New Living Translation
Job 31:1
1“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman.
Job 31:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
- New International Version (NIV)“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?
- New King James Version (NKJV)“I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman?
Context of Job 31:1
“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman. 2For what has God above chosen for us? What is our inheritance from the Almighty on high? 3Isn’t it calamity for the wicked and misfortune for those who do evil?
Read all of Job 31Job 31:1 word by word
בְּ֭רִית כָּרַ֣תִּי לְעֵינָ֑י וּמָ֥ה אֶ֝תְבּוֹנֵ֗ן עַל־בְּתוּלָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 31:1
- Genesis 6:2The sons of God saw the beautiful women and took any they wanted as their wives.
- 2 Samuel 11:2Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath.
- Psalms 119:37Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word.
- Proverbs 4:25Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
- Proverbs 23:31Don’t gaze at the wine, seeing how red it is, how it sparkles in the cup, how smoothly it goes down.
- Matthew 5:28But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
- 1 John 2:16For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.
- Proverbs 6:25Don’t lust for her beauty. Don’t let her coy glances seduce you.
- James 1:14Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.
Commentaries on Job 31:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1I made a covenant with mine eyes - לעיני כרתי ברית berith carati leeynai : "I have cut" or divided "the covenant sacrifice with my eyes." My conscience and my eyes are the contracting parties; God is the Judge; and I am therefore bound not to look upon any thing with a delighted or covetous eye, by which my conscience may be defiled, or my God dishonored. Why then should I think upon a maid? - בתולה על אתבונן ומה umah ethbonen al bethulah . And why should…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1I made a covenant with mine eyes - The first virtue of his private life to which Job refers is chastity. Such was his sense of the importance of this, and of the danger to which man was exposed, that he had solemnly resolved not to think upon a young female. The phrase here, “I made a covenant with mine eyes,” is poetical, meaning that he solemnly resolved. A covenant is of a sacred and binding nature; and the strength of his resolution was as great as if…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Job declares his uprightness. (1-8) His integrity. (9-15) Job merciful. (16-23) Job not guilty of covetousness or idolatry. (24-32) Job not guilty of hypocrisy and violence. (33-40) Verses 1-8 Job did not speak the things here recorded by way of boasting, but in answer to the charge of hypocrisy. He understood the spiritual nature of God's commandments, as reaching to the thoughts and intents of the heart. It is best to let our actions speak for us; but…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Job made a promise with himself about his eyes, including an oath against himself (curse) (see Matthew 5:28–29). Job might have focused on wrong desire because the eyes are often the first to commit sin (Genesis 3:6). Looking with wrong desire at a virgin violates the spirit of the seventh commandment (Deuteronomy 5:18, see Matthew 5:27–28). It could violate the tenth commandment as well (Deuteronomy 5:21).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-40Job 31:1-40. 1. Job proceeds to prove that he deserved a better lot. As in the twenty-ninth chapter, he showed his uprightness as an emir, or magistrate in public life, so in this chapter he vindicates his character in private life. 1-4. He asserts his guarding against being allured to sin by his senses. think--rather, "cast a (lustful) look." He not merely did not so, but put it out of the question by covenanting with his eyes against leading him into…Read the comment
Topics related to Job 31:1
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries