Job Vindicates Himself

¹“I made a covenant with my eyes;[#tn The idea of cutting a covenant for something may suggest a covenant that is imposed, except that this construction elsewhere argues against it (see 2 Chr 29:10).]

how then could I entertain thoughts against a virgin?

²What then would be one’s lot from God above,

one’s heritage from the Almighty on high?

³Is it not misfortune for the unjust,

and disaster for those who work iniquity?

⁴Does he not see my ways

and count all my steps?

⁵If I have walked in falsehood,[#tn The normal approach is to take this as the protasis, and then have it resumed in v. 7 after a parenthesis in v. 6. But some take v. 6 as the apodosis and a new protasis in v. 7.]

and if my foot has hastened to deceit –

⁶let him weigh me with honest scales;[#tn “God” is undoubtedly the understood subject of this jussive. However, “him” is retained in the translation at this point to avoid redundancy since “God” occurs in the second half of the verse.; #tn The word צֶדֶךְ (tsedeq, “righteousness”) forms a fitting genitive for the scales used in trade or justice. The “scales of righteousness” are scales that conform to the standard (see the illustration in Deut 25:13-15). They must be honest scales to make just decisions.]

then God will discover my integrity.

⁷If my footsteps have strayed from the way,

if my heart has gone after my eyes,

or if anything has defiled my hands,

⁸then let me sow and let another eat,[#tn The cohortative is often found in the apodosis of the conditional clause (see GKC 320 §108.f).]

and let my crops be uprooted.

⁹If my heart has been enticed by a woman,

and I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door,

¹⁰then let my wife turn the millstone for another man,[#tn Targum Job interpreted the verb טָחַן (takhan, “grind”) in a sexual sense, and this has influenced other versions and commentaries. But the literal sense fits well in this line. The idea is that she would be a slave for someone else. The second line of the verse then might build on this to explain what kind of a slave – a concubine (see A. B. Davidson, Job, 215).]

and may other men have sexual relations with her.

¹¹For I would have committed a shameful act,[#tn Heb “for that [would be].” In order to clarify the referent of “that,” which refers to v. 9 rather than v. 10, the words “I have committed” have been supplied in the translation.; #tn The word for “shameful act” is used especially for sexual offenses (cf. Lev 18:27).]

an iniquity to be judged.

¹²For it is a fire that devours even to Destruction,[#tn Heb “to Abaddon.”]

and it would uproot all my harvest.

¹³“If I have disregarded the right of my male servants

or my female servants

when they disputed with me,

¹⁴then what will I do when God confronts me in judgment;[#tn Heb “arises.” The LXX reads “takes vengeance,” an interpretation that is somewhat correct but unnecessary. The verb “to rise” would mean “to confront in judgment.”]

when he intervenes,

how will I respond to him?

¹⁵Did not the one who made me in the womb make them?[#tn Heb “him,” but the plural pronoun has been used in the translation to indicate that the referent is the servants mentioned in v. 13 (since the previous “him” in v. 14 refers to God).]

Did not the same one form us in the womb?

¹⁶If I have refused to give the poor what they desired,[#tn Heb “kept the poor from [their] desire.”]

or caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

¹⁷If I ate my morsel of bread myself,

and did not share any of it with orphans –

¹⁸but from my youth I raised the orphan like a father,[#tn Heb “he grew up with me.” Several commentators have decided to change the pronoun to “I,” and make it causative.]

and from my mother’s womb

I guided the widow!

¹⁹If I have seen anyone about to perish for lack of clothing,

or a poor man without a coat,

²⁰whose heart did not bless me[#tn The MT has simply “if his loins did not bless me.” In the conditional clause this is another protasis. It means, “if I saw someone dying and if he did not thank me for clothing them.” It is Job’s way of saying that whenever he saw a need he met it, and he received his share of thanks – which prove his kindness. G. R. Driver has it “without his loins having blessed me,” taking “If…not” as an Aramaism, meaning “except” (AJSL 52 [1935/36]: 164f.).]

as he warmed himself with the fleece of my sheep,

²¹if I have raised my hand to vote against the orphan,[#tn The expression “raised my hand” refers to a threatening manner or gesture in the court rather than a threat of physical violence in the street. Thus the words “to vote” are supplied in the translation to indicate the setting.]

when I saw my support in the court,

²²then let my arm fall from the shoulder,[#sn Here is the apodosis, the imprecation Job pronounces on himself if he has done any of these things just listed.; #tn The point is that if he has raised his arm against the oppressed it should be ripped off at the joint. The MT has “let fall my shoulder [כְּתֵפִי, kÿtefi] from the nape of the neck [or shoulder blade (מִשִּׁכְמָה, mishikhmah)].”]

let my arm be broken off at the socket.

²³For the calamity from God was a terror to me,[#tc The LXX has “For the terror of God restrained me.” Several commentators changed it to “came upon me.” Driver had “The fear of God was burdensome.” I. Eitan suggested “The terror of God was mighty upon me” (“Two unknown verbs: etymological studies,” JBL 42 [1923]: 22-28). But the MT makes clear sense as it stands.]

and by reason of his majesty I was powerless.

²⁴“If I have put my confidence in gold

or said to pure gold,

‘You are my security!’

²⁵if I have rejoiced because of the extent of my wealth,

or because of the great wealth my hand had gained,

²⁶if I looked at the sun when it was shining,[#tn Heb “light”; but parallel to the moon it is the sun. This section speaks of false worship of the sun and the moon.]

and the moon advancing as a precious thing,

²⁷so that my heart was secretly enticed,

and my hand threw them a kiss from my mouth,

²⁸then this also would be iniquity to be judged,[#tn Heb “it.”; #tn See v. 11 for the construction. In Deut 17:2ff. false worship of heavenly bodies is a capital offense. In this passage, Job is talking about just a momentary glance at the sun or moon and the brief lapse into a pagan thought. But it is still sin.]

for I would have been false to God above.

²⁹If I have rejoiced over the misfortune of my enemy[#tn The problem with taking this as “if,” introducing a conditional clause, is finding the apodosis, if there is one. It may be that the apodosis is understood, or summed up at the end. This is the view taken here. But R. Gordis (Job, 352) wishes to take this word as the indication of the interrogative, forming the rhetorical question to affirm he has never done this. However, in that case the parenthetical verses inserted become redundant.; #sn The law required people to help their enemies if they could (Exod 23:4; also Prov 20:22). But often in the difficulties that ensued, they did exult over their enemies’ misfortune (Pss 54:7; 59:10 [11], etc.). But Job lived on a level of purity that few ever reach. Duhm said, “If chapter 31 is the crown of all ethical developments of the O.T., verse 29 is the jewel in that crown.”]

or exulted because calamity found him –

³⁰I have not even permitted my mouth to sin[#tn This verse would then be a parenthesis in which he stops to claim his innocence.; #tn Heb “I have not given my palate.”]

by asking for his life through a curse –

³¹if the members of my household have never said,[#tn Now Job picks up the series of clauses serving as the protasis.; #tn Heb “the men of my tent.” In context this refers to members of Job’s household.; #sn The line is difficult to sort out. Job is saying it is sinful “if his men have never said, ‘O that there was one who has not been satisfied from his food.’” If they never said that, it would mean there were people out there who needed to be satisfied with his food.]

‘If only there were someone

who has not been satisfied from Job’s meat!’ –

³²But no stranger had to spend the night outside,[#tn This verse forms another parenthesis. Job stops almost at every point now in the conditional clauses to affirm his purity and integrity.]

for I opened my doors to the traveler –

³³if I have covered my transgressions as men do,[#tn Now the protasis continues again.; #sn Some commentators suggest taking the meaning here to be “as Adam,” referring to the Paradise story of the sin and denial.]

by hiding iniquity in my heart,

³⁴because I was terrified of the great multitude,[#tn Here too the verb will be the customary imperfect – it explains what he continually did in past time.; #tn Heb “the great multitude.” But some commentators take רַבָּה (rabbah) adverbially: “greatly” (see RSV).]

and the contempt of families terrified me,

so that I remained silent

and would not go outdoors –

Job’s Appeal

³⁵“If only I had someone to hear me![#tn The optative is again introduced with “who will give to me hearing me? – O that someone would listen to me!”]

Here is my signature –

let the Almighty answer me!

If only I had an indictment

that my accuser had written.

³⁶Surely I would wear it proudly on my shoulder,[#tn The clause begins with the positive oath formula, אִם־לֹא (’im-lo’).; #tn The word “proudly” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied (note the following line).]

I would bind it on me like a crown;

³⁷I would give him an accounting of my steps;

like a prince I would approach him.

Job’s Final Solemn Oath

³⁸“If my land cried out against me[#sn Some commentators have suggested that the meaning behind this is that Job might not have kept the year of release (Deut 15:1), and the law against mixing seed (Lev 19:19). But the context will make clear that the case considered is obtaining the land without paying for it and causing the death of its lawful owner (see H. H. Rowley, Job [NCBC], 206). Similar to this would be the case of Naboth’s vineyard.]

and all its furrows wept together,

³⁹if I have eaten its produce without paying,[#tn Heb “without silver.”]

or caused the death of its owners,

⁴⁰then let thorns sprout up in place of wheat,

and in place of barley, weeds!”

The words of Job are ended.