God’s Word Translation
Job 31:35
35“If only I had someone who would listen to me! Look, here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me. Let the prosecutor write ⌞his complaint⌟ on a scroll.
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
33“If I have covered my disobedience like Adam and kept my sin to myself, 34because I dreaded the large, noisy crowd and because the contempt of the ⌞local⌟ mobs terrified me so that I kept quiet and didn’t go outside…. “If only I had someone who would listen to me! Look, here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me. Let the prosecutor write ⌞his complaint⌟ on a scroll. 36I would certainly carry it on my shoulder and place it on my head like a crown. 37I would tell him the number of my steps and approach him like a prince.
Read all of Job 31Job 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 13:3However, I want to speak to the Almighty, and I wish to argue my case in front of God.
- Job 17:3Please guarantee my bail yourself. Who else will guarantee it with a handshake?
- Job 23:3“If only I knew where I could find God! I would go where he lives.
- Job 33:6Indeed, I stand in front of God as you do. I, too, was formed from a piece of clay.
- Job 38:1Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm.
- Job 40:4“I’m so insignificant. How can I answer you? I will put my hand over my mouth.
- Job 13:21Stop oppressing me. Don’t let your terror frighten me.
- Psalms 26:1Judge me favorably, O Lord, because I have walked with integrity and I have trusted you without wavering.
- Job 13:24Why do you hide your face ⌞from me⌟ and consider me your enemy?
- Job 19:11He is very angry at me. He considers me to be his enemy.
- Job 33:10God is only looking for an excuse to attack me. He considers me his enemy.
- Matthew 5:25“Make peace quickly with your opponent while you are on the way to court with him. Otherwise, he will hand you over to the judge. Then the judge will hand you over to an officer, who will throw you into 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
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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