Job 31:17

Job 31:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;
• New International Version (NIV)if I have kept my bread to myself, not sharing it with the fatherless—
• English Standard Version (ESV)or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it
• New King James Version (NKJV)Or eaten my morsel by myself, So that the fatherless could not eat of it

Context of Job 31:17

15God made me and he made my servants too. God brought us all to birth. 16I have never refused to help people who are poor. I have always helped widows to hope for good things. I have never kept all my food for myself. I have always shared it with children who have no family. 18Since I was a young man, I have helped those children like a father. All my life I have helped widows too. 19I have seen people without enough clothes to keep them warm, or without a coat to wear.

Job 31:17 word by word

וְאֹכַ֣ל פִּתִּ֣י לְבַדִּ֑י וְלֹא־אָכַ֖ל יָת֣וֹם מִמֶּֽנָּה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Or have eatenאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• my morselפַּתpath · morselH6595
• myself alone, and the fatherlessיָתוֹםyâthôm · orphanH3490

Cross-references for Job 31:17

• Deuteronomy 15:11There will always be some poor people among you in the land where you are going. So I command you to be generous to other Israelites who are poor. Help them with the things that they need.
• Nehemiah 8:10Nehemiah said to the people, ‘Go to your homes and eat some good food. Drink sweet drinks. Share your food and your drink with people who do not have enough for themselves. This is a holy day for our Lord, so do not be sad. The Lord will give you joy so that you can be strong.’
• Luke 11:41So be ready to give things to poor people. Then you will be really clean, on the inside as well as the outside.
• John 13:29Judas kept the bag of money on behalf of the group of disciples. So some of them thought that Jesus had asked Judas to buy some things. Maybe he should buy what they needed for the festival. Or maybe he should go and give some money to the poor people.
• Acts 4:32All the believers agreed completely with each other about how they should live. They wanted to help each other. Nobody kept anything only for themselves. They let the other believers use it.
• Job 29:13People who were near to death praised me for my help. Widows were happy when I helped them.
• Ezekiel 18:7He is not cruel to other people. When he lends money to someone, he gives back anything that he has taken as a guarantee. He does not take things that belong to other people. He gives food to hungry people. He gives clothes to poor people.
• Romans 12:13If any of God's people need anything, then help them with what you have. Always be happy to let people stay in your home.
• James 1:27If you want to serve God in a completely good way, do things like this: Help children who have no parents and women who are widows. Help them in their troubles. If you serve God our Father like that, he will be pleased with you. Do not let the bad people in this world make you bad too.
• 1 John 3:17When another believer has trouble, we need to be kind to him. Maybe you have all the things that you need to live. If you see another believer who needs things like that, you should help him. If you refuse to be kind to him, it shows that you do not belong to God. You do not love people in the way that God loves them.

Commentaries on Job 31:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Or have eaten my morsel myself alone - Hospitality was a very prominent virtue among the ancients in almost all nations: friends and strangers were equally welcome to the board of the affluent. The supper was their grand meal: it was then that they saw their friends; the business and fatigues of the day being over, they could then enjoy themselves comfortably together. The supper was called coena on this account; or, as Plutarch says, · '̔ ̔ , . "The…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Or 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…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-23Verses 16-23 Job's conscience gave testimony concerning his just and charitable behaviour toward the poor. He is most large upon this head, because in this matter he was particularly accused. He was tender of all, and hurtful to none. Notice the principles by which Job was restrained from being uncharitable and unmerciful. He stood in awe of the Lord, as certainly against him, if he should wrong the poor. Regard to worldly interests may restrain a man…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-40Job called down wrong against himself (curses) if he was guilty of the accusations against him. Apart from mentioning idolatry (worship of false gods), Job spoke about how loyal he was to God by focusing on the second half of the Ten Commandments (31:26–27). The summary of these is: “love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18; Romans 13:9).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-2313-23. Job affirms his freedom from unfairness towards his servants, from harshness and oppression towards the needy. despise the cause--refused to do them justice.Read the comment

Topics related to Job 31:17

• Beneficence
• Integrity
• Orphan
• Poor
• Temptation

In the dictionaries

• Bosom
• Instead
• Lift
• Root
• Charm
• Job, Book of
• Psalms, Book of
• Wisdom
• Alms

Commentaries on Job 31

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings