Job 31:39

_IF I HAVE EATEN THE FRUITS THEREOF WITHOUT MONEY, OR HAVE CAUSED THE OWNERS THEREOF TO LOSE THEIR LIFE:_ Lose ... life - not literally, but 'harassed to death;' until he gave me up his land gratis (Maurer); as in Judges 16:16; 'suffered him to languish' by taking away his means of living (Umbreit). (1 Kings 21:13.)...

33-40 Job clears himself from the charge of hypocrisy. We are loth to confess our faults, willing to excuse them, and to lay the blame upon others. But he that thus covers his sins, shall not prosper, Proverbs 28:13. He speaks of his courage in what is good, as an evidence of his sincerity in it. When men get estates unjustly, they are justly deprived of comfort from them; it was sown wheat, but shall come up thistles. What men do not come honestly by, will never do them any good. The words of Job are ended. They end with a bold assertion, that, with respect to accusation against his moral and religious character as the cause for his sufferings, he could appeal to God. But, however confident Job was, we shall see he was mistaken, chap. Job 40:4;...

Verse Job 31:39. _IF I HAVE EATEN THE FRUITS THEREOF WITHOUT MONEY_] I have never been that _narrow-minded_ man who, through a principle of _covetousness_, exhausts his land, putting himself to no _charges_, by _labour_ and _manure_, to strengthen it; or defrauds those of their _wages_ who were employed under him. _If I have eaten the fruits of_ _it_, I have cultivated it _well_ to produce those fruits; and this has not been _without money_, for I have gone to expenses on the soil, and _remunerated_ the labourers. _OR HAVE CAUSED THE OWNERS THEREOF TO LOSE THEIR LIFE_] Coverdale translates, _Yee yf I have greved eny of the plowmen_. They have not panted in labour without due recompense....

IF I HAVE EATEN THE FRUITS THEREOF - Margin, strength. The strength of the earth is that which the earth produces or which is the result of its strength. We speak now of a “strong soil “ - meaning that it is capable of bearing much. WITHOUT MONEY - Hebrew “without silver “ - silver being the principal circulating medium in early times. The meaning here is, “without paying for it;” either without having paid for the land, or for the labor. “Or have caused the owners thereof.” Margin, the soul of the owners thereof to expire, or breathe out. The Hebrew is, “If I have caused the life of the owners (or lords) of it to breathe out.” The meaning is, if I have appropriated to myself the land or labor of others without paying for it, so that their means of living are taken away. He disclaims all injustice in the case. He had not deprived others of their land by violence or fraud, so that they ha...

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...

IF I HAVE EATEN THE FRUITS THEREOF WITHOUT MONEY,.... Or, "the strength thereof without silver" b; see Genesis 4:12, silver being the money chiefly in use in those times. Job's meaning is, that he ate not anything of the fruits and increase of his own land, without having paid for the same, which he would have done, if he had got his land out of the hands of the rightful owners of it, by deceit or violence; or if he had not paid his workmen for ploughing, sowing, reaping, c. or if he had demanded the fruits of the earth of his tenants, to whom he had let out his farms, without giving them a proper price for them: OR HAVE CAUSED THE OWNERS THEREOF TO LOSE THEIR LIFE as Jezebel caused Naboth to lose his, who was the original proprietor, that Ahab might possess it, 1 Kings 21:7; or it may sign

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....

HAVE CAUSED, &C.. made the souls of the owners groan. LIFE. 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)...