Job 31:16

Study note

Setting — Job speaks these words as part of his formal oath of innocence, addressing God directly in a legal defense after his friends accused him of hidden wrongdoing. He lists specific social responsibilities to demonstrate his consistent care for vulnerable groups.

The words — The Hebrew אֶמְנַע ('Em.na') means "I withheld" or "I denied," describing the active refusal to meet the needs of the דַלִּים (da.Lim, "poor"). The phrase עֵינֵי אַלְמָנָה ('ei.Nei 'al.ma.Nah, "eyes of a widow") paired with אֲכַלֶּה ('a.kha.Leh, "I caused to fail") depicts the despair of a grieving woman denied relief.

The thread — The concern for the poor appears in Deuteronomy 15:7, which commands opening one’s hand to the needy brother. The motif of failing eyes appears in Isaiah 38:14 and Deuteronomy 28:32 to describe prolonged grief and loss.

Why it lands — The verse demands self-examination of one’s treatment of economically and socially marginalized people. It requires the reader to verify that their actions do not actively withhold relief or prolong the suffering of the vulnerable.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.