Job's Oath Against Lust and Dishonesty
Study note
Job begins his oath of innocence. He made a covenant with his eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman. He asks what share God above would give to someone who is dishonest. Does God not see every step? Job invites God to weigh him on honest scales so that God can see his integrity.
1 'I made a deal with my own eyes that I would never look at a young woman with wrong desires.' I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
2 'Because what portion does God above hand out? What future does the Almighty assign from on high?' For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
3 'Is it not disaster for those who do evil? Is it not ruin for those who do wrong?' Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?
4 'Does God not see every road I travel? Does he not count every step I take?' Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
5 'Have I walked with lies? Did my feet ever rush toward anything crooked?' If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;
6 'then let God put me on an honest scale, and he will clearly see my integrity.' Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.
7 'If my footsteps have wandered off the right path, if my heart chased after what my eyes wanted, or if my hands have any stain on them --' If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;
8 'then let someone else eat the crops I planted. Let everything I grew be ripped out by the roots.' Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
Job's Oath Regarding Adultery and Justice
Study note
Job swears he has not been unfaithful to his wife or lurked at his neighbor's door. Adultery, he says, is a terrible crime worthy of judgment. He also swears he never denied justice to his servants when they had a complaint against him. He asks: did not the same God who made him also make them?
9 'If my heart has been pulled toward another woman, or if I lurked outside my neighbor's door --' If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door;
10 'then let my own wife serve someone else's table. Let other men take advantage of her.' Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.
11 'Because that would be a shameful sin, a crime that deserves to be judged.' For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.
12 'It is a fire that would burn everything I own to the ground. It would destroy every last thing down to the roots.' For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
13 'If I have ever been unfair to my servants when they came to me with a problem --' If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
14 'then what am I going to do when God stands before me? What will I say when he demands an answer?' What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
15 'The same God who made me in my mother's body also made them. The very same God formed every one of us.' Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?
Job's Oath Regarding the Poor and Wealth
Study note
Job lists his care for the vulnerable: he fed the hungry, clothed the naked, and defended the orphan. He did not raise his hand against the fatherless. He never put his trust in gold or rejoiced because his wealth was great. He did not worship the sun or moon. He did not celebrate when his enemies suffered. All of this would have been unfaithfulness to God.
16 'If I have held back what poor people needed, or let a widow wait and wait until her eyes grew tired --' If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
17 'if I ever sat down and ate my food all by myself without sharing a bite with an orphan --' Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;
18 'the truth is, from the time I was young I raised the fatherless like a dad would, and from my earliest days I helped guide the widow --' (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb;)
19 'if I have ever watched someone shivering because they had no clothes, or seen a needy person with nothing to wear --' If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;
20 'if they did not thank me from the bottom of their heart for warming them with wool from my own sheep --' If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
21 'if I ever used my influence against an orphan because I knew the court was on my side --' If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:
22 'then let my arm drop right off my shoulder. Let it break apart at the joint.' Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.
23 'I have always stood in awe of God's power to destroy. I could never do those things because of how great and mighty he is.' For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.
24 'If I have placed my confidence in gold or told fine gold, "You are the thing that makes me feel safe" --' If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;
25 'if I have been proud and happy because my wealth grew large, because my own efforts earned so much --' If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;
26 'if I have stared at the sun blazing in the sky or admired the moon gliding along in its beauty,' If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;
27 'and my heart was secretly attracted, and my hand blew a kiss of worship their way --' And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:
28 'that too would be a crime that deserves punishment, because it would mean I had been unfaithful to God above.' This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.
Job Signs His Defense
Study note
Job never wished a curse on his enemy or refused hospitality to strangers. He did not hide his sins like Adam. He cries out for someone to listen! His desire is for the Almighty to answer him. If his accuser wrote out charges in a book, Job would wear it proudly on his shoulder like a crown. He would approach God like a prince. Job's final words end: 'The words of Job are ended.' He has said all he has to say and awaits God's response.
29 'If I was happy when my enemy fell, or felt a rush of excitement when trouble found them --' If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:
30 'no, I never let my mouth sin that way by calling for a curse on their life.' Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.
31 'The people in my own household have always said, "Everyone gets their fill at his table."' If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.
32 'No stranger ever spent the night out in the street. My front door was always wide open for anyone passing through.' The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.
33 'If I have tried to cover up my sins the way Adam did, hiding my guilt deep inside --' If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:
34 'because I was scared of what the crowd would think. I was afraid of being shamed by other families. So I kept quiet and stayed inside my house —' Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?
35 'Oh, I wish someone would hear me out! Right here -- I am signing my name. Let the Almighty give me his answer! Let the one who accuses me put the charges in writing!' Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.
36 'I would carry that document on my shoulder with pride. I would wear it on my head like a crown.' Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.
37 'I would tell God about every step I have taken. I would walk up to him with the confidence of a prince.' I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.
38 'If the land I farmed could speak and it cried out against me, if its furrows wept together --' If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;
39 'if I ate its crops without paying or worked its farmers to death --' If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:
40 'then let thorns grow instead of wheat and stinky weeds instead of barley.' Job's words came to an end. Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.