Job 31:9

9 If my heart hath been enticed by woman, And by the opening of my neighbour I laid wait,

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 my step doth turn aside from the way, And after mine eyes hath my heart gone, And to my hands cleaved hath blemish,

8 Let me sow -- and another eat, And my products let be rooted out.

9 If my heart hath been enticed by woman, And by the opening of my neighbour I laid wait,

10 Grind to another let my wife, And over her let others bend.

11 For it [is] a wicked thing, and a judicial iniquity;