Job 31:7

Verse

If my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has followed my eyes, or if impurity has stuck to my hands,

American Standard Version (1901)

If my step hath turned out of the way, And my heart walked after mine eyes, And if any spot hath cleaved to my hands:

If my steps have been turned out of the way, or if my heart went after my eyes, or if the property of another is in my hands;

Free Bible Version

If I have wandered from God's way, if I have let what I see become my desires, if there's any stain of sin on my hands,

King James (Authorized) Version

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;

Translation for Translators

If it were true that I have stopped living righteously, or that I [SYN] have desired the things that I look at [MTY], or that I am guilty of any other sin,

Unlocked Literal Bible

If my step has turned aside from the way, if my heart has gone after my eyes, if any spot has stuck to my hands,

Noah Webster Bible

If my step hath turned out of the way, and my heart walked after my eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to my hands;

World English Bible

if my step has turned out of the way, if my heart walked after my eyes, if any defilement has stuck to my hands,

Young's Literal Translation

If my step doth turn aside from the way, And after mine eyes hath my heart gone, And to my hands cleaved hath blemish,

Context

Job’s Final Appeal

⁶let God weigh me with honest scales, that He may know my integrity. ⁷If my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has followed my eyes, or if impurity has stuck to my hands, ⁸then may another eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted.

Summary

In this verse, Job declares his commitment to righteousness by emphasizing his faithfulness to the right path. He adamantly refuses to turn his heart toward any form of deceit or dishonesty, showcasing his integrity and moral uprightness. Job's unwavering dedication to living a blameless life reflects his desire to honor God and maintain his innocence before Him. This verse serves as a testament to Job's character and his determination to walk in the ways of righteousness despite the trials and challenges he faces.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

If my step hath turned out of the way - I am willing to be sifted to the uttermost - for every step of my foot, for every thought of my heart, for every look of mine eye, and for every act of my hands.

John Gill Bible Commentary

Then let me sow, and another eat,.... If what he had before said was not true; but he had turned out of the way of righteousness, and walked after the sight of his eyes, and the mammon of unrighteousness cleaved to his hands; then he wishes might sow his fields, and another enjoy the increase of them, which is one of God's judgments threatened unto the wicked and disobedient, Lev 26:16; let my offspring be rooted out; but Job had no offspring or children at this time to be rooted out or destroyed; they were all destroyed already; some think therefore that this imprecation was made by him in the time of his prosperity, though here repeated as it was then, he made a covenant with his eyes; but then this might have been improved against him and retorted on him, that so it was according to his wish; and therefore he must have been guilty of the sin he would have purged himself from; others suppose that he refers to the future, and to the offspring he hoped to have hereafter; and when he should have them, wishes they may be rooted out, if he had done what he denies he had; but it does not appear that Job had any hope at all of being restored to his former state of prosperity, and of being possessed of a family and substance again, but the reverse. Gussetius (a) will have it, that he means his grandchildren; those indeed are sometimes called a man's children, and may propriety be said to be his offspring, they springing frown him; and it is possible, that, as his sons were settled from him, they were married and had children; but this is not certain, or, if they had any, that these were not destroyed with them; wherefore it is best to take the word (b) in its first and literal sense, for what springs out of the earth, herbs, plants, and trees, as in Isa 42:5; so Ben Gersom and Bar Tzemach, and which best agrees with the phrase of being "rooted out", and with what goes before; that as he had wished that which was sown in his fields might be eaten up by another, so what was planted and grew up in his gardens, orchards, vineyards, and olive yards, and the like, might be quite rooted out and destroyed; if he was not the man he declared himself to be, or had wronged any of their goods and property, then this would have been a just retaliation of him. (a) Comment. Ebr. p. 338. (b) "germina mea", Beza, Montanus, Mercerus, Drusius, Michaelis, Schultens.

Job 31:7

Job’s Final Appeal

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

If my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has followed my eyes, or if impurity has stuck to my hands,

American Standard Version (1901)

If my step hath turned out of the way, And my heart walked after mine eyes, And if any spot hath cleaved to my hands:

Bible in Basic English

If my steps have been turned out of the way, or if my heart went after my eyes, or if the property of another is in my hands;

Free Bible Version

If I have wandered from God's way, if I have let what I see become my desires, if there's any stain of sin on my hands,

King James (Authorized) Version

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;

Translation for Translators

If it were true that I have stopped living righteously, or that I [SYN] have desired the things that I look at [MTY], or that I am guilty of any other sin,

Unlocked Literal Bible

If my step has turned aside from the way, if my heart has gone after my eyes, if any spot has stuck to my hands,

Noah Webster Bible

If my step hath turned out of the way, and my heart walked after my eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to my hands;

World English Bible

if my step has turned out of the way, if my heart walked after my eyes, if any defilement has stuck to my hands,

Young's Literal Translation

If my step doth turn aside from the way, And after mine eyes hath my heart gone, And to my hands cleaved hath blemish,

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Job 31:7

Verse

Context

Job’s Final Appeal

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Job 31:7

Job’s Final Appeal

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary