Job 31 30

Job 31:30 kjv

Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.

Job 31:30 nkjv

(Indeed I have not allowed my mouth to sin By asking for a curse on his soul);

Job 31:30 niv

I have not allowed my mouth to sin by invoking a curse against their life?

Job 31:30 esv

(I have not let my mouth sin by asking for his life with a curse),

Job 31:30 nlt

No, I have never sinned by cursing anyone
or by asking for revenge.

Job 31 verses

Job 31 30 Meaning

Job 31:30 expresses Job's commitment to profound moral purity, specifically regarding his interactions with adversaries. He asserts that he has never allowed his mouth to sin by uttering a curse or wishing for the death or harm of an enemy. This declaration signifies an exceptionally high standard of righteousness, demonstrating his adherence to God's will not only in outward actions but also in control over his inner desires and the words of his mouth, resisting any urge for revenge or malediction.

Job 31 30 Context

Job 31 is Job’s culminating oath of integrity and his final self-vindication before God and his friends. Having patiently endured suffering and refuted the accusations of his friends, Job presents a detailed and comprehensive list of sins he claims not to have committed. This chapter acts as a powerful summary of his righteousness and a solemn appeal to the divine tribunal. Within this lengthy oath, verse 30 specifically addresses his ethical conduct towards those who might be considered his adversaries, a profound expression of character that goes beyond mere outward legalism. In the historical and cultural context of the ancient Near East, curses and imprecations against enemies were common. It was not unusual for individuals to invoke divine judgment or personal harm upon those who wronged them. Job's assertion stands in stark contrast to these prevailing customs, implicitly setting a higher moral standard. His refusal to let his mouth sin by calling for an enemy's death or using curses directly counters the natural human inclination for revenge and a widespread cultural practice of invoking spiritual harm upon foes, positioning Job as a figure whose moral compass far exceeded the societal norm.

Job 31 30 Word analysis

• nor did I let my mouth sin: Job highlights deliberate control. This is not an accidental oversight but a conscious restraint of his speech. The phrase emphasizes the agency ("I let") and the organ ("mouth").
  • Original Hebrew: "וְלֹֽא־נָתַתִּי֙ לַחֵ֔ךְ לַחֲטֹֽא" (v'lo natatti lachekh lachato)
  • וְלֹֽא־ (v'lo): "and not," a strong negation, emphasizing Job’s abstention.
  • נָתַתִּי֙ (natatti): "I allowed," or "I gave." From the root נָתַן (nathan), meaning "to give, to permit, to place." Job explicitly states he did not permit his mouth to err, underscoring personal responsibility and control over his will.
  • לַחֵ֔ךְ (lachekh): "tongue" or "palate," used here metonymically for "mouth" or "speech." While sometimes meaning to lick, in this context it refers to the organ of speech. It points to the direct instrument of potential transgression.
  • לַחֲטֹֽא (lachato): "to sin." From the root חָטָא (chata), meaning "to miss the mark, to fall short of the standard, to incur guilt." The purpose for which he did not allow his mouth to be used was for it to commit sin.
  • Significance: Job acknowledges the mouth's potential for good or evil and asserts his diligent watch over it, preventing it from straying into sin. This demonstrates internal discipline driven by godliness.
• by asking for his life with a curse: This phrase clarifies the specific sin Job avoided: imprecation, or calling for an enemy's death. It goes beyond merely not retaliating physically; it speaks to the absence of a malicious spirit even in thought and prayer.
  • Original Hebrew: "בִּשְׁאֹ֖ל בְּמוֹתוֹ" (bish'ol b'moto)
  • בִּשְׁאֹ֖ל (bish'ol): "by asking, by requiring, by demanding." From the root שָׁאַל (sha'al), meaning "to ask, inquire, demand, borrow." It implies an active, intentional petition or desire, not a passive thought. It is the very act of seeking and wishing for this outcome.
  • בְּמוֹתוֹ (b'moto): "in his death" or "with his death." From the root מוּת (mut), meaning "to die." It points to the specific content of the "asking" – the desire for another person's demise. The preposition "be" here signifies the state or condition "in his death," meaning to ask that his death occur.
  • Significance: This detail highlights the extreme nature of Job’s ethical stand. Not only did he refrain from outward harm, but he suppressed the inner desire or verbalization of an enemy's downfall, leaving justice and life/death matters entirely in God's hands. It implies a recognition that life and death belong to God alone (Deut 32:39).
• Word Group Analysis:
  • "nor did I let my mouth sin": This phrasing showcases Job’s profound self-control. It suggests a proactive, internal vigilance to prevent the organ of speech from becoming an instrument of transgression. It reflects an inward ethical posture that prevents outward malicious words, a mark of true piety where actions stem from pure intentions.
  • "by asking for his life with a curse": This specifies the profound depths of Job’s purity. He did not merely refrain from general cursing; he actively prevented his heart and mouth from petitioning God (or even expressing a wish) for an enemy's demise. This aligns with the wisdom tradition of not rejoicing over an enemy's downfall (Prov 24:17). The desire for another's death, even an enemy's, falls under the category of deep-seated sin, showing Job's spiritual discipline extends to thought-life and desires, a precursor to New Testament teachings on loving enemies.

Job 31 30 Bonus section

Job's statement in verse 30 underscores a key aspect of true righteousness: it extends beyond merely refraining from overt actions and encompasses control over one’s thoughts, intentions, and especially one’s speech. His claim represents an extremely high moral bar, indicating that his righteousness was not a superficial adherence to legalistic rules but flowed from an internal, pure heart that genuinely feared God and respected human life. This perspective directly challenges any contemporary belief that vengeance or cursing of enemies was an acceptable human right or a casual practice. Instead, Job reveals that genuine piety required an active renunciation of such practices, even on a deeply personal level, aligning with divine prerogative over all matters of life and death.

Job 31 30 Commentary

Job 31:30 is a powerful statement of Job’s moral excellence, specifically his extraordinary restraint and piety regarding his adversaries. It speaks to a level of spiritual discipline where he controlled not only his outward actions but also the very thoughts and desires that could be expressed through his words. In a culture where personal curses and wishes for enemy destruction were common, Job declares he never indulged in such malicious speech or thoughts. This testifies to his deep reverence for God’s sovereignty, acknowledging that judgment and recompense belong to God alone. Job understood that to wish harm, especially death, upon another, even an enemy, would be to usurp God's role as judge and sovereign over life. His ethical standard foreshadows the New Testament command to love enemies and to bless, not curse, those who persecute (Matt 5:44, Rom 12:14), revealing a character far ahead of his time, marked by genuine compassion and submission to divine will. Job’s example reminds believers of the significant power of the tongue and the spiritual discipline required to use it for blessing rather than harm, even in the face of provocation.