Job 31:9 - “If my heart has been enticed to a woman, and I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door,
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What does "Job 31:9" mean?
Job 31:9, "If my heart has been enticed to a woman, and I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door," is a part of Job's oath of innocence. He's vehemently declaring that he has not committed adultery, either in his heart or in his actions. Let's break it down:
"If my heart has been enticed to a woman...": This speaks to lust and inappropriate desire. Job is saying that he hasn't even allowed his thoughts to stray towards another man's wife. The heart is seen as the seat of emotions, desires, and intentions. Even entertaining the idea is a sin, in Job's view. This reflects a high standard of personal righteousness.
"...and I have laid wait at my neighbor's door...": This speaks to the action of adultery or plotting to commit it. "Laying wait" implies a deliberate and secretive plan to meet with another man's wife. It's not just an accidental encounter; it suggests a pre-planned rendezvous or an attempt to seduce her. "My neighbor's door" is a metaphor for his neighbor's home and by extension, his wife. It suggests trespassing on his neighbor's domain and violating his marital rights.
Therefore, the entire verse means: Job is stating that he has not lusted after another man's wife, nor has he taken any action (like secretly waiting outside her house) to pursue an adulterous relationship. He's claiming absolute purity in this area. It emphasizes both the internal (heart's desires) and external (actions) aspects of faithfulness and marital fidelity.
In Summary:
Internal Purity: Job hasn't entertained lustful thoughts towards another man's wife.
External Purity: Job hasn't taken any action or made any plan to commit adultery.
This verse, along with the surrounding verses in Job 31, is Job's powerful declaration of his righteousness. He's using his integrity in these areas as part of his defense against the accusations of his friends, who are implying that his suffering is a result of his sin.
Job 31:9 - “If my heart has been enticed to a woman, and I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door,
What does "Job 31:9" mean?
Job 31:9, "If my heart has been enticed to a woman, and I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door," is a part of Job's oath of innocence. He's vehemently declaring that he has not committed adultery, either in his heart or in his actions. Let's break it down:
"If my heart has been enticed to a woman...": This speaks to lust and inappropriate desire. Job is saying that he hasn't even allowed his thoughts to stray towards another man's wife. The heart is seen as the seat of emotions, desires, and intentions. Even entertaining the idea is a sin, in Job's view. This reflects a high standard of personal righteousness.
"...and I have laid wait at my neighbor's door...": This speaks to the action of adultery or plotting to commit it. "Laying wait" implies a deliberate and secretive plan to meet with another man's wife. It's not just an accidental encounter; it suggests a pre-planned rendezvous or an attempt to seduce her. "My neighbor's door" is a metaphor for his neighbor's home and by extension, his wife. It suggests trespassing on his neighbor's domain and violating his marital rights.
Therefore, the entire verse means: Job is stating that he has not lusted after another man's wife, nor has he taken any action (like secretly waiting outside her house) to pursue an adulterous relationship. He's claiming absolute purity in this area. It emphasizes both the internal (heart's desires) and external (actions) aspects of faithfulness and marital fidelity.
In Summary:
Internal Purity: Job hasn't entertained lustful thoughts towards another man's wife.
External Purity: Job hasn't taken any action or made any plan to commit adultery.
This verse, along with the surrounding verses in Job 31, is Job's powerful declaration of his righteousness. He's using his integrity in these areas as part of his defense against the accusations of his friends, who are implying that his suffering is a result of his sin.