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Read the Bible
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Job 31:21
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- BakerEncyclopedias:
- InternationalParallel Translations
if I ever cast my vote against a fatherless childwhen I saw that I had support in the city gate,
If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, Because I saw my help in the gate:
If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:
if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate,
I have never hurt an orphan even when I knew I could win in court.
if I have raised my hand to vote against the orphan, when I saw my support in the court,
If I have lifted my hand against the orphan, Because I saw [that the judges would be] my help at the [council] gate,
If I have lifted up my hand against the orphan, Because I saw I had support in the gate,
If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, Because I saw my help in the gate:
If I haue lift vp mine hande against the fatherlesse, when I saw that I might helpe him in the gate,
If I have waved my hand against the orphanBecause I saw my help in the gate,
if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless because I saw that I had support in the gate,
If I have ever raised my arm to threaten an orphan when the power was mine,
or if I lifted my hand against an orphan, knowing that no one would dare charge me in court;
If I have lifted up my hand against an orphan, because I saw my help in the gate:
I never threatened an orphan, even when I knew I had support in court.
If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless (when I saw him at the door I helped him);
If I have ever cheated an orphan, knowing I could win in court,
if I have raised my hand against an orphan because I saw my supporters at the gate,
if I have lifted up my hand against the orphan, when I watched over my help in the gate;
Dyd I euer lyft vp my honde to hurte the fatherlesse? Yee in the gate where I sawe my self to be in auctorite:
If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, Because I saw my help in the gate:
If my hand had been lifted up against him who had done no wrong, when I saw that I was supported by the judges;
If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate;
If I haue lift vp my hand against the fatherlesse, when I saw my helpe in the gate:
If I haue lift vp mine hand against the fatherlesse, when I sawe that I might helpe him in the gate:
if I lifted my hand against an orphan, trusting that my strength was far superior to his:
If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate:
if Y reiside myn hond on a fadirles child, yhe, whanne Y siy me the hiyere in the yate;
If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, Because I saw my help in the gate:
If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:
If I have raised my hand against the fatherless, When I saw I had help in the gate;
"If I raised my hand against an orphan, knowing the judges would take my side,
if I have not done these things, or if I have lifted up my hand against the child who has no parents, because I saw I had help in the gate,
if I have raised my hand against the orphan, because I saw I had supporters at the gate;
If I shook - against the fatherless - my hand, when I saw, in the gate, his need of my help,
If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, even when I saw myself superior in the gate:
if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, because I saw help in the gate;
If I have waved at the fatherless my hand, When I see in [him] the gate of my court,
"If I've ever used my strength and influence to take advantage of the unfortunate, Go ahead, break both my arms, cut off all my fingers! The fear of God has kept me from these things— how else could I ever face him?
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
lifted: Job 6:27, Job 22:9, Job 24:9, Job 29:12, Proverbs 23:10, Proverbs 23:11, Jeremiah 5:28, Ezekiel 22:7
when: Micah 2:1, Micah 2:2, Micah 7:3
Reciprocal: Exodus 23:6 - General Numbers 5:22 - the woman Deuteronomy 16:19 - wrest Ruth 4:1 - to the gate Proverbs 14:16 - feareth Proverbs 22:22 - oppress Proverbs 24:7 - openeth Proverbs 29:7 - considereth Lamentations 3:3 - General Amos 5:12 - in the Acts 25:11 - if I
Cross-References
The name of the third river is Tigris; it flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates:
Jacob saw the attitude of Laban, and behold, it was not friendly toward him as formerly.
Then the LORD said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you."
"If he spoke thus, 'The speckled shall be your wages,' then all the flock brought forth speckled; and if he spoke thus, 'The striped shall be your wages,' then all the flock brought forth striped.
"Thus God has taken away your father's livestock and given them to me.
then he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him a distance of seven days' journey, and he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.
Laban said to Jacob, "Behold this heap and behold the pillar which I have set between you and me.
"The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us." So Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac.
Then they sat down to eat a meal. And as they raised their eyes and looked, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing aromatic gum and balm and myrrh, on their way to bring them down to Egypt.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless,.... Either in a menacing way, threatening what he would do to them; which, from a man of wealth and authority, a civil magistrate, a judge, is very terrible to the poor and fatherless; or in order to strike him, which would be to smite with the fist of wickedness; or give a signal to others, by lifting up the hand to smite, as Ananias gave orders to smite the Apostle Paul; or thereby to give his vote against the fatherless wrongly, suffrages being sometimes made by lifting up the hands; or hereby Job signifies, that he was so far from doing the fatherless any real injury, that he had not so much as lifted up his hand, and even a finger against him:
when I saw my help in the gate; in the court of judicature held in the gate of the city, as was usual; though he knew he had the bench of judges for him, or they would give sentence in his behalf, and against the fatherless, if he did but hold up his hand, or lift up a finger to them, so ready would they be take his part and be on his side; yet he never made use of his power and interest to their detriment, or took such an advantage against them.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless - That is, if I have taken advantage of my rank, influence, and power, to oppress and injure him.
When I saw my help in the gate - The gate of a city was a place of concourse; a place where debates were held, and where justice was administered. Job speaks here of that part of his life when he was clothed with authority as a magistrate, or when he had power and influence as a public man. He says that he had never abused this power to oppress the fatherless. He had never taken advantage of his influence to injure them, because he saw he had a strong party under his control, or because he had power enough to carry his point, or because he had those under him who would sustain him in an oppressive measure. This is spoken with reference to the usually feeble and defenseless condition of the orphan, as one who is deprived of his natural protector and who is, therefore, liable to be wronged by those in power.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Job 31:21. If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless — I have at no time opposed the orphan, nor given, in behalf of the rich and powerful, a decision against the poor, when I saw my help in the gate - when I was sitting chief on the throne of judgment, and could have done it without being called to account.
There are sentiments very like these in the poem of Lebeid, one of the authors of the Moallakhat. I shall quote several verses from the elegant translation of Sir William Jones, in which the character of a charitable and bountiful chief is well described: -
"Oft have I invited a numerous company to the death of a camel bought for slaughter, to be divided with arrows of equal dimensions."
"I invite them to draw lots for a camel without a foal, and for a camel with her young one, whose flesh I distribute to all the neighbours."
"The guest and the stranger admitted to my board seem to have alighted in the sweet vale of Tebaala, luxuriant with vernal blossoms."
"The cords of my tent approaches every needy matron, worn with fatigue, like a camel doomed to die at her master's tomb, whose venture is both scanty and ragged."
"There they crown with meat (while the wintry winds contend with fierce blasts) a dish flowing like a rivulet, into which the famished orphans eagerly plunge."
"He distributes equal shares, he dispenses justice to the tribes, he is indignant when their right is diminished; and, to establish their right, often relinquishes his own."
"He acts with greatness of mind, and nobleness of heart: he sheds the dew of his liberality on those who need his assistance; he scatters around his own gains and precious spoils, the prizes of his valour." - Ver. 73-80.
