Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.
Then let my arm fall off at the shoulder, and let my arm be broken away from the bone.
Job is calling down a severe physical curse on himself if he has failed to help the poor and needy.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Job, Job is a righteous man enduring severe trials and responding to his friends' accusations by defending his moral integrity. In Chapter 31, he delivers a poetic oath, listing potential sins he could have committed and invoking self-curses as proof of his innocence if guilty. This verse specifically reflects an ancient Near Eastern practice of self-imprecation, where Job calls for physical harm to himself as a dramatic affirmation of his uprightness regarding issues like injustice or covetousness.
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