Job 31:9

9 If I have been attracted to my neighbor's wife, and waited, hidden, outside her door,

Job 31:9 Meaning and Commentary

Job 31:9

If mine heart have been deceived by a woman
By another man's wife, by wantonly looking at her beauty, and so lusting after her; and so, not through any blame or fault of hers, or by any artful methods made use of by her, to allure and ensnare; such as were practised by the harlot, ( Proverbs 7:1-27 ) ; but by neither was the heart of Job deceived, and drawn into the sin of uncleanness; for he had made a covenant with his eyes, as not to look at a virgin, so much less at another man's wife, to prevent his lusting after her; and whatever temptations and solicitations he might have been attended with, through the grace of God, as Joseph was, he was enabled to withstand them; though as wise a man, and the wisest of men, had his heart deceived and drawn aside thereby, ( Ecclesiastes 7:26 ) ;

or [if] I have laid wait at my neighbour's door:
to meet with his wife there, and carry on an intrigue with her; or to take the opportunity of going in when opened, in order to solicit her to his embraces, knowing her husband to be away from home; see ( Proverbs 5:8 ) ( Proverbs 7:8 Proverbs 7:19 ) .

Job 31:9 In-Context

7 If I have turned from the right path or let myself be attracted to evil, if my hands are stained with sin,
8 then let my crops be destroyed, or let others eat the food I grow.
9 If I have been attracted to my neighbor's wife, and waited, hidden, outside her door,
10 then let my wife cook another man's food and sleep in another man's bed.
11 Such wickedness should be punished by death.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.