Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 31:30

Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.

30. The verse, which is parenthetical, reads,

(Yea, I suffered not my mouth to sin,

To ask, with a curse, his life).

He was so far from rejoicing in the evil that befell his enemy that he had never permitted himself even in hasty anger to throw out an imprecation against him. On the obligation of love to enemies comp. Pro 24:17 seq., Pro 25:21 seq.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Neither have I suffered my mouth – Margin, as in Hebrew, palate. The word is often used for the mouth in general, and especially as the organ of the voice from the use and importance of the palate in speaking. Pro 8:7. For my palate ( chikiy) speaketh truth. It is used as the organ of taste, Job 12:11; compare Job 6:30; Psa 119:103.

By wishing a curse to his soul – It must have been an extraordinary degree of piety which would permit a man to say this with truth, that he had never harbored a wish of injury to an enemy. Few are the people, probably, even now, who could say this, and who are enabled to keep their minds free from every wish that calamities and woes may overtake those who are seeking their hurt. Yet this is the nature of true religion. It controls the heart, represses the angry and revengeful feelings, and creates in the soul an earnest desire for the happiness even of those who injure us.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 30. Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin] I have neither spoken evil of him, nor wished evil to him. How few of those called Christians can speak thus concerning their enemies; or those who have done them any mischief!

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

My mouth, Heb. my palate, which being one of the instruments of speech, is put for another, or for all the rest. The sense is, If any secret passion or desire of his hurt did arise in me, I forthwith suppressed it, and did not suffer it to grow and break forth into an imprecation of hurt to him.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

30. mouthliterally, “palate.”(See on Job 6:30).

wishingliterally, “soas to demand his (my enemy’s) soul,” that is, “life by acurse.” This verse parenthetically confirms Job31:30. Job in the patriarchal age of the promise, anterior to thelaw, realizes the Gospel spirit, which was the end of the law(compare Lev 19:18; Deu 23:6;Mat 5:43; Mat 5:44).

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin,…. Which, as it is the instrument of speech, is often the means of much sin; particularly of cursing men, and expressing much bitterness against enemies; but Job laid an embargo upon it, kept it as with a bridle, restrained it from uttering any evil, or wishing any to his worst adversaries; which is difficult to do, when provocations are given, as follows:

by wishing a curse to his soul; not to his soul as distinct from his body, being the superior excellency and immortal part; that it be everlastingly damned, as wicked men wish to their own souls, and the souls of others, but to his person, wishing some calamity might befall him, some disease seize upon him, or that God would take him away by death: Job would never suffer himself to wish anything of this kind unto his enemy.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

30. Wishing a curse to his soul Rather, demanding his life with a curse. See note, Job 3:8. Job denies that he has by any imprecation sought to enlist deity against his enemy. Tacitus, speaking of the interference of Piso with the offering of sacrifices for the recovery of Germanicus from dangerous illness, says, “Even the victims already at the altar were driven away, and the apparatus for sacrifice overturned,” etc. Annals, 2:69. Compare 1Ki 3:11.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 31:30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.

Ver. 30. Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin ] Heb. my palate; which is one of the nine instruments of speech. I have not so much as broken out into any passionate word against him; but when I was raging ripe I refrained, and forbore boisterous and blustering expressions, whereby some would have vented their choler in such a case. Nothing is more easy and ordinary than to curse an enemy; by prayer at least to turn him over to God to be punished; as David did Nabal, and it was soon done. But Job, out of private revenge, dared not do this, whatever David did out of a zeal of God’s glory, which wicked men sought to deface.

By wishing a curse to his soul ] Heb. by asking his life by a curse. Job knew that cursing men are cursed men, Psa 109:18 . If the prophets cursed their enemies at any time, as Elisha did the children at Bethel, and David oft in the Psalms, it was not livore vindictae, sed zelo iustitae, not out of a vindictive spirit, but by the instinct of God’s Holy Spirit, and out of zeal for God’s glory (Gorran.). Our rule is, “Bless them that persecute you: bless, and curse not,” Rom 12:14 . Render not evil for evil, or railing for railing; but contrariwise bless, knowing that we are thereunto called, that we should inherit a blessing, 1Pe 3:9 . Epiphanius and Chrysostom falling out about Origen’s writings, wished a curse to one another; and it ocurred accordingly; the one died ere he came home, and the other was unbishoped.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

his. A special various reading called Sevir (App-34) reads “their”.

soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

have: Exo 23:4, Exo 23:5, Mat 5:43, Mat 5:44, Rom 12:14, 1Pe 2:22, 1Pe 2:23, 1Pe 3:9

mouth: Heb. palate, Ecc 5:2, Ecc 5:6, Mat 5:22, Mat 12:36, Jam 3:6, Jam 3:9, Jam 3:10

Reciprocal: 1Sa 24:6 – the Lord forbid 2Sa 16:9 – let me go Job 33:2 – mouth Job 34:3 – mouth

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge