Job 31 3

Job 31:3 kjv

Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?

Job 31:3 nkjv

Is it not destruction for the wicked, And disaster for the workers of iniquity?

Job 31:3 niv

Is it not ruin for the wicked, disaster for those who do wrong?

Job 31:3 esv

Is not calamity for the unrighteous, and disaster for the workers of iniquity?

Job 31:3 nlt

Isn't it calamity for the wicked
and misfortune for those who do evil?

Job 31 verses

Job 31 3 Meaning

Job 31:3 poses a rhetorical question, expressing a widely accepted principle: that misfortune, calamity, and ruin are the just and expected consequences for the wicked and those who habitually practice evil. In the context of Job's elaborate oath of innocence, he affirms this conventional understanding of divine justice, implicitly arguing that since he is not a worker of iniquity, his suffering must not be a result of hidden sin, thereby defending his integrity before God and his accusers.

Job 31 3 Context

Job chapter 31 represents Job's powerful and climactic defense of his integrity before God, serving as his final statement in the lengthy dialogue. Having exhausted his arguments with his friends, Job now directly appeals to God as his witness and judge. He presents a meticulous self-exoneration, taking an oath (often referred to as an "oath of purgation" or "negative confession") wherein he details numerous potential sins he has not committed. These include moral transgressions, social injustices, and religious failures, touching upon virtually every aspect of a righteous person's life in ancient Israel. Verse 3 stands early in this speech, laying down a foundational principle: that justice dictates the wicked should suffer calamity. By asserting this, Job underscores his deep conviction in God's righteousness, while simultaneously highlighting the paradox of his own suffering—since he believes he is not wicked, why then is he afflicted? This verse is part of Job's insistence that his integrity remains despite his intense suffering, challenging the simplistic retribution theology offered by his friends, which rigidly asserted that suffering is always direct punishment for specific sins. Historically, such an oath would be a serious declaration, often accompanied by imprecations if the oath was false, thus amplifying Job's earnestness.

Job 31 3 Word analysis

• Is not: This construction indicates a rhetorical question, strongly implying an obvious, universally accepted truth. It’s not genuinely seeking an answer but rather affirming a common understanding.
• calamity: Hebrew: אֵיד ('eyd). This word signifies a sudden, overwhelming disaster, distress, or ruin. It implies a devastating burden or destruction, often understood in the Bible as a divinely appointed judgment or consequence for sin. Its usage here emphasizes a strong, negative outcome.
• for the unrighteous: Hebrew: עַוָּל ('awwal). This term describes someone who is perverse, wicked, or unjust. It speaks to a character defect where justice or rectitude is twisted or subverted. It is not merely an occasional wrongdoing, but an inherent tendency or established pattern of unjust behavior.
• and disaster: Hebrew: נֶכֶר (nekher). This term can denote "something strange," "alien," or "a foreign thing," but in this context, parallel to 'eyd, it conveys an unwelcome, destructive, and unusual or "alienating" fate. It often implies a disruptive, severe form of ruin, a fate utterly fitting for those who reject the norm of righteousness.
• for the workers of iniquity: Hebrew: פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן (po'aley 'awen). This is a powerful and frequent biblical phrase.
  • workers of: פֹּעֲלֵי (po'aley) - literally "doers" or "practicers." This signifies an active, deliberate, and perhaps habitual engagement in a certain type of activity. It's not just occasional sin, but a chosen way of life.
  • iniquity: אָוֶן ('awen) - This word covers a range of meanings from "wickedness," "evil," "vanity," to "trouble" or "calamity." It denotes harmful acts, especially those that involve falsehood, deceit, or spiritual emptiness leading to moral corruption. When paired with "workers," it points to those whose active conduct is characterized by evil and wrongdoing.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• Is not calamity... and disaster: The parallelism between "calamity" ('eyd) and "disaster" (nekher) strengthens the certainty of the outcome. Job uses two strong, almost synonymous terms to convey the inevitable and severe consequences for evildoing. The rhetorical "is not" posits this as a foundational and undeniable truth known to all.
• for the unrighteous, and ... for the workers of iniquity: This forms a synonymous parallelism defining the recipients of such judgment. "The unrighteous" (those who are perverse in nature or character) are paralleled with "the workers of iniquity" (those who actively and habitually commit wicked deeds). This reinforces the target audience of divine retribution: those whose very being and actions are marked by opposition to God's righteousness and justice. It emphasizes the active nature of their rebellion against good.

Job 31 3 Bonus section

The concept presented in Job 31:3 reflects a segment of biblical wisdom tradition where the correlation between righteousness and prosperity (or lack of calamity) and wickedness and adversity is often affirmed (e.g., in Proverbs or Psalms of didactic instruction). However, the Book of Job itself profoundly critiques and expands upon this simplified retribution theology. While Job agrees that _iniquity_ should justly lead to _calamity_, his own experience provides irrefutable evidence that _calamity_ does not always imply _iniquity_. This verse therefore stands as Job's firm statement of adherence to established theology, even as his life profoundly questions its neat applicability in individual cases. It sets up the central paradox of the book where God's justice is far more multifaceted and mysterious than human understanding can fully grasp, encompassing purposes beyond mere punitive reward and punishment.

Job 31 3 Commentary

Job 31:3 encapsulates a fundamental theological premise commonly held in ancient Near Eastern thought and echoed throughout Scripture: that wickedness brings severe negative consequences. Job states this not as a query but as an undeniable truth, part of his deep-seated understanding of God's just character. This assertion forms a critical part of his defense: if God justly sends calamity upon the wicked, and Job himself claims to be righteous, then his suffering cannot be a punishment for sin. This verse highlights the tension central to the book of Job – the struggle to reconcile the observed suffering of a righteous man with the established principle of divine justice. While the principle of "sowing and reaping" (Gal 6:7) holds true for general human conduct and applies to national judgments, Job's experience (and the larger message of the book) reveals that applying this formula rigidly to every individual instance of suffering is a flawed and limited human interpretation of God's complex sovereignty. Job believes in the principle, but uses it to assert his innocence, challenging the simplistic punitive explanations of his friends.