Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Job 31:38-39

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Job 31:38-39


38 If my land ['adamah] cry [za`aq] against me, or that the furrows [telem] likewise [yachad] thereof complain [bakah];
39 If I have eaten ['akal] the fruits [koach] thereof without money [keceph], or have caused the owners [ba`al] thereof to lose [naphach] their life [nephesh]: KJV-Interlinear


38 'If my land cries out against me, And its furrows weep together; 39 If I have eaten its fruit without money, Or have caused its owners to lose their lives, NASB


Job accepted personal responsibility for all that he owned and did during his life. Of his lands, property, livestock, tools, equipment and so forth, he did nothing illegal, he did not abuse them.

Job did not take advantage of labor. He placed no undue burden on his employees or workers. He did not try to withhold payment for work performed, nor expect more than his workers were capable of.

Job did not try to make the quick dollar, by growing illegal products or by entering into illegal practices or activities, by cheating in his business practices, by claiming his production as good, when portions may have suffered rot or some type of flaw. He did not try to commit fraud or cover up a known deficiency.

Job worked an honest day, for his honest earnings. If he entered into some type of contract, then he did not try to take advantage of his business partners, or others who may have been compromised by some weakness in their financial situation.

The land crying, the furrows weeping, are expressions of a generally dishonest life, a dishonest life that is known and intentional.

Problems can always come up in business, problems which are not intentional, but that is just a part of life.

Job herein states that he did not promote nor pursue dishonest practices as a matter of the normal course of his life.

Job worked an honest day, paid an honest wage, charged an honest price, and otherwise conducted himself honorably throughout his life.