Tree of Life Version
Job 31:1
1“I made a covenant with my eyes not to pay attention to a virgin.
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 pay attention to a virgin. 2For what is one’s lot from God above, one’s heritage from Shaddai on high? 3Is it not calamity for the unjust, and disaster for workers of iniquity?
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 6:2then the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were good and they took for themselves wives, any they chose.
- 2 Samuel 11:2One evening David rose from his bed and strolled on the roof of the royal palace. Then from the roof he saw a woman washing—a very beautiful woman.
- Psalms 119:37Turn my eyes away from gazing at vanity but revive me in Your ways.
- Proverbs 4:25Let your eyes look directly ahead, and fix your gaze straight in front of you.
- Proverbs 23:31Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it glides down smoothly.
- Matthew 5:28But I tell you that everyone who looks upon a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
- 1 John 2:16For everything in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the boasting of life—is not from the Father but from the world.
- Proverbs 6:25Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyelids.
- James 1:14But each one is tempted when he is dragged away and enticed by his own desire.
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
Tree of Life Version — © 2015 The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Commentaries