I MADE a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
2 For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
3 Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?
4 Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?
5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;
6 Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.
7 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 me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
9 If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door;
10 Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.
11 For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.
12 For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.
13 If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?
16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;
18 (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 seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;
20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:
22 Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.
23 For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.
24 If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;
25 If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;
26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;
27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:
28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.
29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:
30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.
31 If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.
32 The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.
33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:
34 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 that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.
36 Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.
37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.
38 If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;
39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:
40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.

1I made a couenant with mine eyes; why then should I thinke vpon a mayd?

2For what portion of God is there from aboue? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

3Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquitie?

4Doeth not he see my wayes, and count all my steps?

5If I haue walked with vanitie, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;

6Let me bee weighed in an euen ballance, that God may know mine integritie.

7If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaued to my hands:

8Then let mee sow, and let another eate, yea let my off-spring be rooted out.

9If mine heart haue bene deceiued by a woman, or if I haue layde wait at my neighbours doore:

10Then let my wife grind vnto another, and let others bow downe vpon her.

11For this is an heinous crime, yea, it is an iniquitie to bee punished by the Iudges.

12For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would roote out all mine encrease.

13If I did despise the cause of my man-seruant, or of my mayd-seruant, when they contended with me:

14What then shall I do, when God riseth vp? and when hee visiteth, what shall I answere him?

15Did not hee that made mee in the wombe, make him? and did not one fashion vs in the wombe?

16If I haue withhelde the poore from their desire, or haue caused the eyes of the widow to faile:

17Or haue eaten my morsell my selfe alone, and the fatherlesse hath not eaten thereof:

18(For from my youth hee was brought vp with me as with a father, and I haue guided her from my mothers wombe.)

19If I haue seene any perish for want of cloathing, or any poore without couering:

20If his loynes haue not blessed me, and if hee were not warmed with the fleece of my sheepe:

21If I haue lift vp my hand against the fatherlesse, when I saw my helpe in the gate:

22Then let mine arme fall from my shoulder-blade, and mine arme be broken from the bone.

23For destruction from God was a terrour to mee: and by reason of his highnesse, I could not endure.

24If I haue made golde my hope, or haue said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence:

25If I reioyced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much:

26If I beheld the Sunne when it shined, or the Moone walking in brightnesse:

27And my heart hath bene secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:

28This also were an iniquitie to be punished by the Iudge: For I should haue denied the God that is aboue.

29If I reioyced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lift vp my selfe when euill found him:

30(Neither haue I suffered my mouth to sinne by wishing a curse to his soule.)

31If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! wee cannot be satisfied.

32The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doores to the trauailer.

33If I couered my transgressions, as Adam: by hiding mine iniquitie in my bosome:

34Did I feare a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrifie me: that I kept silence, and went not out of the doore?

35O that one would heare me! beholde, my desire is, that the Almightie would answere me, and that mine aduersary had written a booke.

36Surely I would take it vpon my shoulder, and bind it as a crowne to me.

37I would declare vnto him the number of my steps, as a prince would I goe neere vnto him.

38If my land cry against me, or that the furrowes likewise thereof complaine:

39If I haue eaten the fruits thereof without money, or haue caused the owners thereof to loose their life:

40Let thistles grow in stead of wheat, and cockle in stead of barley. The words of Iob are ended.

II == Job 20:29; 27:13

 

 

 

 

IV == Job 34:21 ; Prov 5:21

 

 

 

VII == Num 15:39 ; Eccl 11:9 ; ezek 6:9 ; Matt 5:29

VIII == Lev 26:16 ; Deut 28:30 , 38-48

 

 

X == 2nd Sam 12:11 ; Jer 8:10

XI == Gen 38:24 ; Lev 20:10 ; Deut 22:22 ; Job 31:28

 

 

 

XIV == Ps 44:21

 

 

XV == Job 34:19 ; Prov 14:31 ; 22:2 ; Mal 2:10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XX == Deut 24:13

 

XXI == Job 22:9

 

 

XXIII == Isa 13:6 ; Joel 1:15

 

XXIV == Mark 10:24 ; 1st Tim 6:17

XXV == Ps 62:10 ; Prov 11:28

 

XXVI == Deut 4:19 ; 11:16 ; 17:3 ; Ezek 8:16

 

XXVIII == Job 31:11

XXIX == Prov 17:5

 

XXX == Matt 5:44 ; Rom 12:14

 

 

XXXII == Gen 19:2-3 ; Judg 19:20-21 ; Rom 12:13 ; Heb 13:2 ; 1st Peter 4:9

XXXIII == Gen 3:8 , 12

 

XXXV == Job 13:22 ; 33:6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXXIX == 1st Kings 21:19 ; James 5:4

XL == Gen 3:18

 

 

1 But what is man's lot from God above, his inheritance from the Almighty on high?

3 Is it not calamity for the unrighteous, and woe for evildoers?

4 Does he not see my ways, and number all my steps?

6 Let God weigh me in the scales of justice; thus will he know my innocence!

5 If I have walked in falsehood and my foot has hastened to deceit;

7 If my steps have turned out of the way, and my heart has followed my eyes, or any stain clings to my hands,

8 Then may I sow, but another eat of it, or may my planting be rooted up!

38 If my land has cried out against me till its very furrows complained;

39 If I have eaten its produce without payment and grieved the hearts of its tenants;

40 Then let the thistles grow instead of wheat and noxious weeds instead of barley!

1 If I have made an agreement with my eyes and entertained any thoughts against a maiden;

9 If my heart has been enticed toward a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door;

10 Then may my wife grind for another, and may others cohabit with her!

11 For that would be heinous, a crime to be condemned;

12 A fire that should burn down to the abyss till it consumed all my possessions to the roots.

13 Had I refused justice to my manservant or to my maid, when they had a claim against me,

14 What then should I do when God rose up; what could I answer when he demanded an account?

15 Did not he who made me in the womb make him? Did not the same One fashion us before our birth?

16 If I have denied anything to the poor, or allowed the eyes of the widow to languish

17 While I ate my portion alone, with no share in it for the fatherless,

18 Though like a father God has reared me from my youth, guiding me even from my mother's womb - 

19 If I have seen a wanderer without clothing, or a poor man without covering,

20 Whose limbs have not blessed me when warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

21 If I have raised my hand against the innocent because I saw that I had supporters at the gate - 

22 Then may my arm fall from the shoulder, my forearm be broken at the elbow!

23 For the dread of God will be upon me, and his majesty will overpower me.

24 Had I put my trust in gold or called fine gold my security;

25 Or had I rejoiced that my wealth was great, or that my hand had acquired abundance - 

26 Had I looked upon the sun as it shone, or the moon in the splendor of its progress,

27 And had my heart been secretly enticed to waft them a kiss with my hand;

28 This too would be a crime for condemnation, for I should have denied God above.

29 Had I rejoiced at the destruction of my enemy or exulted when evil fell upon him,

30 Even though I had not suffered my mouth to sin by uttering a curse against his life - 

31 Had not the men of my tent exclaimed, "Who has not been fed with his meat!"

32 Because no stranger lodged in the street, but I opened my door to wayfarers - 

33 Had I, out of human weakness, hidden my sins and buried my guilt in my bosom

34 Because I feared the noisy multitude and the scorn of the tribes terrified me - then I should have remained silent, and not come out of doors!

35 Oh, that I had one to hear my case, and that my accuser would write out his indictment!

36 Surely, I should wear it on my shoulder or put it on me like a diadem;

37 Of all my steps I should give him an account; like a prince I should present myself before him. This is my final plea; let the Almighty answer me! The words of Job are ended.

This chapter is an oath of innocence to God, uttered in the presence of his three friend - accusers. Eighteen times he uses the word “if” he is guilty of certain things, plus “Why” in v 1, followed by “let” or “may” some judgment befall him.

v 1-4. Job denied looking lustfully on the opposite sex, because he knew God was watching him and would judge him. (We all should make the covenant he did.)

v 5-8. IF he has walked falsely or IF deceitfully, let God weigh it.
IF he has turned from God and coveted, and IF his hands were stained with guilt, let his own food, crops and offspring fail.

v 9-12. IF he had been foolishly seduced, or IF he had committed adultery, let his wife grind meal as a slave and be sexually exploited by others. That sin is shameful and punishable by death, and is like a consuming fire, destroying a person’s life.

v 13-15. IF he had been unjust to his servants in their complaint, God would be a judge of him, for slave and owner were created equal by God.
v 16-23. IF he had withheld from the poor, needy, widows and fatherless,
IF he had allowed the poor to perish for want of clothing and he hadn’t helped,
IF he had not provided warmth from the fleece of his own sheep,
IF he had mistreated orphans in court, then might his arm fall off, because he feared God’s punishment and could not face Him.

v 24-28. IF he had placed confidence in gold, or IF he trusted in his other wealth,  IF he worshipped the sun or moon even secretly, then such idolatry would require punishment from God who created.

v 29-34. IF he had rejoiced over the troubles of an enemy, or IF he asked God to curse him, (But he had not, and he had given food and lodging to needy or transients.) IF he had concealed his sin like Adam in a hypocritical way, (But he had not.)

v 35-37. All those things would require a hearing. Job had sat as a judge in the gate, and several times his mention of judges and accusers suggest a legal aspect. Here he is seeking such a hearing. He has given his defense, and would like to have God, his adversary, write out the indictment in a book. He was so confident God could not prove him guilty of wickedness, that he would be glad to wear the scroll on his shoulder or wrapped around his head as a diadem. Job felt he could come forward boldly and defend every charge against him.

v 38-40. IF he had overworked or underpaid his help so that the land cried out,
IF he had received produce without paying his tenant farmers and required that which was unreasonable, then LET thistles and weeds grow in retaliation rather than good crops. Job’s defense before God had been uttered in the presence of his friends, and according to legal procedure, he thought that though God had been silent unto this point, now He would be required to answer him. He got carried away with his own legal experience, and did not take into account that you can’t force God.
In these “if” statements, Job justifies himself and sincerely believes he has done right. At that point we should all consider Ps. 19:12 “Who can understand his errors”. We may have done well in the sight of men, but we should compare ourselves to the standards of Christ. Men comparing themselves among men are not wise 2 Cor. 10:12.