Job 31:35

Job 31:35 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.
• New International Version (NIV)(“Oh, that I had someone to hear me! I sign now my defense—let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser put his indictment in writing.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Oh, that I had one to hear me! (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!) Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary!
• New King James Version (NKJV)Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my mark. Oh, that the Almighty would answer me, That my Prosecutor had written a book!

Context of Job 31:35

33I do not try to hide my sins, as some people do. 34I am not afraid of what people think about me. Even if a great crowd of people speak against me, I do not stay inside my house and keep quiet. I want someone to listen to me! All the things that I say are true. Almighty God should give me an answer! I need to know what I have done that is wrong. He should write down the reason why I am guilty! 36Then I would show that paper clearly on my shoulders. I would be proud to wear it like a crown on my head. 37I would explain to God everything that I have done. I would stand in front of him without fear, like a ruler.

Job 31:35 word by word

מִ֤י יִתֶּן־לִ֨י׀ שֹׁ֘מֵ֤עַֽ לִ֗י הֶן־תָּ֭וִי שַׁדַּ֣י יַעֲנֵ֑נִי וְסֵ֥פֶר כָּ֝תַ֗ב אִ֣ישׁ רִיבִֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Oh thatנָתַןnâthan · to give: if only!H5414
• one would hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• me! behold, my desireתָּוtâv · markH8420
• the Almightyשַׁדַּיshadday · AlmightyH7706
• would answerעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• mine adversaryרִיבrîyb rib · strifeH7379
• mine adversaryאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• had writtenכָּתַבkâthab · to writeH3789
• a bookסֵ֫פֶרsêpher siphrâh · scroll: documentH5612

Cross-references for Job 31:35

• Job 13:3But I want to speak to the Almighty God. I need to show him that I am right.
• Job 17:3God, please help me to become free again. Nobody else will pay the price to do that for me.
• Job 23:3I would like to know where to find him. Then I could go to the place where he lives.
• Job 33:6Listen! When God looks at us, we are the same as each other. God used clay to make both of us.
• Job 38:1The Lord spoke to Job from the middle of the storm. This is what he said:
• Job 40:4‘I am only a foolish man. I cannot answer your questions. I cover my mouth with my hand so that I say nothing.
• Job 13:21Please stop punishing me. And stop causing me to be so afraid of you.
• Psalms 26:1Lord, I always try to do what is right. I continue to trust you all the time. So please show that I am not guilty of wrong things.
• Job 13:24Why do you hide yourself from me? Why do you think that I am your enemy?
• Job 19:11He is very angry against me. He attacks me as if I am his enemy.
• Job 33:10But God has decided to punish me! He attacks me as if I am his enemy.
• Matthew 5:25Also, somebody may say that you have done something wrong against him. He may take you to stand in front of the judge. You should quickly try to agree with this person. Decide with him how to make things right again. Do this even while you are going with him to the judge. If you do not do that, the judge may agree that you have done a wrong thing. Then he will give you to his officer. His officer will put you in prison.

Commentaries on Job 31:35

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 35O that one would hear me! - I wish to have a fair and full hearing: I am grievously accused; and have no proper opportunity of clearing myself, and establishing my own innocence. Behold, my desire is - Or, תוי הן hen tavi, "There is my pledge." I bind myself, on a great penalty, to come into court, and abide the issue. That the Almighty would answer me - That he would call this case immediately before himself; and oblige my adversary to come into court…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 35O that one would hear me! - This refers undoubtedly to God. It is, literally, “Who will give to me one hearing me;” and the wish is that which he has so often expressed, that he might get his cause fairly before God. He feels assured that there would be a favorable verdict, if there could be a fair judicial investigation; compare the notes at Job 13:3. Behold, my desire is - Margin, “Or, my sign is that the Almighty will answer me.‘” The word rendered in…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 33-40Verses 33-40 Job clears himself from the charge of hypocrisy. We are loth to confess our faults, willing to excuse them, and to lay the blame upon others. But he that thus covers his sins, shall not prosper, Pr 28:13. He speaks of his courage in what is good, as an evidence of his sincerity in it. When men get estates unjustly, they are justly deprived of comfort from them; it was sown wheat, but shall come up thistles. What men do not come honestly by…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 35Here is my signature: Job wanted to make the events official (19:23–24).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3535. Job returns to his wish (Job 13:22; 19:23). Omit "is"; "Behold my sign," that is, my mark of subscription to the statements just given in my defense: the mark of signature was originally a cross; and hence the letter Tau or T. Translate, also "Oh, that the Almighty," &c. He marks "God" as the "One" meant in the first clause. adversary--that is, he who contends with me, refers also to God. The vagueness is designed to express "whoever it be that…Read the comment

Topics related to Job 31:35

• Integrity

In the dictionaries

• Bosom
• Instead
• Lift
• Root
• Adversary
• Charm
• Elihu (2)
• Forehead
• Job, Book of
• Mark

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