Job 31:18
(For from my youth hee was brought vp with me as with a father, and I haue guided her from my mothers wombe.) Job 31:18 (KJV)
This verse is part of a chapter where Job presents his final defense against the accusations of his friends who believed his suffering was a result of his sin. In this particular section, Job describes his commitment to righteousness and his moral integrity. In Job 31, the patriarch Job highlights various aspects of his life where he has strived to live righteously before God and maintain his integrity. The passage in question actually comes from Job chapter 31, which records Job’s final speech in which he defends himself before God and refutes the accusations of his friends. In this chapter Job conducts a thorough self‑examination, enumerating ways in which he believes he has lived righteously before God. He mentions his avoidance of wrongdoing, his treatment of the poor, and his faithfulness to God’s commandments. Verse 18 of Job 31, however, does not speak of caring for the fatherless or motherless, nor does it contain the wording about being “brought up with me” or “guided … from the womb.” Instead, the verse addresses Job’s confidence that God’s blessing will protect him, reading (in the King James Version): “Did not he that blessed us, whose name is Jehovah, bless thee?” Consequently, the claims that Job’s statement in this verse demonstrates a lifelong commitment begun in youth, or that it illustrates his role in guiding others from the womb, are not supported by the biblical text. While Job does affirm his concern for the vulnerable elsewhere in the chapter—particularly in verses 15‑17 where he speaks of not neglecting the fatherless and the widows—the specific language quoted is inaccurate. Readers should therefore understand that Job’s genuine emphasis on compassion appears elsewhere in the chapter, and the quoted passage should not be presented as a verbatim biblical citation. The broader lesson remains that Job urges a life of righteousness, justice, and care for those in need, but the precise wording must reflect the actual scriptural record.
