Job exhibits unwavering moral discipline and a decision to devote his whole being to righteousness.
Job, a man who likely lived around the time of the patriarchs (circa 2000-1800 BC), declares that he has chosen to discipline himself by how he looks upon others. He opens by saying, “I have made a covenant with my eyes; How then could I gaze at a virgin?” (v.1). This statement is a vow of purity, revealing Job’s deliberate commitment to resist even the simplest temptation of looking upon someone inappropriately. During Job’s era in the ancient Near East, such self-restraint set him apart as deeply concerned with righteousness rather than merely following cultural norms. In making this declaration, Job shows that he understands that sin starts in the heart, much like Jesus later taught when addressing the internal roots of sin (Matthew 5:27-28).
In this verse, “I have made a covenant with my eyes; How then could I gaze at a virgin?” (v.1), we see the intentionality behind Job’s actions. The word “covenant” implies a binding agreement with himself before God, underscoring the seriousness of his desire to avoid could-be lustful actions. Since Job’s homeland is said to be in the land of Uz, a location some scholars associate with areas east of Israel near Edom, we envision a man in a challenging environment—possibly remote and lacking close oversight from a community of like-minded believers—yet determined to guard his moral integrity. This attitude makes him a model of holiness seeking to honor the Creator.
By asking, “How then could I gaze at a virgin?” (v.1), Job highlights that allowing one’s gaze to linger is a slippery path that can lead to impurity of heart. His statement anticipates the law of moral accountability later reinforced in other parts of Scripture. Job demonstrates a principle that controlling one's eyes is foundational to avoiding sin, calling to mind the broader theme that God values our innermost thoughts as well as our outward acts.
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Job 31:1 meaning
Job, a man who likely lived around the time of the patriarchs (circa 2000-1800 BC), declares that he has chosen to discipline himself by how he looks upon others. He opens by saying, “I have made a covenant with my eyes; How then could I gaze at a virgin?” (v.1). This statement is a vow of purity, revealing Job’s deliberate commitment to resist even the simplest temptation of looking upon someone inappropriately. During Job’s era in the ancient Near East, such self-restraint set him apart as deeply concerned with righteousness rather than merely following cultural norms. In making this declaration, Job shows that he understands that sin starts in the heart, much like Jesus later taught when addressing the internal roots of sin (Matthew 5:27-28).
In this verse, “I have made a covenant with my eyes; How then could I gaze at a virgin?” (v.1), we see the intentionality behind Job’s actions. The word “covenant” implies a binding agreement with himself before God, underscoring the seriousness of his desire to avoid could-be lustful actions. Since Job’s homeland is said to be in the land of Uz, a location some scholars associate with areas east of Israel near Edom, we envision a man in a challenging environment—possibly remote and lacking close oversight from a community of like-minded believers—yet determined to guard his moral integrity. This attitude makes him a model of holiness seeking to honor the Creator.
By asking, “How then could I gaze at a virgin?” (v.1), Job highlights that allowing one’s gaze to linger is a slippery path that can lead to impurity of heart. His statement anticipates the law of moral accountability later reinforced in other parts of Scripture. Job demonstrates a principle that controlling one's eyes is foundational to avoiding sin, calling to mind the broader theme that God values our innermost thoughts as well as our outward acts.