Job 31 38

Job 31:38 kjv

If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;

Job 31:38 nkjv

"If my land cries out against me, And its furrows weep together;

Job 31:38 niv

"if my land cries out against me and all its furrows are wet with tears,

Job 31:38 esv

"If my land has cried out against me and its furrows have wept together,

Job 31:38 nlt

"If my land accuses me
and all its furrows cry out together,

Job 31 verses

Job 31 38 Meaning

Job 31:38 is a statement by Job, forming part of his oath of innocence. In this verse, Job declares that if he has acquired his land through injustice, exploited it to the point of causing it harm, or oppressed those who worked upon it, then the very land itself should "cry out" against him. The "furrows" weeping together further intensifies this imagery, suggesting a profound lament from the land as a witness to his alleged wrongdoing. It underscores his integrity and challenges any accuser, including God, to find fault in his stewardship of his property.

Job 31 38 Context

Job 31:38 is situated in the culmination of Job's final and longest defense (chapters 29-31). Following his friends' silence and Elihu's discourse, Job presents a passionate and comprehensive affirmation of his innocence and integrity. Chapter 31 specifically is structured as a series of solemn "if" clauses, an ancient oath or "negative confession," where Job enumerates various sins and invokes curses upon himself if he is guilty of them. He covers various aspects of life, including purity, justice towards servants, treatment of the poor and oppressed, generosity, avoidance of idolatry, and honesty in financial dealings, especially regarding his land and property. This verse falls under his oath regarding the just acquisition and management of his agricultural wealth, demonstrating his belief that his suffering is not a consequence of such ethical failures.

Job 31 38 Word analysis

• If (אִם, 'im): This particle introduces a protasis, a conditional clause in an oath of purgation. Job sets up a hypothetical scenario of guilt, immediately implying his actual innocence. It functions as a challenge or an appeal for divine judgment if the condition holds true.
• my land (אַדְמָתִי, 'admati): Refers to Job's personal cultivated land, a crucial asset for an ancient prosperous man. The Hebrew 'adamah (אֲדָמָה) means "ground" or "land" and is distinct from 'eretz (אֶרֶץ) (earth, wider land). It is intimately tied to agricultural sustenance and ownership, highlighting Job's direct stewardship. Its possession was a marker of prosperity and responsibility.
• has cried out (תִּזְעַק, tiz'aq): Derived from צָעַק (tsa'aq), meaning to cry out, appeal, groan. This is a strong anthropomorphism, giving the land a voice. It denotes a plea for justice, often a cry of the oppressed reaching God's ears (Gen 4:10, Exod 2:23). It implies the land's distress due to unjust practices such as violent acquisition, uncompensated labor, or defilement.
• against me (עָלַי, 'alai): Directly specifies the target of the accusation: Job himself. The land's voice would be raised specifically to condemn his actions.
• or (אוֹ, 'o): A disjunctive conjunction, introducing a parallel condition that reinforces the first one. It emphasizes the comprehensive nature of Job's innocent claim.
• its furrows (תְּלָמֶיהָ, tlamêha): Refers to the long, narrow channels made by a plow. These represent the active cultivation and productivity of the land. Focusing on "furrows" signifies attention to the specific, practical aspect of land management and agricultural labor, linking any injustice directly to the very work done on the soil.
• have wept together (יִבְכּוּ יַחַד, yivku yachad): Another potent anthropomorphism. Yivku (יִבְכּוּ) from בָּכָה (bachah) means "to weep, cry tears." "Together" (yachad, יַחַד) indicates a collective, unified expression of sorrow. This suggests a deep and pervasive grief, implying that any wrong committed would affect the entire cultivated area, leading to desolation or mourning from all parts involved in its fruitfulness, possibly due to unremunerated toil, injustice towards its workers, or even the land's suffering under unproductive ownership.

• "my land has cried out against me": This phrase speaks to the biblical understanding that injustice, particularly concerning land and property, has spiritual and even physical ramifications for the earth itself. The land is seen as a moral entity, able to register the actions of humans and, by divine ordination, lament or bear witness against sin. It implies that if Job gained his land through covetousness (Mic 2:2, Isa 5:8) or treated it, or those who worked it, with oppression, the very ground would spiritually groan.
• "or its furrows have wept together": This expands the accusation from the land's general complaint to the specific areas of its cultivation, indicating that every effort and product of the land would bear witness to wrongdoing. "Weeping" suggests a deep sorrow, perhaps from barrenness induced by unjust practices (Jer 12:4), or from the toil and suffering of those who labored over the furrows without justice or fair compensation (Jas 5:4).

Job 31 38 Bonus section

The concept of the "land crying out" echoes a broader theological theme where creation actively responds to human moral actions. This perspective elevates land beyond mere property; it imbues it with a sensitivity to justice and righteousness. Ancient Near Eastern legal traditions sometimes featured appeals to cosmic witnesses, including elements of nature, to validate oaths or condemn injustice. Job's oath taps into this, demonstrating a profound internal conviction that goes beyond human law, appealing to the very fabric of creation as a testament to his innocence. This holistic view implies that God's moral order is so pervasive that even inanimate elements bear witness against the corruption of human acts, making any attempt to hide wrongdoing futile in God's eyes. It highlights that the biblical concept of justice is not limited to interpersonal relationships but extends to our stewardship of creation itself.

Job 31 38 Commentary

Job 31:38 is a powerful declaration of innocence within Job's comprehensive oath, specifically targeting his ethical conduct concerning land ownership and management. In the ancient world, land was foundational to livelihood and often acquired or maintained through ruthless means. Job challenges this norm, affirming that his prosperity was justly obtained and maintained. The anthropomorphic imagery of the "land crying out" and its "furrows weeping" is not mere poetic flourish; it reflects a deeply embedded biblical principle that creation itself is impacted by human sin and injustice. The earth, a recipient of God's covenant and blessings, becomes a witness against defilement. Job asserts that his land bears no such witness against him, confirming his blamelessness in this crucial aspect of his life, which involves both financial integrity and humanitarian concern for laborers. His self-attestation is a testament to his understanding of justice as extending even to the treatment of the physical world and the people dependent upon it.