Job 31:8
Job 31:8 in Multiple Translations
then may another eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted.
Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
Then let me sow, and let another eat; Yea, let the produce of my field be rooted out.
Let me put seed in the earth for another to have the fruit of it, and let my produce be uprooted.
then let someone else eat what I have sown, and all that I have grown be uprooted.
Let me sowe, and let another eate: yea, let my plantes be rooted out.
Let me sow — and another eat, And my products let be rooted out.
then let me sow, and let another eat. Yes, let the produce of my field be rooted out.
Then let me sow, and let another eat; yes, let my offspring be rooted out.
Then let me sow and let another eat: and let my offspring be rooted out.
then I hope/wish that when I plant seeds, someone else will harvest the crops and eat them and that others will uproot the fruit trees that I planted.
Berean Amplified Bible — Job 31:8
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Job 31:8 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
אֶ֭זְרְעָה
וְ/אַחֵ֣ר
יֹאכֵ֑ל
וְֽ/צֶאֱצָאַ֥/י
יְשֹׁרָֽשׁוּ
אֶ֭זְרְעָה
zâraʻ
H2232
to sow
V-Qal-1cs
וְ/אַחֵ֣ר
ʼachêr
H312
another
Conj | Adj
יֹאכֵ֑ל
ʼâkal
H398
to eat
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
וְֽ/צֶאֱצָאַ֥/י
tseʼĕtsâʼ
H6631
offspring
Conj | N-mp | Suff
יְשֹׁרָֽשׁוּ
shârash
H8327
to uproot
V-Pual-Imperf-3mp
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Job 31:8
אֶ֭זְרְעָה
zâraʻ
H2232
"to sow"
V-Qal-1cs
To sow or plant seed is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which also has figurative uses like spreading ideas or producing spiritual fruit. It appears in various forms, such as conceiving or yielding seed, and is used in biblical passages like Genesis and Psalm 107.
Definition: 1) to sow, scatter seed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to sow 1a2) producing, yielding seed 1b)(Niphal) 1b1) to be sown 1b2) to become pregnant, be made pregnant 1c) (Pual) to be sown 1d) (Hiphil) to produce seed, yield seed
Usage: Occurs in 54 OT verses. KJV: bear, conceive seed, set with sow(-er), yield. See also: Genesis 1:11; Psalms 107:37; Psalms 97:11.
וְ/אַחֵ֣ר
ʼachêr
H312
"another"
Conj | Adj
Means another or next in the original Hebrew, often referring to someone or something that follows or is different. It appears in various contexts, including descriptions of people and events in the Bible.
Definition: 1) another, other, following 1a) following, further 1b) other, different
Usage: Occurs in 161 OT verses. KJV: (an-) other man, following, next, strange. See also: Genesis 4:25; 1 Kings 13:10; Psalms 16:4.
יֹאכֵ֑ל
ʼâkal
H398
"to eat"
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms
This word means to eat or devour, and it's used in many stories, including when Jesus fed the 5000 with fish and bread in the book of Matthew. It's about taking in nourishment and being satisfied.
Definition: 1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to eat (human subject) 1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds) 1a3) to devour, consume (of fire) 1a4) to devour, slay (of sword) 1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought) 1a6) to devour (of oppression) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be eaten (by men) 1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire) 1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh) 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to cause to eat, feed with 1c2) to cause to devour 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to feed 1d2) to cause to eat 1e) (Piel) 1e1) consume Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)
Usage: Occurs in 703 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite. See also: Genesis 2:16; Leviticus 6:9; Numbers 24:8.
וְֽ/צֶאֱצָאַ֥/י
tseʼĕtsâʼ
H6631
"offspring"
Conj | N-mp | Suff
Offspring or produce, this term describes children or descendants, as well as the fruit of the earth. It is used to describe the outcome of human or natural processes. The Bible uses it to talk about family and heritage.
Definition: 1) offspring, produce, issue 1a) offspring (of men) 1b) produce (of earth) 1c) descendants (metaphorical)
Usage: Occurs in 11 OT verses. KJV: that which cometh forth (out), offspring. See also: Job 5:25; Isaiah 34:1; Isaiah 22:24.
יְשֹׁרָֽשׁוּ
shârash
H8327
"to uproot"
V-Pual-Imperf-3mp
To uproot means to remove something from the ground, like a plant. In the Bible, it can also mean to get rid of something bad. It appears in books like Isaiah and Jeremiah.
Definition: 1) to uproot, take root, deal with the roots 1a) (Piel) to root up, root out 1b) (Pual) to be rooted up or out (of produce) 1c) (Poel) to take root 1d) (Poal) to take root 1e) (Hiphil) to take root, cause to take root
Usage: Occurs in 8 OT verses. KJV: (take, cause to take) root (out). See also: Job 5:3; Psalms 80:10; Psalms 52:7.
Study Notes — Job 31:8
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Job 31:8 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Job 31:8
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 31:8
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 31:8
- Trapp's Commentary on Job 31:8
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 31:8
- Cambridge Bible on Job 31:8
- Barnes' Notes on Job 31:8
- Whedon's Commentary on Job 31:8
- Sermons on Job 31:8
Context — Job’s Final Appeal
6let God weigh me with honest scales, that He may know my integrity.
7If my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has followed my eyes, or if impurity has stuck to my hands,
8then may another eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted.
9If my heart has been enticed by my neighbor’s wife, or I have lurked at his door, 10then may my own wife grind grain for another, and may other men sleep with her.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Micah 6:15 | You will sow but not reap; you will press olives but not anoint yourselves with oil; you will tread grapes but not drink the wine. |
| 2 | Leviticus 26:16 | then this is what I will do to you: I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting disease, and fever that will destroy your sight and drain your life. You will sow your seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it. |
| 3 | Deuteronomy 28:38 | You will sow much seed in the field but harvest little, because the locusts will consume it. |
| 4 | Job 24:6 | They gather fodder in the fields and glean the vineyards of the wicked. |
| 5 | Psalms 109:13 | May his descendants be cut off; may their name be blotted out from the next generation. |
| 6 | Deuteronomy 28:30–33 | You will be pledged in marriage to a woman, but another man will violate her. You will build a house but will not live in it. You will plant a vineyard but will not enjoy its fruit. Your ox will be slaughtered before your eyes, but you will not eat any of it. Your donkey will be taken away and not returned to you. Your flock will be given to your enemies, and no one will save you. Your sons and daughters will be given to another nation, while your eyes grow weary looking for them day after day, with no power in your hand. A people you do not know will eat the produce of your land and of all your toil. All your days you will be oppressed and crushed. |
| 7 | Job 15:30 | He will not escape from the darkness; the flame will wither his shoots, and the breath of God’s mouth will carry him away. |
| 8 | Job 20:18 | He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming it; he cannot enjoy the profits of his trading. |
| 9 | Judges 6:3–6 | Whenever the Israelites would plant their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east would come up and invade them, encamping against them as far as Gaza and destroying the produce of the land. They left Israel with no sustenance, neither sheep nor oxen nor donkeys. For the Midianites came with their livestock and their tents like a great swarm of locusts. They and their camels were innumerable, and they entered the land to ravage it. Israel was greatly impoverished by Midian, and the Israelites cried out to the LORD. |
| 10 | Job 18:19 | He has no offspring or posterity among his people, no survivor where he once lived. |
Job 31:8 Summary
In Job 31:8, Job is saying that if he has done wrong, he is willing to lose everything he has worked for, and even to have someone else benefit from his labor. This shows how much Job values living a life of integrity and honesty, as seen in Psalm 37:3. He is essentially saying, 'If I have been unfaithful, I deserve to lose what I have', which is a principle also taught in Galatians 6:7-8, where we reap what we sow. This verse encourages us to reflect on our own lives and to consider the consequences of our actions, and to trust in God's provision, as promised in Matthew 6:33.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean for Job to say 'may another eat what I have sown'?
This phrase means that if Job has been dishonest or wicked, he is willing for someone else to reap the benefits of his labor, as a form of punishment, similar to what is described in Deuteronomy 28:33 and Leviticus 26:16.
Is Job 31:8 a curse or a blessing?
This verse is not a curse, but rather a statement of Job's commitment to integrity, where he invites God to examine his life, as seen in Job 31:6, and to bring consequences if he has been unfaithful, as warned in Proverbs 11:3.
How does this verse relate to Job's character?
This verse demonstrates Job's confidence in his own integrity and his willingness to be held accountable by God, as expressed in Psalm 26:2, which shows his commitment to living a righteous life.
What does 'may my crops be uprooted' signify?
This phrase signifies the loss of Job's livelihood and provision, as a consequence of his potential wrongdoing, which is a theme also seen in Jeremiah 12:13, where the prophet describes the judgment of God on a nation that has turned away from Him.
Reflection Questions
- What are some areas in my life where I am 'sowing' and what kind of 'crops' can I expect to reap?
- How can I, like Job, demonstrate my commitment to integrity and invite God to examine my life?
- What are some potential consequences of living a life of dishonesty or wickedness, and how can I avoid them?
- In what ways can I trust God to provide for me, even if my 'crops are uprooted', as seen in Philippians 4:19?
Gill's Exposition on Job 31:8
[Then] let me sow, and another eat,.... If what he had before said was not true; but he had turned out of the way of righteousness, and walked after the sight of his eyes, and the mammon of
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 31:8
Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 31:8
Let strangers enjoy the fruit of my labours, according to God’ s curse, . My offspring; as this word is used, 27:14. Or rather, my increase, or growths, or sprouts, i.e. all my plants, and fruits, and improvements. For, 1. So the word properly signifies. 2. So this latter branch of the verse explains the former, as is most frequent in this and some other books of Scripture. 3. He had not now any children to be rooted out.
Trapp's Commentary on Job 31:8
Job 31:8 [Then] let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.Ver. 8. Then let me sow, and another eat] God loves to retaliate; and let him do so to me, according to that he hath threatened, Deuteronomy 28:30, &c., and as he executed upon Laban, Nabal, Saul, Haman, others. The Greeks have a proverb, Aλλοιμενσπειρουσ’ αλλοιδαναμησονται. Some sow that which others reap. This Job wisheth may befall, if he had been oppressive and injurious, as Eliphaz had wrongfully accused him, Job 22:6. Yea, let my offspring be rooted out] Or, Let that which I have planted be plucked up by the roots. It is commonly seen that oppressors and unconscionable persons procure their own ruth and ruin; and he that gathereth the fruits of another man’ s tree pulleth his own up by the roots. Oιαυτωκακατευχειανηρ, αλλωκακατευχων. Those who spoil houses which they builded not, Job 20:19, shall, when they cease to spoil, be made a spoil; and when they have made an end of dealing treacherously, be treacherously dealt with themselves, Isaiah 13:1.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 31:8
Verse 8. Let me sow, and let another eat] Let me be plagued both in my circumstances and in my family. My offspring be rooted out.] It has already appeared probable that all Job's children were not destroyed in the fall of the house mentioned Job 1:18-19.
Cambridge Bible on Job 31:8
8. The imprecation. let my offspring be rooted out] Rather, let my produce, i. e. what springs out of that which I have planted or sown; comp. Leviticus 26:16; Deuteronomy 28:33.
Barnes' Notes on Job 31:8
Then let me sow, and let another eat - This is the imprecation which he invokes, in case he had been guilty in this respect. He consented to sow his fields, and let others enjoy the harvest.
Whedon's Commentary on Job 31:8
8. Let me sow, etc. — A proverbial phrase. See John 4:37. Offspring — Produce of the land.
Sermons on Job 31:8
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Israel's Chastisement by Art Katz | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes that the actions of God in the present times are a demonstration of His power and nature, both in judgment and mercy. The sermon highlights |