful assistance; the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "from my youth mercy grew up with me", c. a merciful disposition, a compassionate regard to the poor and fatherless this was as it wer

CHAPTER 31 _ 1. My chastity and righteousness (Job 31:1)_ 2. My philanthropy (Job 31:13) 3. My integrity and hospitality (Job 31:24) 4. Let God and man disprove me (Job 31:35) Job 31:1. His final word is the final word in his self-righteous vindication. He gives Eliphaz the lie. He gives a review of his life to prove that he is clean in the sight of God and of man. Even if after this outburst his friends would have an inclination to answer him they could not have done so. He silenced them for good. But what are his declarations after all

JOB 31. THE OATH OF CLEARING. Job's final protestation of his innocence, and appeal to God to judge him. This chapter, says Duhm, is the high-water mark of the OT ethic, higher than the Decalogue or even than the prophets, since they deal with social not private morality. Duhm notes especially the humanity towards the slave based on the fact of a common creation, also that we are not to hate our enemies. (Job does not go so far as to say, Love your enemies; that is Christ's.) JOB 31:1. Job clears himself of secret sensual desires. He remembered that the all-seeing God punishes the evildoer. Job speaks from the standpoint he had occupied before his trials made him doubt the Divine justice. JOB 31:5. He clears himself of falsehood and covetousness....

FOR FROM MY YOUTH, &C.— Houbigant renders this most beautifully: how far it may be agreeable to the Hebrew, I take not upon me to determine. _For compassion educated me from a child; she brought me up, even from my mother's womb._ Heath reads the passage thus; _If from his youth I brought him not up as a father; yea I guided her from her mother's womb;_ referring to both the male and female orphan....

b. Was upright in his domestic relations (Job 31:9-15) c. He was kind and neighborly. (Job 31:16-23) TEXT 31:9-23 9 IF MY HEART HATH BEEN ENTICED ONTO A WOMAN, And I have laid wait at my neighbor's door; 10 Then let my wife grind onto another, And let others bow down upon her. 11 For that were a heinous crime; Yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges: 12 For it is a fire that consumeth unto Destruction, And would root out all mine increase. 13 If I have despised the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant, When they contended with me; 14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? And when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? 15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? And did