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Job 31

ScriptureDepth's study of Job 31

“I made a covenant with my eyes, how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?”

Job 31:1

Job speaks to God about his moral integrity, stating his commitment to purity in thought, particularly regarding the act of looking lustfully at a young woman.

What Job 31 is about

In Job 31, Job continues his final defense by listing a series of oaths regarding his righteousness and integrity, affirming the purity of his life and intentions. He declares that he made a covenant with his eyes not to look lustfully at a woman, signifying his commitment to purity. Job elaborates on his honesty in business, fairness to his servants, and compassion towards the poor and needy, emphasizing his commitment to justice and righteousness.

He invites God to weigh his actions, confident of his innocence. The chapter culminates in Job challenging God to respond, boldly seeking vindication and reaffirming his integrity amidst suffering. This chapter captures the themes of personal integrity, the struggle for justice, and the desire for divine validation.

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Job 31 at a glance

  1. Job 31:1–8Job's Covenant with His Eyes
  2. Job 31:9–16Integrity in Relationships
  3. Job 31:17–24Compassion for the Needy
  4. Job 31:25–30Wealth and Integrity
  5. Job 31:31–36Open Confession
  6. Job 31:37–40A Final Challenge

Key verse: Job 31:1

One thing to notice

Job shows concern for the well-being of others in verses 9 to 24, particularly in relationships and toward the needy. He references personal conduct with women and servants, using conditional phrases like 'If I have' in verses 9 and 13.

Summary and study helps: AI-drafted (September 2026), checked by automated Scripture gates. Spotted an error? Report it. Fixes are listed on the corrections page.

Chapter text

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Job's Covenant with His Eyes Job 31:1–8

Verse 1. “I made a covenant with my eyes,how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?Verse 2. For what is the portion from God above,and the heritage from the Almighty on high?Verse 3. Is it not calamity to the unrighteous,and disaster to the workers of iniquity?Verse 4. Doesn’t he see my ways,and count all my steps?Verse 5. “If I have walked with falsehood,and my foot has hurried to deceitVerse 6. (let me be weighed in an even balance,that God may know my integrity);Verse 7. if my step has turned out of the way,if my heart walked after my eyes,if any defilement has stuck to my hands,Verse 8. then let me sow, and let another eat.Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out.

Integrity in Relationships Job 31:9–16

Verse 9. “If my heart has been enticed to a woman,and I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door,Verse 10. then let my wife grind for another,and let others sleep with her.Verse 11. For that would be a heinous crime.Yes, it would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges:Verse 12. For it is a fire that consumes to destruction,and would root out all my increase.Verse 13. “If I have despised the cause of my male servantor of my female servant,when they contended with me;Verse 14. What then shall I do when God rises up?When he visits, what shall I answer him?Verse 15. Didn’t he who made me in the womb make him?Didn’t one fashion us in the womb?Verse 16. “If I have withheld the poor from their desire,or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

Compassion for the Needy Job 31:17–24

Verse 17. or have eaten my morsel alone,and the fatherless has not eaten of itVerse 18. (no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,her I have guided from my mother’s womb);Verse 19. if I have seen any perish for want of clothing,or that the needy had no covering;Verse 20. if his heart hasn’t blessed me,if he hasn’t been warmed with my sheep’s fleece;Verse 21. if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless,because I saw my help in the gate,Verse 22. then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade,and my arm be broken from the bone.Verse 23. For calamity from God is a terror to me.Because his majesty, I can do nothing.Verse 24. “If I have made gold my hope,and have said to the fine gold, ‘You are my confidence;’

Wealth and Integrity Job 31:25–30

Verse 25. If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great,and because my hand had gotten much;Verse 26. if I have seen the sun when it shined,or the moon moving in splendor,Verse 27. and my heart has been secretly enticed,and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,Verse 28. this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges;for I should have denied the God who is above.Verse 29. “If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me,or lifted up myself when evil found himVerse 30. (yes, I have not allowed my mouth to sinby asking his life with a curse);

Open Confession Job 31:31–36

Verse 31. if the men of my tent have not said,‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?’Verse 32. (the foreigner has not camped in the street,but I have opened my doors to the traveler);Verse 33. if like Adam I have covered my transgressions,by hiding my iniquity in my heart,Verse 34. because I feared the great multitude,and the contempt of families terrified me,so that I kept silence, and didn’t go out of the door—Verse 35. oh that I had one to hear me!Behold, here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!Let the accuser write my indictment!Verse 36. Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;and I would bind it to me as a crown.

A Final Challenge Job 31:37–40

Verse 37. I would declare to him the number of my steps.as a prince would I go near to him.Verse 38. If my land cries out against me,and its furrows weep together;Verse 39. if I have eaten its fruits without money,or have caused its owners to lose their life,Verse 40. let briers grow instead of wheat,and stinkweed instead of barley.”The words of Job are ended.

World English Bible (public domain)

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Main themes in Job 31

Integrity and Righteousness

Job asserts his integrity by detailing his moral conduct throughout the chapter. In verses 1-8, he speaks of a 'covenant with my eyes' and challenges himself to be weighed in an even balance, indicating his commitment to righteousness. He lays out accusations he would accept if he had acted unjustly, showing his confidence in his integrity as he questions God’s judgment in verses 35-37.

Suffering and Justice

Job connects suffering with justice and the consequences of unrighteousness. He asks, 'Is it not calamity to the unrighteous?' in verse 3, asserting that true justice comes from God. Job acknowledges the fear of God’s judgment in verse 23, believing that his integrity should protect him from calamity. Despite this belief, he endures suffering, leaving the question of justice unresolved.

Accountability to God

Job expresses a sense of accountability to God throughout the chapter. In verse 4, he acknowledges that God sees his ways and counts his steps, showing the omniscience of God. He culminates this theme in verses 35-36 by calling for God to answer him, suggesting a desire for God to examine his life and sins openly, which indicates his awareness of divine scrutiny.

Empathy and Social Justice

Job's concern for the marginalized is evident in verses 17-20, where he recounts his treatment of the needy, including widows and orphans. He describes his compassion, stating he has guided the fatherless 'from my mother's womb.' Job's commitment to social justice is evident in verses 31-32, where he opens his doors to travelers, showing his moral obligation to care for others.

Chapter outline

How Job 31 unfolds

  1. Job 31:1–8 Job's Covenant with His Eyes

    Job declares a commitment to purity, stating he has made 'a covenant with my eyes' (v. 1) and contemplates the consequences of lust (vv. 2-3). He calls for God to weigh his integrity if he strays from this commitment (v. 6).

  2. Job 31:9–16 Integrity in Relationships

    Job acknowledges his integrity, stating that if he has let his heart be 'enticed to a woman' or despised his servants, he would face severe consequences (vv. 9-11). He highlights the gravity of withholding help from the poor and widows (vv. 15-16).

  3. Job 31:17–24 Compassion for the Needy

    Job recounts his care for the needy, stating he has shared his food with the fatherless and provided warmth to those in want (vv. 17-20). He expresses a fear of God's judgment for failing to help the vulnerable (vv. 21-24).

  4. Job 31:25–30 Wealth and Integrity

    Job reflects on his relationship with wealth, stating that if he has rejoiced in his riches or wished harm upon his enemies, he would have denied God (vv. 25-27). He acknowledges the temptation to sin through envy and pride (vv. 28-30).

  5. Job 31:31–36 Open Confession

    Job seeks a direct audience with God, expressing his desire to present his case and take accountability for his actions (vv. 31-33). He longs for God to respond and allow him to bear his indictment like a crown (vv. 34-36).

  6. Job 31:37–40 A Final Challenge

    Job challenges the land to testify against him, claiming he has not wronged it by taking its fruits unjustly (vv. 38-39). He demands that dire consequences follow if he has acted unjustly, concluding his speech (vv. 40).

Key verses

  • Job 31:1Job speaks to God about his moral integrity, stating his commitment to purity in thought, particularly regarding the act of looking lustfully at a young woman.

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Study questions

Questions for studying Job 31

SummarizeObserveInterpretApply

Uses your daily Ask questions.

  1. observeIn v1, what covenant does Job refer to regarding his eyes?
  2. observeWhat does Job claim about his actions in v6 when he speaks of being weighed?
  3. interpretJob’s challenge in v35: what does he mean by seeking a hearing from God?
  4. interpretIn v32, what implications arise from Job's hospitality toward the foreigner?
  5. applyWhen have you been called to account for your actions as Job is in this chapter?

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Job 31: frequently asked questions

What is Job 31 about?+
In Job 31, Job continues his final defense by listing a series of oaths regarding his righteousness and integrity, affirming the purity of his life and intentions. He declares that he made a covenant with his eyes not to look lustfully at a woman, signifying his commitment to purity.
What is the key verse in Job 31?+
Job 31:1: “I made a covenant with my eyes, how then should I look lustfully at a young woman?”
What are the main themes of Job 31?+
The main themes of Job 31 are Integrity and Righteousness, Suffering and Justice, Accountability to God, Empathy and Social Justice.

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Study Notes