Job 31:7 (KJV)

What does Job 31:7 mean?

Job 31:7 is Job’s declaration that if he has strayed from the right path, let his wrongdoing be exposed. He mentions three things: if his steps have turned aside, if his heart has chased after what his eyes desired, or if his hands are stained with guilt, he is willing to be judged.

Job is speaking directly, defending his innocence before God and his friends. In this verse, Job lists possible ways he could have sinned: going off the moral path, letting his desires lead him, or committing wrong actions. He is inviting scrutiny, confident that he has not been guilty of these things.

The Hebrew behind Job 31:7

• "step" (צַעַד, tsa‘ad): This word refers to a single step or movement, highlighting that even the smallest deviation from the right way matters to Job.
• "out" (נָטָה, natah): This verb means to turn aside or bend away, suggesting a deliberate choice to leave the correct path, not just an accidental slip.
• "blot" (מְאוּם, me’um): This word often means a blemish or stain, especially one that marks guilt or moral failure. Job is saying he is free from any such mark on his hands, a symbol for actions.
• "cleaved" (דָּבַק, davaq): This verb means to cling or stick closely, so Job is saying that no stain of wrongdoing has stuck to him.

Why Job 31:7 matters

• Job 31:7 shows Job’s willingness to be examined and his confidence in his integrity, setting up his challenge to his accusers.
• The verse connects to Job’s larger speech in chapter 31, where he lists possible sins and denies them, emphasizing his honesty and moral conduct.
• The language about the heart following the eyes highlights the inner struggle with desire, not just outward actions, showing that Job is concerned with both motives and deeds.