Job 31:1 - Job's Final Appeal

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Context

Job's Final Appeal
1“I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I gaze with desire at a virgin? 2For what is the allotment of God from above, or the heritage from the Almighty on high?…

Cross References

Matthew 5:28
But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.Proverbs 6:25
Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
For it is God’s will that you should be holy: You must abstain from sexual immorality; / each of you must know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, / not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God;2 Timothy 2:22
Flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, together with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.Psalm 119:37
Turn my eyes away from worthless things; revive me with Your word.1 John 2:16
For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.James 1:14-15
But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. / Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.Proverbs 4:23
Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.1 Corinthians 6:18-20
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. / Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; / you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.Galatians 5:16
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.Romans 13:14
Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.Colossians 3:5
Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.Matthew 15:19
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.Genesis 39:7-12
and after some time his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.” / But he refused. “Look,” he said to his master’s wife, “with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has entrusted everything he owns to my care. / No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God?” ...Proverbs 7:25-27
Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths. / For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number. / Her house is the road to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death.

Genesis 6:2
That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

2 Samuel 11:2-4
And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon…

Psalm 119:37
Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.

think

Proverbs 6:25
Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.

James 1:14,15
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed…

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Job 31

I have made a covenant with my eyes.
This phrase reflects a personal vow or commitment to purity and self-control. In biblical times, covenants were serious agreements, often involving solemn promises before God. Job's use of the term "covenant" indicates the gravity of his commitment to avoid lustful thoughts. The eyes are often seen as the gateway to the heart, and Job's proactive stance highlights the importance of guarding one's thoughts and intentions. This concept is echoed in Matthew 5:28, where Jesus teaches that looking at someone with lust is akin to committing adultery in the heart. Job's covenant is a precursor to the New Testament's emphasis on internal purity.

How then could I gaze with desire at a virgin?
In the cultural context of the ancient Near East, a "virgin" would typically refer to an unmarried young woman. Job's rhetorical question underscores his commitment to moral integrity and respect for others. The act of "gazing with desire" implies more than a casual look; it suggests a lingering, lustful intent. This aligns with the wisdom literature's broader theme of avoiding temptation and maintaining righteousness, as seen in Proverbs 6:25, which warns against lustful looks. Job's question also reflects a deep understanding of sin's progression, beginning with a look and potentially leading to more significant transgressions. This self-awareness and commitment to purity can be seen as a type of Christ, who was without sin and exemplified perfect self-control and respect for others.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Job
A man described as blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil. He is the central figure in the Book of Job, known for his immense suffering and unwavering faith.

2. Covenant
In this context, a solemn agreement or vow that Job makes with himself and before God, emphasizing his commitment to purity and righteousness.

3. Eyes
Symbolic of perception and desire, representing the gateway through which temptation can enter.

4. Virgin
Represents purity and innocence, highlighting the object of potential lust or inappropriate desire that Job is committed to avoiding.

5. Desire
The internal inclination or temptation that Job seeks to control through his covenant, emphasizing the moral and spiritual discipline required to maintain purity.

Teaching Points

Commitment to Purity
Job's covenant with his eyes serves as a model for believers to make intentional commitments to purity in thought and action.

Guarding the Heart
By controlling what we allow our eyes to see, we protect our hearts from sinful desires and maintain spiritual integrity.

Proactive Measures Against Temptation
Job's example teaches the importance of taking proactive steps to avoid situations that may lead to sin.

Inner vs. Outer Righteousness
True righteousness begins in the heart and mind, not just in outward actions. Job's internal covenant reflects this principle.

Accountability to God
Recognizing that our commitments are ultimately made before God, who sees and knows our hearts, encourages us to live with integrity.

XXXI.

(1) I made a covenant with mine eyes.--Job makes one grand profession of innocence, rehearsing his manner of life from the first; and here he does not content himself with traversing the accusations of his friends, but professes his innocence also of sins less manifest to the observance of others, and affecting the secret conduct and the heart--namely, sensual transgression and idolatry. His object, therefore, is to show his friends that he has really been more upright than their standard demanded or than they supposed him to be, till his affliction made them suspect him; and this uprightness was the consequence of rigid and inflexible adherence to principle, for he made a covenant with his eyes, as the avenues of sinful desires. (Comp. Matthew 5:28.)

Verse 1. - I made a covenant with mine eyes; rather, for mine eyes. The covenant must have been with himself. Job means that be came to a fixed resolution, by which he thenceforth guided his conduct, not even to "look upon a woman to lust after her" (Matthew 5:28). We must suppose this resolution come to in his early youth, when the passions are strongest, and when so many men go astray. How then should I look upon a maid! Having made such a resolution, how could I possibly break it by "looking upon a maid"? Job assumes that he could not be so weak as to break a solemn resolution. Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

I have made
כָּרַ֣תִּי (kā·rat·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3772: To cut, to destroy, consume, to covenant

a covenant
בְּ֭רִית (bə·rîṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1285: A covenant

with my eyes.
לְעֵינָ֑י (lə·‘ê·nāy)
Preposition-l | Noun - cdc | first person common singular
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

How then
וּמָ֥ה (ū·māh)
Conjunctive waw | Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

could I gaze [with desire]
אֶ֝תְבּוֹנֵ֗ן (’eṯ·bō·w·nên)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 995: To separate mentally, understand

at
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

a virgin?
בְּתוּלָֽה׃ (bə·ṯū·lāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1330: A virgin, sometimes, a bride

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