Job 31:23
in Job 31For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For calamity from God is a terror to me, And by reason of his majesty I can do nothing.
KJV
For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.
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This verse in Job 31
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For destruction from God was a terror to me - The destruction which God would bring upon one who was guilty of the crime here specified, awed and restrained me. He was deterred from this crime of oppressing the fatherless by the fear of God. He could have escaped the judgment of people. He had power and influence enough not to dread the penalty of human law.
This site's exposition
lifted up my hand against the fatherless
on Job 31:21-23
The oath names the temptation of a powerful man at the gate of 29:7. The curse “then may my arm fall from my shoulder” fits the fault. “For calamity from God terrifies me” names the fear, which Henry reads as the root of his ethics, reverence for God before reputation.
This site's exposition
His splendor I cannot overpower
Calamity from God terrified Job more than the judgment of men, which he could have escaped, say Jamieson, Fausset and Brown. Bonaventure joins the splendor of God's power with the severity of His vengeance. That joining is the ground of fear.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church3 voices
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Septem Donis, Collation 2 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
Gather together, then, these three considerations, namely the consideration of the sublimity of divine power, the consideration of the perspicacity of divine wisdom, and the consideration of the severity of divine vengeance. And who will there be who will not fear? Whence Job says: "I …
For I always feared God like waves swelling over me, and I could not endure the weight of Him. From the terror that belongs to such a likeness let us reflect what wonderful force of fear there was in the holy man. For when waves swelling hang over us from on high, and when they threaten that death, which they bring down, there is then no concern for temporal things with the voyagers, no enjoyment of the flesh is brought back to mind.
He shows then why although he was in a higher place in society he did not raise his hand against orphans. Even though he did not deliver them because of men, yet he did deliver them because of God whose judgments he feared, and so …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
For destruction from God was a terror to me,....
Note, Good men, even the best, have need to restrain themselves from sin with the fear of destruction from God, and all little enough. This should especially restrain us from all acts of injustice and oppression that God himself is the avenger thereof. Even when salvation from God is a comfort to us, yet destruction from God should be a terror to us.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
For--that is, the reason why Job guarded against such sins. Fear of God, though he could escape man's judgment (Ge 39:9). UMBREIT more spiritedly translates, Yea, destruction and terror from God might have befallen me (had I done so): mere fear not being the motive. highness--majestic might. endure--I could have availed nothing against it.
Destruction from God was a terror - I have ever been preserved from outward sin, through the fear of God’s judgments; I knew his eye was constantly upon me, and I could “Never in my Judge’s eye my Judge’s anger dare.”
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֤י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| פַ֣חַד | fachad | [was] a fear | H6343 → | 49 times |
| אֵ֭לַי | ʾelai | to me | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אֵ֣יד | ʾeid | <the> calamity of | H343 → | 24 times |
| אֵ֑ל | ʾel | God | H410 → | 241 times |
| וּ֝מִשְּׂאֵת֗וֹ | umiseeto | and from majesty his | H7613 → | 14 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| אוּכָֽל׃ | ʾukhal | I am able | H3201 → | 194 times |
כִּ֤יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
פַ֣חַד[was] a fear
fachadH6343 →49 times
אֵ֭לַיto me
ʾelaiH413 →5510 times
אֵ֣יד<the> calamity of
ʾeidH343 →24 times
אֵ֑לGod
ʾelH410 →241 times
וּ֝מִשְּׂאֵת֗וֹand from majesty his
umiseetoH7613 →14 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
אוּכָֽל׃I am able
ʾukhalH3201 →194 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Corinthians 5:11Therefore, since we know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is clear to God, and I hope it is clear to your conscience as well.
it leads to
- Jude 1:23
save others by snatching them from the fire; and to still others show mercy tempered with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.
- Hebrews 10:31
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
- Jude 1:23
Through
Psalms 119:120My flesh trembles in awe of You; I stand in fear of Your judgments.
it leads to
- Habakkuk 3:16
I heard and trembled within; my lips quivered at the sound. Decay entered my bones; I trembled where I stood. Yet I must wait patiently for the day of distress to come upon the…
- Daniel 10:8–11
So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision. No strength remained in me; my face grew deathly pale, and I was powerless.
- Hebrews 12:28–29
Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.
- Hebrews 12:21
The sight was so terrifying that even Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”
- Habakkuk 3:16
Through
Psalms 76:7You alone are to be feared. When You are angry, who can stand before You?
it leads to
- Nahum 1:6
Who can withstand His indignation? Who can endure His burning anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; even rocks are shattered before Him.
- Nahum 1:6
Through
Isaiah 13:6Wail, for the Day of the LORD is near; it will come as destruction from the Almighty.
it leads to
- Joel 1:15
Alas for the day! For the Day of the LORD is near, and it will come as destruction from the Almighty.
- Joel 1:15
Where this verse is studied
About Job
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bonaventure, Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 2; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Job; Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book XXI; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.