New International Version if I have devoured its yield without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants, New Living Translation or if I have stolen its crops or murdered its owners, English Standard Version if I have eaten its yield without payment and made its owners breathe their last, Berean Standard Bible if I have devoured its produce without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants, Berean Literal Bible if I have eaten its power without silver, and I have caused to breathe out the soul of its workers, King James Bible If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life: New King James Version If I have eaten its fruit without money, Or caused its owners to lose their lives; New American Standard Bible If I have eaten its fruit without money, Or have caused its owners to lose their lives, NASB 1995 If I have eaten its fruit without money, Or have caused its owners to lose their lives, NASB 1977 If I have eaten its fruit without money, Or have caused its owners to lose their lives, Legacy Standard Bible If I have eaten its fruit without money, Or have caused its owners to lose their lives, Amplified Bible If I have eaten its fruits without paying for them, Or have caused its [rightful] owners to lose their lives, Berean Annotated Bible if I have devoured its produce without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants, Christian Standard Bible if I have consumed its produce without payment or shown contempt for its tenants, Holman Christian Standard Bible if I have consumed its produce without payment or shown contempt for its tenants, American Standard Version If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, Or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life: Contemporary English Version Nor have I cheated my workers and caused them pain. English Revised Version If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life: GOD'S WORD® Translation If I have eaten its produce without paying for it and made its owners breathe their last, Good News Translation if I have eaten the food that grew there but let the farmers that grew it starve-- International Standard Version If I've consumed its produce without paying for it and snuffed out the life of its owners; NET Bible if I have eaten its produce without paying, or caused the death of its owners, New Heart English Bible if I have eaten its fruits without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life, Webster's Bible Translation If I have eaten the fruits of it without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life: Majority Text Translations Majority Standard Bibleif I have devoured its produce without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants, World English Bible if I have eaten its fruits without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life, Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionIf I consumed its strength without money, "" And the life of its possessors, I have caused to breathe out, Berean Literal Bible if I have eaten its power without silver, and I have caused to breathe out the soul of its workers, Young's Literal Translation If its strength I consumed without money, And the life of its possessors, I have caused to breathe out, Smith's Literal Translation If I ate its strength without silver, and caused its possessors to expire: Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleIf I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, and have afflicted the soul of the tillers thereof: Catholic Public Domain Version if I have used its fruits for nothing but money and have afflicted the souls of its tillers, New American Bible If I have eaten its strength without payment and grieved the hearts of its tenants; New Revised Standard Version if I have eaten its yield without payment, and caused the death of its owners; Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleIf I have eaten its fruits without money; or if I have grieved one whose life is bitter, Peshitta Holy Bible Translated If I consumed its power without expense, or if I have made the soul of the bitter drunk OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, Or have caused the tillers thereof to be disappointed-- Brenton Septuagint Translation and if I ate its strength alone without price, and if I too grieved the heart of the owner of the soil, by taking aught from him: Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context Job's Final Appeal…38if my land cries out against me and its furrows weep together, 39if I have devoured its produce without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants, 40then let briers grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.” Thus conclude the words of Job.… Cross References if I have devoured its produce without payment James 5:4 Look, the wages you withheld from the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts. Deuteronomy 24:14-15 Do not oppress a hired hand who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother or a foreigner residing in one of your towns. / You are to pay his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and depends on them. Otherwise he may cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin. Leviticus 19:13 You must not defraud your neighbor or rob him. You must not withhold until morning the wages due a hired hand. or broken the spirit of its tenants, Micah 2:2 They covet fields and seize them; they take away houses. They deprive a man of his home, a fellow man of his inheritance. 1 Kings 21:3-4 But Naboth replied, “The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.” / So Ahab went to his palace, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had told him, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” He lay down on his bed, turned his face away, and refused to eat. Isaiah 5:8 Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field until no place is left and you live alone in the land. Jeremiah 22:13 “Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms without justice, who makes his countrymen serve without pay, and fails to pay their wages, Malachi 3:5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud laborers of their wages and deny justice to the foreigner but do not fear Me,” says the LORD of Hosts. Proverbs 22:16 Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself or giving gifts to the rich will surely lead to poverty. Proverbs 14:31 Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him. Amos 8:4-6 Hear this, you who trample the needy, who do away with the poor of the land, / asking, “When will the New Moon be over, that we may sell grain? When will the Sabbath end, that we may market wheat? Let us reduce the ephah and increase the shekel; let us cheat with dishonest scales. / Let us buy the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the chaff with the wheat!” Luke 10:7 Stay at the same house, eating and drinking whatever you are offered. For the worker is worthy of his wages. Do not move around from house to house. Colossians 4:1 Masters, supply your slaves with what is right and fair, since you know that you also have a Master in heaven. Ephesians 6:9 And masters, do the same for your slaves. Give up your use of threats, because you know that He who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with Him. Matthew 20:1-16 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. / He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. / About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. … Matthew 23:25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Treasury of Scripture If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life: fruits. Genesis 4:12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. 1 Kings 21:13-16,19 And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died… Proverbs 1:19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof. Isaiah 26:21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. Jump to Previous Breathe Broken Caused Causing Consumed Death Devoured Disappointed Eaten Fruit Fruits Lose Money Owners Payment Produce Souls Spirit Strength Tenants Thereof Tillers Tormented YieldJump to Next Breathe Broken Caused Causing Consumed Death Devoured Disappointed Eaten Fruit Fruits Lose Money Owners Payment Produce Souls Spirit Strength Tenants Thereof Tillers Tormented YieldJob 31 1. Job makes a solemn protestation of his integrity in several dutiesif I have devoured its produce without payment Job denies taking the yield of his land without paying those entitled to it. As a landowner, he claims to have dealt honestly in matters of crops, wages, and property, refusing the greed and theft that violate God’s demand for justice toward one’s neighbor. Jas 5:4 Look, the wages you withheld from the workmen… or broken the spirit of its tenants, He also denies using his authority to oppress those who worked his land. Tenants and laborers were vulnerable to wealthy landowners, but Job maintains that he did not crush them through harsh treatment, withheld wages, or unreasonable demands. His defense presents a life marked by just stewardship and merciful leadership. Mic 2:2 They covet fields and seize them; they take away houses.… Persons / Places / Events 1. JobA man described as blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil. He is the central figure in the Book of Job, known for his immense suffering and unwavering faith. 2. Land/Tenants The verse refers to the land and its tenants, highlighting the relationship between landowners and those who work the land. This reflects the agrarian society of ancient times. 3. God Implicit in the text is the presence of God, to whom Job is making his case, asserting his integrity and righteousness. Teaching Points Integrity in Business PracticesJob exemplifies integrity by ensuring fair compensation for labor and produce. Christians are called to uphold honesty and fairness in all business dealings. Respect for Workers The verse highlights the importance of treating workers with dignity and respect. Believers should ensure that their actions do not harm or oppress those who work for them. Stewardship of Resources Job's statement reflects a responsible stewardship of resources, reminding Christians to manage their resources ethically and justly. Accountability Before God Job's appeal to his integrity is ultimately made before God, emphasizing that our actions are accountable to Him. Christians should live with an awareness of divine accountability. Social Justice and Compassion The verse encourages believers to advocate for social justice and show compassion to those who are vulnerable or marginalized in society. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Job 31:39?2. How does Job 31:39 demonstrate integrity in handling others' property? 3. What does Job 31:39 teach about accountability in our actions? 4. How can Job's example in Job 31:39 guide our business practices today? 5. Connect Job 31:39 with Proverbs 11:1 on honest dealings. 6. How can we ensure fairness and justice in our daily interactions? 7. What does Job 31:39 reveal about personal responsibility and justice in biblical times? 8. How does Job 31:39 challenge modern views on property rights and ethical treatment of land? 9. What historical context is necessary to understand Job's claim in Job 31:39? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Job 31? Verse 39. - If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money; i.e. without acquiring a title to them by purchase. Or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life. Either by actual violence or by depriving them of the means of support (see the comment on Job 29:13). Job had been accused of robbery and oppression both by Zophar (Job 20:12-19) and Eliphaz (Job 22:5-9). He had not, however, been accused of actual murder. Job 31:39 shows a righteous man refusing to exploit land or labor. He never stole produce or crushed tenants’ spirits, aligning himself with God’s timeless demand for justice. The verse calls believers to treat every resource and worker as gifts entrusted by the true Owner, mirroring the integrity of Christ Himself. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew ifאִם־ (’im-) Conjunction Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not I have devoured אָכַ֣לְתִּי (’ā·ḵal·tî) Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Strong's 398: To eat its produce כֹּ֭חָהּ (kō·ḥāh) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular Strong's 3581: A small reptile (of unknown species) without בְלִי־ (ḇə·lî-) Adverb Strong's 1097: Failure, nothing, destruction, without, not yet, because not, as long as payment כָ֑סֶף (ḵā·sep̄) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3701: Silver, money or broken the spirit וְנֶ֖פֶשׁ (wə·ne·p̄eš) Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion of its tenants, בְּעָלֶ֣יהָ (bə·‘ā·le·hā) Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular Strong's 1167: A master, a husband, owner Additonal Resources Job 31:39 Blue Letter BibleJob 31:39 Bible Gateway Job 31:39 Bible.com Job 31:39 NIV |
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