Job 31: Portrait of Integrity

What does Job 31 say about Job's Integrity?

Job’s oath of innocence in chapter 31 encompasses several distinct 
categories of transgression that he categorically denies committing. He 
first denies being guilty of lustfully desiring someone of the opposite 
sex[1], establishing this through a covenant he made with his eyes (Job 
31:1).

Job denies falsehood and deceit[2], insisting that he has not diverged 
from God’s path to stray into falsehood and deceit[3]. He then addresses 
sexual misconduct more broadly, denying any act of adultery and 
asserting that he has not violated his neighbor’s wife[2].

A significant portion of Job’s oath concerns his treatment of vulnerable 
populations. Job denies that he is guilty of oppression or inhumanity 
toward the poor or the weak[2]. More specifically, while masters were 
not answerable to the law, Job knows that he is accountable to God for 
the treatment of his slaves, and he does not treat slaves as chattels 
since they are creatures of God[2]. Not only the slave, but the widow, 
the orphan, and the poor were recipients of Job’s assistance[2].

Job strongly denies any secret worship of gold, the sun, or the moon[2]. 
Finally, Job denies benefiting from the harvest of the land without 
paying those who work it, and he also denies treating the owners of the 
land in a way that causes their desperation, or even death[4].

[1] Roy B. Zuck, “Job,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition 
of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck (Wheaton, IL: 
Victor Books, 1985), 1:753.
[2] Carl Schultz, “Job,” in Evangelical Commentary on the Bible, Baker 
Reference Library (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1995), 3:358.
[3] Daniel J. Estes, Job, ed. Mark L. Strauss, John H. Walton, and 
Rosalie de Rosset, Teach the Text Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: 
Baker Books, 2013), 189.
[4] Richard P. Belcher Jr., Job: The Mystery of Suffering and God’s 
Sovereignty, Focus on the Bible Commentary (Ross-shire, Scotland: 
Christian Focus, 2017), 220.



-- 
Good News †

Through the cross, Christ erased the spiritual debt we owed to God for 
our rebellion (Colossians 2:14), a reality established when God raised 
Him from the dead (Romans 1:4). God can now righteously pardon our sins 
(Romans 3:26) and exempt us from the coming divine judgment (1 
Thessalonians 1:10). Salvation cannot be earned; it is a free gift for 
believers (Romans 6:23). Trust in Jesus and invoke His name to be saved 
(Romans 10:9-13):

How to be saved: christrose.news/salvation