New International Version
Job 31:16
16“If I have denied the desires of the poor or let the eyes of the widow grow weary,
Job 31:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
- English Standard Version (ESV)"If I have withheld anything that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
- New King James Version (NKJV)“If I have kept the poor from their desire, Or caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Have I refused to help the poor, or crushed the hopes of widows?
Context of Job 31:16
14what will I do when God confronts me? What will I answer when called to account? 15Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers? “If I have denied the desires of the poor or let the eyes of the widow grow weary, 17if I have kept my bread to myself, not sharing it with the fatherless— 18but from my youth I reared them as a father would, and from my birth I guided the widow—
Read all of Job 31Job 31:16 word by word
אִם־אֶ֭מְנַע מֵחֵ֣פֶץ דַּלִּ֑ים וְעֵינֵ֖י אַלְמָנָ֣ה אֲכַלֶּֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 31:16
- Job 22:7You gave no water to the weary and you withheld food from the hungry,
- Deuteronomy 15:7If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them.
- Psalms 112:9They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever; their horn will be lifted high in honor.
- Luke 16:21and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
- Acts 11:29The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea.
- Galatians 2:10All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.
- Deuteronomy 28:32Your sons and daughters will be given to another nation, and you will wear out your eyes watching for them day after day, powerless to lift a hand.
- Psalms 69:3I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God.
- Psalms 119:82My eyes fail, looking for your promise; I say, “When will you comfort me?”
- Isaiah 38:14I cried like a swift or thrush, I moaned like a mourning dove. My eyes grew weak as I looked to the heavens. I am being threatened; Lord, come to my aid!”
- Lamentations 4:17Moreover, our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our towers we watched for a nation that could not save us.
Commentaries on Job 31:16
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16If I have withheld the poor from their desire - Job now turns to another class of virtues, regarded also as of great importance in the patriarchal ages, kindness to the poor and the afflicted; to the fatherless and the widow. He appeals to his former life on this subject; affirms that he had a good conscience in the recollection of his dealings with them, and impliedly declares that it could not have been for any deficiency in the exercise of these…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 31:16
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
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