the Second Week after Easter
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Contemporary English Version
Job 31:13
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- BakerEncyclopedias:
- InternationalParallel Translations
If I have dismissed the case of my male or female servantswhen they made a complaint against me,
"If I have despised the cause of my man-servant Or of my maid-servant, When they contended with me;
If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
"If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant, when they brought a complaint against me,
"If I have been unfair to my male and female slaves when they had a complaint against me,
"If I have disregarded the right of my male servants or my female servants when they disputed with me,
"If I have despised and rejected the claim of my male or female servants When they filed a complaint against me,
"If I have rejected the claim of my male or female slaves When they filed a complaint against me,
"If I have despised the cause of my man-servant Or of my maid-servant, When they contended with me;
If I did contemne the iudgement of my seruant, and of my mayde, when they did contend with me,
"If I have rejected the justice of my male or female slavesWhen they filed a complaint against me,
If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or maidservant when they made a complaint against me,
"If I ever rejected my slave or slave-girl's cause, when they brought legal action against me;
If I have despised the cause of my bondman or of my bondmaid, when they contended with me,
"If I refused to be fair to my slaves when they had a complaint against me,
If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant, when he contended with me,
When any of my servants complained against me, I would listen and treat them fairly.
"If I have rejected my male or female slave's case when their complaint was against me,
If I despised the cause of my male slave or my slave-girl when they contended with me,
Dyd I euer thynke scorne to do right vnto my seruautes and maydens, when they had eny matter agaynst me?
If I have despised the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant, When they contended with me;
If I did wrong in the cause of my man-servant, or my woman-servant, when they went to law with me;
If I did despise the cause of my man-servant, or of my maid-servant, when they contended with me--
If I did despise the cause of my man-seruant, or of my mayd-seruant, when they contended with me:
If I euer thought scorne to do right vnto my seruauntes & maydens, when they had any matter against me:
And if too I despised the judgment of my servant or my handmaid, when they pleaded with me;
If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me:
If Y dispiside to take doom with my seruaunt and myn hand mayde, whanne thei stryueden ayens me.
If I have despised the cause of my male slave or of my female slave, When they contended with me;
If I despised the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant, when they contended with me;
"If I have despised the cause of my male or female servant When they complained against me,
"If I have been unfair to my male or female servants when they brought their complaints to me,
"If I did not listen to my men servants and women servants when they complained against me,
"If I have rejected the cause of my male or female slaves, when they brought a complaint against me;
If I refused the right of my servant, or my handmaid, when they contended with me,
If I have despised to abide judgment with my manservant, or my maidservant, when they had any controversy against me:
"If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant, when they brought a complaint against me;
If I despise the cause of my man-servant, And of my handmaid, In their contending with me,
"Have I ever been unfair to my employees when they brought a complaint to me? What, then, will I do when God confronts me? When God examines my books, what can I say? Didn't the same God who made me, make them? Aren't we all made of the same stuff, equals before God?
"If I have despised the claim of my male or female slaves When they filed a complaint against me,
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
the cause: Exodus 21:20, Exodus 21:21, Exodus 21:26, Exodus 21:27, Leviticus 25:43, Leviticus 25:46, Deuteronomy 15:12-15, Jeremiah 34:14-17, Ephesians 6:9, Colossians 4:1
when: In ancient times slaves had no action at law against their owners; but Job admitted them to all civil rights, and permitted them to complain even against himself.
Reciprocal: Exodus 18:16 - a matter Exodus 18:21 - men Exodus 23:6 - General Deuteronomy 1:17 - ye shall hear Deuteronomy 24:14 - General 1 Samuel 30:13 - my master 2 Kings 5:14 - went he down Job 20:19 - Because Job 36:5 - despiseth Proverbs 14:21 - that despiseth Proverbs 14:31 - that oppresseth Proverbs 29:7 - considereth Isaiah 33:15 - despiseth Jeremiah 7:6 - oppress Ezekiel 18:7 - hath not Matthew 8:6 - my Romans 12:16 - condescend to men of low estate 1 Thessalonians 4:6 - the Lord
Cross-References
One day the Lord said, "Jacob, go back to your relatives in the land of your ancestors, and I will bless you."
and he said, "Notice that all the rams are either spotted or speckled. I know everything Laban is doing to you,
Three days later Laban found out that Jacob had gone.
Then Jacob prayed: You, Lord , are the God who was worshiped by my grandfather Abraham and by my father Isaac. You told me to return home to my family, and you promised to be with me and make me successful.
Jacob built an altar there and called it "God of Bethel," because that was the place where God had appeared to him when he was running from Esau.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
If I did despise the cause of my manservant, or of my maidservant,.... Whether it was a cause that related to any controversy or quarrel among themselves when it was brought before him, he did not reject it, because of the meanness of the contending parties, and the state of servitude they were in; but he received it and searched into it, heard patiently what each had to say, examined them thoroughly, entered into the merits of the cause, and either reconciled them, or passed a righteous sentence, punished the delinquent, and protected the innocent; or, if it was a cause relating to himself, any complaint of their work, or wages, or food, or clothing, as it seems to be from what follows:
when they contended with me; had anything to complain of, or to object to him on the above account, or any other, where there was any show or colour of foundation for it; otherwise it cannot be thought he would indulge a saucy, impudent, and contradicting behaviour in them towards him: masters in those times and countries had an unlimited, and exercised a despotic power over their servants, and used them with great rigour, and refused to do them justice upon complaints; but Job behaved as if he had had the rules of the apostle before him to act by in his conduct towards his servants, Ephesians 6:9; and even condescended to submit the cause between him and his servants to other judges or arbitrators, or rather took cognizance of it himself, heard patiently and carefully what they had to allege, and did them justice.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
If I did despise the cause of my man-servant - Job turns to another subject, on which he claimed that his life had been upright. It was in reference to the treatment of his servants. The meaning here is, “I never refused to do strict justice to my servants when they brought their cause before me, or when they complained that my dealings with them had been severe.”
When they contended with me - That is, when they brought their cause before me, and complained that I had not provided for them comfortably, or that their task had been too hard. If in any respect they supposed they had cause of complaint, I listened to them attentively, and endeavored to do right. He did not take advantage of his sower to oppress them, nor did he suppose that they had no rights of any kind. It is evident, from this, that Job had those who sustained to him the relation of servants; but whether they were slaves, or hired servants, is not known. The language here will agree with either supposition, though it cannot be doubted that slavery was known as early as the time of Job. There is no certain evidence that he held any slaves, in the proper sense of the term, nor that he regarded slavery as right; compare the notes at Job 1:3. He here refers to the numerous persons that had been in his employ in the days of his prosperity, and says that he had never taken advantage of his power or rank to do them wrong.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Job 31:13. The cause of my man-servant — In ancient times slaves had no action at law against their owners; they might dispose of them as they did of their cattle, or any other property. The slave might complain; and the owner might hear him if he pleased, but he was not compelled to do so. Job states that he had admitted them to all civil rights; and, far from preventing their case from being heard, he was ready to permit them to complain even against himself, if they had a cause of complaint, and to give them all the benefit of the law.
