Job 31

1 Job declara su inocencia
»Hice un pacto con mis ojos,
de no mirar con codicia sexual a ninguna joven.

2 Pues, ¿qué ha escogido para nosotros el Dios del cielo?
¿Cuál es nuestra herencia del Todopoderoso en las alturas?

3 ¿No es calamidad para los malvados
y desgracia para quienes hacen el mal?

4 ¿No ve Dios todo lo que hago
y cada paso que doy?

5 »¿Acaso he mentido
o he engañado a alguien?

6 Que Dios me pese en la balanza de justicia,
porque sabe que soy íntegro.

7 Si me he desviado de su camino,
o si mi corazón ha codiciado lo que vieron mis ojos
o si soy culpable de cualquier otro pecado,

8 entonces, que otro coma las cosechas que he sembrado.
Que todo lo que planté, sea desarraigado.

9 »Si mi corazón ha sido seducido por una mujer,
o si he codiciado a la mujer de mi prójimo,

10 entonces, que mi esposa le pertenezca a
otro hombre,
y que otros hombres se acuesten con ella.

11 Pues la codicia sexual es un pecado vergonzoso,
un delito que debería ser castigado.

12 Es un fuego que arde todo el camino hasta el infierno;
habría arrasado con todo lo que poseo.

13 »Si he sido injusto con mis siervos o con mis siervas
cuando me han presentado sus quejas,

14 ¿cómo podría enfrentarme con Dios?
¿Qué podría decir cuando él me interrogara?

15 Pues Dios me creó tanto a mí como a mis siervos;
nos formó a ambos en el vientre.

16 »¿He rehusado ayudar al pobre
o he acabado con las esperanzas de las viudas?

17 ¿He sido tacaño con mi comida
o me he negado a compartirla con los huérfanos?

18 No, desde la niñez he cuidado a los huérfanos como un padre,
y toda mi vida me he ocupado de las viudas.

19 Cuando veía sin vestido a los que no tienen hogar
y a los necesitados sin nada que ponerse,

20 ¿acaso no me alababan
por darles ropas de lana para combatir el frío?

21 »Si he levantado la mano contra un huérfano
sabiendo que los jueces se pondrían de mi parte,

22 entonces, ¡que se disloque mi hombro!
¡Que mi brazo se descoyunte!

23 Eso sería mejor que enfrentarme al juicio de Dios.
Si la majestad de Dios está en mi contra, ¿qué esperanza queda?

24 »¿He puesto mi confianza en el dinero
o me he sentido seguro a causa de mi oro?

25 ¿Me he regodeado de mi riqueza
y de todo lo que poseo?

26 »¿He mirado alguna vez al sol que brilla en los cielos
o a la luna que recorre su sendero de plata,

27 y he sido seducido en lo secreto de mi corazón
a lanzarles besos de adoración?

28 Si así fuera, los jueces deberían castigarme,
porque significaría que he negado al Dios del cielo.

29 »¿Me he alegrado alguna vez cuando una calamidad ha herido a mis enemigos
o me entusiasmé cuando les ha tocado sufrir?

30 No, nunca he pecado por maldecir a nadie
ni por pedir venganza.

31 »Mis siervos nunca han dicho:
“Él dejó que otros pasaran hambre”.

32 Nunca he negado la entrada a un desconocido,
más bien, he abierto mis puertas a todos.

33 »¿He intentado ocultar mis pecados como hacen otros,
escondiendo mi culpa en el corazón?

34 ¿Acaso me he quedado callado
y encerrado por miedo a la multitud
o al desprecio de las masas?

35 »¡Si tan solo alguien me escuchara!
Miren, voy a respaldar mi defensa con mi firma.
Que el Todopoderoso me responda;
que escriba los cargos que tiene contra mí.

36 Me enfrentaría a la acusación con orgullo,
y la llevaría como una corona.

37 Pues le diría exactamente lo que he hecho;
vendría ante él como un príncipe.

38 »Si mi tierra me acusa
y todos sus surcos claman juntos contra mí,

39 o si he robado sus cosechas
o he matado a sus propietarios,

40 entonces que en esa tierra crezcan cardos en lugar de trigo,
y malezas en lugar de cebada».
Aquí terminan las palabras de Job.

Job 31 Commentary

Chapter 31

Job declares his uprightness. (1-8) His integrity. (9-15) Job merciful. (16-23) Job not guilty of covetousness or idolatry. (24-32) Job not guilty of hypocrisy and violence. (33-40)

Verses 1-8 Job did not speak the things here recorded by way of boasting, but in answer to the charge of hypocrisy. He understood the spiritual nature of God's commandments, as reaching to the thoughts and intents of the heart. It is best to let our actions speak for us; but in some cases we owe it to ourselves and to the cause of God, solemnly to protest our innocence of the crimes of which we are falsely accused. The lusts of the flesh, and the love of the world, are two fatal rocks on which multitudes split; against these Job protests he was always careful to stand upon his guard. And God takes more exact notice of us than we do of ourselves; let us therefore walk circumspectly. He carefully avoided all sinful means of getting wealth. He dreaded all forbidden profit as much as all forbidden pleasure. What we have in the world may be used with comfort, or lost with comfort, if honestly gotten. Without strict honestly and faithfulness in all our dealings, we can have no good evidence of true godliness. Yet how many professors are unable to abide this touchstone!

Verses 9-15 All the defilements of the life come from a deceived heart. Lust is a fire in the soul: those that indulge it, are said to burn. It consumes all that is good there, and lays the conscience waste. It kindles the fire of God's wrath, which, if not quenched by the blood of Christ, will consume even to eternal destruction. It consumes the body; it consumes the substance. Burning lusts bring burning judgments. Job had a numerous household, and he managed it well. He considered that he had a Master in heaven; and as we are undone if God should be severe with us, we ought to be mild and gentle towards all with whom we have to do.

Verses 16-23 Job's conscience gave testimony concerning his just and charitable behaviour toward the poor. He is most large upon this head, because in this matter he was particularly accused. He was tender of all, and hurtful to none. Notice the principles by which Job was restrained from being uncharitable and unmerciful. He stood in awe of the Lord, as certainly against him, if he should wrong the poor. Regard to worldly interests may restrain a man from actual crimes; but the grace of God alone can make him hate, dread, and shun sinful thoughts and desires.

Verses 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 ( 1 Peter. 4:9 )

Verses 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. 40:4, chap. 40:5 ; 1Jo. 1:8 . Let us all judge ourselves; wherein we are guilty, let us seek forgiveness in that blood which cleanseth from all sin; and may the Lord have mercy upon us, and write his laws in our hearts!

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 31

In this chapter Job gives an account of himself in private life, of the integrity and uprightness of his life, and his holy walk and conversation, with this view, that it might be thought that the afflictions which were upon him were not on account of a vicious course of life he had indulged unto, as was suggested; and he clears himself from various crimes which it might be insinuated he was guilty of, as from unchastity; and he observes the method he took to prevent his falling into it, and the reasons that dissuaded him from it, Job 31:1-4; from injustice in his dealings with men, Job 31:5-8; from the sin of adultery, Job 31:9-12; from ill usage of his servants, Job 31:13-15; from unkindness to the poor, which he enlarges upon, and gives many instances of his charity to them, Job 31:16-23; from covetousness, and a vain confidence in wealth, Job 31:24,25; from idolatry, the worship of the sun and moon, Job 31:26-28; from a revengeful spirit, Job 31:29-31; and from inhospitality to strangers, Job 31:32; from covering his sin, Job 31:33; and fear of men, Job 31:34; and then wishes his cause might be heard before God, Job 31:35-37; and the chapter is closed with an imprecation on his head if guilty of any injustice, Job 31:38-40.