Job 31:17

"“If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,"

Key Reflection

In Job 31:17, this verse speaks to the importance of generosity and compassion towards the needy. By ensuring that the poor could fulfill their desires and caring for widows, Job emphasizes moral integrity and the duty to support those in vulnerability, reflecting the broader themes of justice and righteousness in biblical literature.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Or have eaten my morsel myself alone -If I have not imparted what I had though ever so small, to others. This was in accordance with the Oriental laws of hospitality. It is regarded as a fixed law among the Arabians, that the guest shall always be helped first, and to that which is best; and no matter how needy the family may be, or how much distressed with hunger, the settled laws of hospitality demand that the stranger-guest shall have the first and best portion. Dr. Robinson, in his “Biblical Researches,” gives an amusing instance of the extent to which this law is carried, and the sternness with which it is executed among the Arabs.

More from Job 31

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