30 Neither have I suffered H5414 my mouth H2441 to sin H2398 by wishing H7592 a curse H423 to his soul. H5315
Bless G2127 them which persecute G1377 you: G5209 bless, G2127 and G2532 curse G2672 not. G3361
Not G3361 rendering G591 evil G2556 for G473 evil, G2556 or G2228 railing G3059 for G473 railing: G3059 but G1161 contrariwise G5121 blessing; G2129 knowing G1492 that G3754 ye are G2564 thereunto G1519 G5124 called, G2564 that G2443 ye should inherit G2816 a blessing. G2127
If thou meet H6293 thine enemy's H341 ox H7794 or his ass H2543 going astray, H8582 thou shalt surely H7725 bring it back H7725 to him again. H7725 If thou see H7200 the ass H2543 of him that hateth H8130 thee lying H7257 under his burden, H4853 and wouldest forbear H2308 to help H5800 him, thou shalt surely H5800 help H5800 with him.
Be not rash H926 with thy mouth, H6310 and let not thine heart H3820 be hasty H4116 to utter H3318 any thing H1697 before H6440 God: H430 for God H430 is in heaven, H8064 and thou upon earth: H776 therefore let thy words H1697 be few. H4592
Suffer H5414 not thy mouth H6310 to cause thy flesh H1320 to sin; H2398 neither say H559 thou before H6440 the angel, H4397 that it was an error: H7684 wherefore should God H430 be angry H7107 at thy voice, H6963 and destroy H2254 the work H4639 of thine hands? H3027
But G1161 I G1473 say G3004 unto you, G5213 That G3754 whosoever G3956 is angry G3710 with his G846 brother G80 without a cause G1500 shall be G2071 in danger G1777 of the judgment: G2920 and G1161 whosoever G3739 G302 shall say G2036 to his G846 brother, G80 Raca, G4469 shall be G2071 in danger G1777 of the council: G4892 but G1161 whosoever G3739 G302 shall say, G2036 Thou fool, G3474 shall be G2071 in danger G1777 of G1519 hell G1067 fire. G4442
Ye have heard G191 that G3754 it hath been said, G4483 Thou shalt love G25 thy G4675 neighbour, G4139 and G2532 hate G3404 thine G4675 enemy. G2190 But G1161 I G1473 say G3004 unto you, G5213 Love G25 your G5216 enemies, G2190 bless G2127 them that curse G2672 you, G5209 do G4160 good G2573 to them that hate G3404 you, G5209 and G2532 pray G4336 for G5228 them which G3588 despitefully use G1908 you, G5209 and G2532 persecute G1377 you; G5209
But G1161 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 That G3754 every G3956 idle G692 word G4487 that G3739 G1437 men G444 shall speak, G2980 they shall give G591 account G3056 thereof G4012 G846 in G1722 the day G2250 of judgment. G2920
And G2532 the tongue G1100 is a fire, G4442 a world G2889 of iniquity: G93 so G3779 is G2525 the tongue G1100 among G1722 our G2257 members, G3196 that it defileth G4695 the whole G3650 body, G4983 and G2532 setteth on fire G5394 the course G5164 of nature; G1078 and G2532 it is set on fire G5394 of G5259 hell. G1067
Therewith G1722 G846 bless we G2127 God, G2316 even G2532 the Father; G3962 and G2532 therewith G1722 G846 curse we G2672 men, G444 which G3588 are made G1096 after G2596 the similitude G3669 of God. G2316 Out of G1537 the same G846 mouth G4750 proceedeth G1831 blessing G2129 and G2532 cursing. G2671 My G3450 brethren, G80 these things G5023 ought G5534 not G3756 so G3779 to be. G1096
Who G3739 did G4160 no G3756 sin, G266 neither G3761 was guile G1388 found G2147 in G1722 his G846 mouth: G4750 Who, G3739 when he was reviled, G3058 reviled G486 not G3756 again; G486 when he suffered, G3958 he threatened G546 not; G3756 but G1161 committed G3860 himself to him that judgeth G2919 righteously: G1346
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Job 31
Commentary on Job 31 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 31
Job had often protested his integrity in general; here he does it in particular instances, not in a way of commendation (for he does not here proclaim his good deeds), but in his own just and necessary vindication, to clear himself from those crimes with which his friends had falsely charged him, which is a debt every man owes to his own reputation. Job's friends had been particular in their articles of impeachment against him, and therefore he is so in his protestation, which seems to refer especially to what Eliphaz had accused him of, ch. 22:6, etc. They had produced no witnesses against him, neither could they prove the things whereof they now accused him, and therefore he may well be admitted to purge himself upon oath, which he does very solemnly, and with many awful imprecations of God's wrath if he were guilty of those crimes. This protestation confirms God's character of him, that there was none like him in the earth. Perhaps some of his accusers durst not have joined with him; for he not only acquits himself from those gross sins which lie open to the eye of the world, but from many secret sins which, if he had been guilty of them, nobody could have charged him, with, because he will prove himself no hypocrite. Nor does he only maintain the cleanness of his practices, but shows also that in them he went upon good principles, that the reason of his eschewing evil was because he feared God, and his piety was at the bottom of his justice and charity; and this crowns the proof of his sincerity.
Job 31:1-8
The lusts of the flesh, and the love of the world, are the two fatal rocks on which multitudes split; against these Job protests he was always careful to stand upon his guard.
Job 31:9-15
Two more instances we have here of Job's integrity:-
Job 31:16-23
Eliphaz had particularly charged Job with unmercifulness to the poor (ch. 22:6, etc.): Thou hast withholden bread from the hungry, stripped the naked of their clothing, and sent widows away empty. One would think he could not have been so very positive and express in his charge unless there had been some truth in it, some ground, for it; and yet it appears, by Job's protestation, that it was utterly false and groundless; he was never guilty of any such thing. See here,
Job 31:24-32
Four articles more of Job's protestation we have in these verses, which, as all the rest, not only assure us what he was and did, but teach us what we should be and do:-
Job 31:33-40
We have here Job's protestation against three more sins, together with his general appeal to God's bar and his petition for a hearing there, which, it is likely, was intended to conclude his discourse (and therefore we will consider it last), but that another particular sin occurred, from which he thought it requisite to acquit himself. He clears himself from the charge,
Thus the words of Job are ended; that is, he has now said all he would say in answer to his friends: he afterwards said something in a way of self-reproach and condemnation (ch. 40:4, 5, 42:2, etc.), but here ends what he had to say in a way of self-defence and vindication. If this suffice not he will say no more; he knows when he has said enough and will submit to the judgment of the bench. Some think the manner of expression intimates that he concluded with an air of assurance and triumph. He now keeps the field and doubts not but to win the field. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies.