Job 9:31

Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.

Yet {H227} shalt thou plunge {H2881} me in the ditch {H7845}, and mine own clothes {H8008} shall abhor {H8581} me.

you would plunge me into the muddy pit, till my own clothes would detest me.

then You would plunge me into the pit, and even my own clothes would despise me.

Yet wilt thou plunge me in the ditch, And mine own clothes shall abhor me.

Context

Job 9:31 is part of Job's first response to his friend Bildad, following Bildad's harsh accusation that Job's suffering must be due to his sin. In this chapter, Job acknowledges God's immense power and sovereignty (Job 9:4-10), but he feels utterly helpless to contend with Him or justify himself. Despite believing in his own innocence regarding the specific sins his friends accuse him of, Job despairs of ever being able to stand clean before a perfectly righteous and all-powerful God. He feels that no matter how much he tries to cleanse himself, God's judgment would still plunge him into further defilement and disgrace.

Key Themes

  • Profound Despair and Helplessness: Job expresses a deep sense of hopelessness. He feels trapped and overwhelmed by God's apparent hostility, believing that no amount of personal effort or cleansing can redeem his situation in God's eyes.
  • The Futility of Human Self-Justification: The verse powerfully illustrates Job's conviction that human attempts at righteousness are insufficient before God's absolute holiness. Even if he could purify himself, God's overwhelming power and perceived judgment would still render him unclean and despised. This echoes a broader biblical theme that human righteousness is like "filthy rags" before God.
  • Extreme Defilement and Shame: The imagery of being "plunge[d] in the ditch" (a pit of filth or corruption) and having one's "own clothes abhor me" vividly conveys a sense of ultimate defilement, disgrace, and utter repulsion. It suggests a state so vile that even his closest possessions would turn away in disgust.

Linguistic Insights

The word translated "ditch" is from the Hebrew root shachath (שָׁחַת), which can mean to corrupt, destroy, or ruin, often referring to a pit or a state of decay. It implies a place of filth and destruction, not just a simple hole. The term "abhor" comes from ta'av (תָּעַב), meaning to detest, loathe, or find abominable. This strong verb emphasizes the extreme disgust Job anticipates, portraying a complete and humiliating rejection even by his own garments, which typically symbolize one's outward appearance and honor.

Practical Application

Job's cry in this verse resonates with anyone who has felt utterly overwhelmed, misunderstood, or unjustly treated, especially when wrestling with feelings of spiritual inadequacy before God. It highlights the human inability to truly cleanse oneself or justify oneself before a holy God, pointing to the ultimate need for a divine mediator. Job's desperate longing for someone to stand between him and God (Job 9:33) foreshadows the New Testament revelation of Jesus Christ, who provides the perfect righteousness and cleansing that Job could only dream of. This verse reminds us that our standing before God is not based on our own efforts, but on God's grace and provision.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Isaiah 64:6

    ¶ But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

  • Isaiah 59:6

    Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works [are] works of iniquity, and the act of violence [is] in their hands.

  • Philippians 3:8

    Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ,

  • Philippians 3:9

    ¶ And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

  • Job 9:20

    If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: [if I say], I [am] perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

  • Job 15:6

    Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.

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