Job 31:30

_NEITHER HAVE I SUFFERED MY MOUTH TO SIN BY WISHING A CURSE TO HIS SOUL._ Mouth - literally, palate (Job 6:30, note). WISHING - literally, 'so as to demand his (my enemy's) soul (i:e., life) by a curse.' This verse parenthetically confirms Job 31:29. Job, in the patriarchal age of the promise, anterior to the law, realizes the Gospel spirit, which was the end of the law (cf. Leviticus 19:18; contrast Deuteronomy 23:6 with Matthew 5:43)....

24-32 Job protests, 1. That he never set his heart upon the wealth of this world. How few prosperous professors can appeal to the Lord, that they have not rejoiced because their gains were great! Through the determination to be rich, numbers ruin their souls, or pierce themselves with many sorrows. 2. He never was guilty of idolatry. The source of idolatry is in the heart, and it corrupts men, and provokes God to send judgments upon a nation. 3. He neither desired nor delighted in the hurt of the worst enemy he had. If others bear malice to us, that will not justify us in bearing malice to them. 4. He had never been unkind to strangers. Hospitality is a Christian duty, 1 Peter 4:9....

Verse Job 31:30. _NEITHER HAVE I SUFFERED MY MOUTH TO SIN_] I have neither _spoken evil_ of him, nor _wished evil_ to him. How few of those called _Christians_ can speak thus concerning their _enemies_; or those who have done them any mischief!...

NEITHER HAVE I SUFFERED MY MOUTH - Margin, as in Hebrew, palate. The word is often used for the mouth in general, and especially as the organ of the voice from the use and importance of the palate in speaking. Proverbs 8:7. “For my palate (חכי _chikiy_) speaketh truth.” It is used as the organ of taste, Job 12:11; compare Job 6:30; Psalms 119:103. BY WISHING A CURSE TO HIS SOUL - It must have been an extraordinary degree of piety which would permit a man to say this with truth, that he had never harbored a wish of injury to an enemy. Few are t

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...

NEITHER HAVE I SUFFERED MY MOUTH TO SIN,.... Which, as it is the instrument of speech, is often the means of much sin; particularly of cursing men, and expressing much bitterness against enemies; but Job laid an embargo upon it, kept it as with a bridle, restrained it from uttering any evil, or wishing any to his worst adversaries; which is difficult to do, when provocations are given, as follows: BY WISHING A CURSE TO HIS SOUL; not to his soul as distinct from his body, being the superior excellency and immortal part; that it be everlastingly damned, as wicked men wish to their own souls, and the souls of others, but to his person, wishing some calamity might befall him, some disease seize upon him, or that God would take him away by death: Job would never suffer himself to wish anything of this kind unto his enemy....

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....

HIS.. special various reading called _Sevir_ (App-34) reads "their". SOUL. Hebrew. _nephesh_. App-13....

e. He lived openly and would not hesitate to have the Almighty publish his record. (Job 31:29-40) TEXT 31:29-40 29 If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, Or lifted up myself when evil found him 30 (Yea, I have not suffered my mouth to sin By asking his life with a curse); 31 If the men of my tent have not said, Who can find one that hath not been filled with his meat? 32 (The sojourner hath not lodged in the street; But I have opened my doors to the traveller); 33 If like Adam I have covered my transgressions, By hiding mine iniquity in my bosom. 34 Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, So that I kept silence, and went not out of the door 35 Oh that I had one to hear me! (Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me)...