Job 31 34

Job 31:34 kjv

Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?

Job 31:34 nkjv

Because I feared the great multitude, And dreaded the contempt of families, So that I kept silence And did not go out of the door?

Job 31:34 niv

because I so feared the crowd and so dreaded the contempt of the clans that I kept silent and would not go outside?

Job 31:34 esv

because I stood in great fear of the multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and did not go out of doors ?

Job 31:34 nlt

Have I feared the crowd
or the contempt of the masses,
so that I kept quiet and stayed indoors?

Job 31 verses

Job 31 34 Meaning

Job 31:34 conveys Job's internal struggle and potential confession regarding his past. He indicates that a profound dread of public opinion—the societal scorn and judgment from the multitude and the families—once weighed so heavily upon him that it terrified him into silence and self-imposed isolation, preventing him from engaging publicly. This verse, within his elaborate oath of integrity, serves to highlight the immense pressure he felt to maintain his public reputation, potentially suggesting that while he may have been tempted to conceal faults to avoid shame, he maintains he did not commit secret sins.

Job 31 34 Context

Job 31 marks the climax of Job's passionate defense, his final and most comprehensive assertion of innocence against his friends' accusations of hidden sin. This chapter takes the form of an elaborate "oath of innocence" or "negative confession," where Job enumerates various ethical and moral violations and invokes a curse upon himself if he is guilty of any of them. The purpose is to assert his righteous conduct in both private and public life.

Verse 34 stands as part of this climactic speech. It follows Job's declaration in verse 33 that he has not "concealed his transgressions as Adam," implying an open, unhidden walk with God. Within this framework, verse 34 introduces a crucial qualification or even a subtle admission: Job reveals the pressure that could lead one to hide sin—the overwhelming fear of public shame and the community's contempt. He is acknowledging the human temptation to succumb to the "fear of man" rather than solely fearing God. While he states he was terrified, he implicitly affirms that this fear did not drive him to actual sin and concealment, but rather to a defensive silence and withdrawal. This passage powerfully speaks to the ancient Near Eastern honor-shame culture, where societal reputation and familial standing were paramount. Loss of honor through public disgrace was a profound devastation, akin to social death.

Job 31 34 Word analysis

• For I stood in great awe of the multitude:

  • I stood in great awe: Reflects an overwhelming sense of dread or respect. Job felt the immense weight of communal opinion and its potential to ostracize. It implies not just casual concern, but deep-seated terror.
  • multitude: Hebrew: הָמ֗וֹן (hamon). This term typically signifies a noisy crowd, throng, or commotion. It refers to the general public, an undifferentiated mass, whose collective opinion could be fierce and intimidating. Its presence suggests the clamor of popular judgment and condemnation.
  • Significance: Highlights Job's vulnerability to popular sentiment and the intense social pressure exerted by an opinionated crowd.

• and the contempt of families terrified me:

  • contempt: Hebrew: בּוּז (buz). Denotes deep disdain, scorn, or ridicule. It's more personal and targeted than a general "awe," representing active rejection and shaming.
  • families: Hebrew: מִשְׁפָּחוֹת (mishpachot). Refers to specific clans, families, or tribal units, not just the general public. In ancient societies, families held significant power over an individual's status and reputation. Their contempt would lead to exclusion from the most vital social unit, isolating Job entirely.
  • terrified me: Hebrew: יְחִתֵּֽנִי (y'ḥitteni), from the root חָתַת (chatat), meaning to be dismayed, terrified, or shattered. This conveys a profound and unsettling fear that goes beyond mere apprehension, indicating a sense of being utterly broken by the threat of public and familial disgrace.
  • Significance: Shows the profound social consequences in an honor-shame culture. Ostracism by family and community was devastating, threatening one's very existence.

• so that I kept silence and did not go out of doors:

  • kept silence: Hebrew: דּוֹמָ֑ם (domam), an adverb meaning silently or quietly. From the root דָּמַם (damam), meaning to be silent, cease, or even be cut off. It implies Job's forced suppression of his own voice, his inability to speak up or defend himself in public.
  • did not go out of doors: Hebrew: לֹא אֵצֵ֖א פָתַֽח (lo etze pattach), literally "I did not go out from the opening/door." The "door" or "gate" was the public place of gathering, judgment, and business in ancient towns.
  • Significance: This describes Job's withdrawal and isolation as a direct consequence of his fear. It paints a picture of someone so terrified of public scorn that they retreated from social life, emphasizing the depth of his anxiety about reputation. This also contrasts with his former position as a respected leader who sat in the city gate (Job 29:7).

Job 31 34 Bonus section

• Paradoxical Claim: Job's confession in v. 34 appears to contradict his broader claim of unwavering integrity, yet it functions to magnify it. By admitting the immense temptation to hide for fear of man, and then maintaining he didn't act on that temptation by sinning secretly, he underscores the strength of his actual integrity. It presents a stark internal challenge he overcame.
• Echo of God's later rebuke: The "fear of man" implied here subtly foreshadows the lessons God imparts in Chapters 38-41. God’s overwhelming display of power implicitly teaches Job that His approval and understanding are the only true standards, diminishing the weight of human judgment.
• A Unique Confession: While Job frequently asserts his blamelessness concerning his friends' accusations, this verse offers a rare glimpse into a potential spiritual struggle he experienced: prioritizing human opinion, even if he didn't succumb to the related temptations. It sets him apart from hypocrites who do sin secretly out of this very fear.

Job 31 34 Commentary

Job 31:34 serves as a revealing statement within Job's oath of integrity. It's not necessarily a confession of a specific sin, but an acknowledgment of a deep human vulnerability: the overwhelming fear of social ostracization and public shaming. Job declares that the dread of a noisy, condemnatory multitude and the contempt of his own community "terrified" him into silence and self-imposed seclusion. This demonstrates the immense power of reputation in his cultural context.

Commentators debate whether Job's admission of being "terrified" implies a sin of "fearing man more than God." While he claims to have maintained his integrity despite this pressure (e.g., he didn't hide secret sin like Adam, as stated in v.33), this verse still points to a point of intense inner struggle. It highlights the profound tension between upholding righteousness before God and maintaining one's standing in society. It could be seen as a prelude to God's later questioning, suggesting Job had not fully grasped the absolute sovereignty of God over human opinion. Ultimately, it reveals the inner landscape of a man deeply concerned with justice, both human and divine, wrestling with the universal human challenge of valuing divine approval above all else.