Job 31:16

16 But the helpless missed not whatever need they had, and I did not cause the eye of the widow to fail.

Job 31:16 Meaning and Commentary

Job 31:16

If I have withheld the poor from [their] desire
Their reasonable desires, and which it was in his power to grant; as when they desired a piece of bread, being hungry, or clothes to cover them, being naked; but not unreasonable desires, seeking and asking great things for themselves, or unlimited and unbounded ones, such as the two sons of Zebedee desired of Christ, ( Mark 10:35 ) ;

or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
through long waiting for, and expecting help and succour from him, and at last disappointed. Job did not use the widow in such a manner as to give her reason to hope for relief or counsel from him she came for, and make her wait long, and then send her away empty, as he was charged, ( Job 22:9 ) ; but he soon dispatched her, by granting her what she sued to him for.

Job 31:16 In-Context

14 what then shall I do if the Lord should try me? and if also he should at all visit me, can I make an answer?

15 Were not they too formed as I also was formed in the womb? yea, we were formed in the same womb.

16 But the helpless missed not whatever need they had, and I did not cause the eye of the widow to fail.

17 And if too I ate my morsel alone, and did not impart to the orphan;

18 (for I nourished as a father from my youth and guided from my mother's womb.)