Job 31 18

Job 31:18 kjv

(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb;)

Job 31:18 nkjv

(But from my youth I reared him as a father, And from my mother's womb I guided the widow);

Job 31:18 niv

but from my youth I reared them as a father would, and from my birth I guided the widow?

Job 31:18 esv

(for from my youth the fatherless grew up with me as with a father, and from my mother's womb I guided the widow ),

Job 31:18 nlt

No, from childhood I have cared for orphans like a father,
and all my life I have cared for widows.

Job 31 verses

Job 31 18 Meaning

Job 31:18 is part of Job's profound oath of innocence, where he emphatically declares his consistent, lifelong commitment to justice and compassion, particularly towards the most vulnerable in society: the orphan and the widow. He asserts that from his earliest days, he embraced the role of a guardian and provider, acting with the protective care of a father to the fatherless and offering unwavering guidance to the widow. This verse underscores Job's deep-seated ethical integrity and his practical embodiment of divine righteousness.

Job 31 18 Context

Job 31 is the climax of Job's final discourse and arguably the book's theological centerpiece, often termed Job's "oath of innocence" or "negative confession." Following persistent accusations from his friends, who insist that his suffering must be due to hidden sin, Job dramatically challenges God to reveal any transgression. In this chapter, he systematically lists a series of ethical categories, swearing before God that he is innocent of various societal and personal sins—such as idolatry, adultery, pride, covetousness, injustice, and mistreatment of servants. Verse 18 is a powerful declaration within this litany, specifically addressing his conduct toward orphans and widows. In the ancient Near East, these two groups were the most vulnerable, lacking male protection and legal standing, often exploited and oppressed. Job's assertion is a direct refutation of any implicit accusation that he would have abused his wealth or power by neglecting or harming such helpless individuals. It places his integrity not just in avoiding evil, but actively doing good.

Job 31 18 Word analysis

• But from my youth up: Hebrew: מִנְּעוּרַי (minneʿūrāy). This emphasizes the consistent and deeply ingrained nature of Job’s righteousness. It was not a sudden conversion or an act performed for public show in old age, but a character forged from his earliest formative years. It counters the notion that his piety was circumstantial.
• he [the orphan] grew with me: Hebrew: גְּדֵלַנִי (gedēlāniy). This signifies an intimate, fostering relationship, far beyond mere charity. It implies active nurture and personal involvement in the orphan's development, almost like adoption. It’s a verb that speaks of growth and being raised, suggesting Job played a vital role in their upbringing and integration into society.
• as a father: Hebrew: כְּאָב (keʾāḇ). This metaphor illustrates Job’s comprehensive paternal role—providing not only for material needs but also for protection, guidance, and emotional support, echoing God’s own care for the fatherless (Ps 68:5). It highlights active responsibility, setting Job apart from those who might offer meager alms without genuine commitment.
• and I guided her [the widow]: Hebrew: אַנְחֶנָּה (ʾanḥennâ). The verb means to lead, to guide, to bring to rest, or to tend like a shepherd. For a widow, who often lost her husband's protection and guidance, this implied Job providing legal counsel, financial wisdom, and safeguarding her interests against exploitation, steering her through life's challenges. It goes beyond simple charity to active stewardship of her welfare.
• from my mother’s womb: Hebrew: מִבֶּטֶן אִמִּי (mibbeṭen ʾimmî). This is a strong hyperbole, emphasizing that this commitment to justice and mercy was fundamental to his very being, ingrained even before birth, much like a divine calling (cf. Jer 1:5, Isa 49:1). It highlights an innate disposition towards righteousness, not merely learned behavior. It expresses the depth of his character and conviction that his ethical posture was intrinsic to his identity and life purpose.

• "from my youth up he grew with me as a father": This phrase reveals the depth of Job’s care for the orphan, signifying not just intermittent charity but an ongoing, relational, and protective commitment from the beginning of his moral awareness. It’s a lifelong personal involvement, echoing the deep concern for social justice expressed throughout biblical law and prophetic literature.
• "I guided her from my mother’s womb": This powerfully poetic phrase extends the same inherent and radical commitment to the widow. It implies that a compassionate and just spirit towards the vulnerable was woven into the fabric of his character, pre-dating any conscious decision or societal influence, framing his entire existence as aligned with divine principles of care and righteousness.

Job 31 18 Bonus section

This verse highlights a crucial aspect of biblical righteousness: it is not merely the absence of wrongdoing, but the active pursuit of good, especially towards those unable to defend themselves. Job's statements in Chapter 31 offer a potent challenge to common prosperity theology, as he, a wealthy man, meticulously lived out divine principles of justice and compassion, yet suffered greatly. His care for the vulnerable exemplifies true piety, reflecting God's own attributes. The hyperbole "from my mother's womb" implies a providential or characterological bent towards justice from the outset, underscoring that for Job, acting justly was not merely a learned virtue but an intrinsic part of who he was.

Job 31 18 Commentary

Job 31:18 is a profound testament to Job's exceptional integrity, moving beyond simply stating what he did not do to affirm a lifetime of active benevolence. By invoking his earliest years and even his birth, Job conveys that his commitment to caring for the orphan and widow was not merely a set of external actions but flowed from an internal, intrinsic disposition rooted deep within his character. He served not out of duty alone, but out of a spirit of paternal love and comprehensive guidance. This level of pervasive, deeply ingrained righteousness serves as his ultimate defense against his friends’ accusations, highlighting that his piety extended beyond religious rituals into daily, compassionate social engagement. His life exemplified the highest standards of justice, actively demonstrating God's own heart for the marginalized, long before the Law provided explicit commands. It provides a stark contrast to the often harsh realities of ancient society and implicitly challenges any belief that prosperity equates to inherent righteousness or that wealth should be hoarded instead of used for righteous purposes.