Job 31:40

"if I have eaten its fruits without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life,"

Key Reflection

In Job 31:40, Job speaks of his integrity by affirming that he has not wronged others through unrighteous gain. The original audience would understand this as a pledge to have lived without profiting from the labor or produce of others without fair compensation. Such practices were common in ancient Near Eastern societies, where owning land and livestock was central to wealth. Job's words highlight his commitment to fairness and honesty, ensuring that he did not exploit others’ resources for personal gain, even if it meant going without himself.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Let thistles grow; -Genesis 3:18. Thistles are valueless; and Job is so confident of entire innocence in regard to this, that he says he would be willing, if he were guilty, to have his whole land overrun with noxious weeds. And cockle -Cockle is a well known herb that gets into wheat or other grain. It has a bluish flower, and small black seed, and is injurious because it tends to discolor the flour. It is not certain by any means, however, that this is intended here. The margin is, noisome weeds. The Hebrew wordבאשׁהbo'shâhis fromבאשׁbâ'ash, “to have a bad smell, to stink,” and was given to the weed here referred to on that account, compareIsaiah 34:3.

More from Job 31

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