Job 31 · Verse 35

Job 31:35

Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.
Job 31:35, King James Version

Job 31:35 in other translations

BSB(Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my signature. Let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser compose an indictment.
WEBoh that I had one to hear me! Behold, here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me! Let the accuser write my indictment!
ASVOh that I had one to hear me! (Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me) And that I had the indictment which mine adversary hath written!
YLTWho giveth to me a hearing? lo, my mark. The Mighty One doth answer me, And a bill hath mine adversary written.
DARBYOh that I had one to hear me! Behold my signature: let the Almighty answer me! And let mine opponent write an accusation!
BBEIf only God would give ear to me, and the Ruler of all would give me an answer! or if what he has against me had been put in writing!
WebsterOh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that my adversary had written a book.

What does Job 31:35 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
35. Job returns to his wish (Job 13:22; 19:23). Omit "is"; "Behold my sign," that is, my mark of subscription to the statements just given in my defense: the mark of signature was originally a cross; and hence the letter Tau or T. Translate, also "Oh, that the Almighty," &c. He marks "God" as the "One" meant in the first clause. adversary--that is, he who contends with me, refers also to God. The vagueness is designed to express "whoever it be that judicially opposes me"--the Almighty if it be He. had written a book--rather, "would write down his charge."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 35 O that one would hear me! - I wish to have a fair and full hearing: I am grievously accused; and have no proper opportunity of clearing myself, and establishing my own innocence. Behold, my desire is - Or, הן תוי hen tavi, "There is my pledge." I bind myself, on a great penalty, to come into court, and abide the issue. That the Almighty would answer me - That he would call this case immediately before himself; and oblige my adversary to come into court, to put his accusations into a legal form, that I might have the opportunity of vindicating myself in the presence of a judge who would hear dispassionately my pleadings, and bring the cause to a righteous issue. And that mine adversary had written a book - That he would not indulge himself in vague accusations, but would draw up a proper bill of indictment, that I might know to what I had to plead, and find the accusation in a tangible form.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 31:33-40

Job clears himself from the charge of hypocrisy. We are loth to confess our faults, willing to excuse them, and to lay the blame upon others. But he that thus covers his sins, shall not prosper, Pr 28:13. He speaks of his courage in what is good, as an evidence of his sincerity in it. When men get estates unjustly, they are justly deprived of comfort from them; it was sown wheat, but shall come up thistles. What men…

Read the full comment on Job 31:33-40 →

Job 31:35 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

מִ֤יmiwho?H4310
יִתֶּן\־yi.ten-will he giveH5414
לִ֨י\׀li[will belong] to me
שֹׁ֘מֵ֤עַֽsho.Me.a'[one who] listensH8085
לִ֗יLito me
הֶן\־hen-here!H2005
תָּ֭וִיTa.vimark myH8420
שַׁדַּ֣יsha.Dai[the] AlmightyH7706
יַעֲנֵ֑נִיya.'a.Ne.nilet him answer meH6030
וְסֵ֥פֶרve.Se.ferand a documentH5612
כָּ֝תַ֗בka.Tav[which] he had writtenH3789
אִ֣ישׁ'ish[the] person ofH376
רִיבִֽי\׃ri.Vicase myH7379

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Job 31:35

  • Job 40:4-5

    Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.

  • Job 13:21-22

    Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid. Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.

  • Job 23:3-7

    Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat! I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me. Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me. …

  • Job 13:3

    Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.

  • Job 35:14

    Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him.

  • Job 38:1-3

    Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

  • Job 17:3

    Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me?

  • Job 33:6

    Behold, I am according to thy wish in God’s stead: I also am formed out of the clay.

  • Job 13:24

    Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?

  • Job 19:7

    Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.

  • Job 19:23-24

    Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!

  • Job 19:11

    He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Oh.
13:3; 17:3; 23:3-7; 33:6; 38:1-3; 40:4,5
my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me. or, my signis that the Almighty will answer me.
13:21,22; Ps 26:1
mine.
13:24; 19:11,23,24; 33:10,11; Mt 5:25

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 31:34

    Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?

  • Job 31:35

    Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.

  • Job 31:36

    Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.

Read all of Job 31

Job 31:35 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¡Quién me diera quien me oyese! He aquí mi impresión es que el Omnipotente testificaría por mí, aunque mi adversario me hiciera el proceso.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Oh! si j’avais quelqu’un pour m’écouter! Voici ma signature. Que le Tout-puissant me réponde, et que ma partie adverse fasse un écrit!
German
Elberfelder 1871		O daß ich einen hätte, der auf mich hörte, -hier ist meine Unterschrift; der Allmächtige antworte mir! -und die Klageschrift, welche mein Gegner geschrieben!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quis mihi tribuat auditorem, ut desiderium meum audiat Omnipotens, et librum scribat ipse qui judicat,