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Job 31:17

Made Simple — Modern English Translation

Translated by Verse Made Simple Editorial
KJV ORIGINAL
Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE

Or have I eaten my food all by myself, without sharing any of it with orphaned children?

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

Job is defending himself by saying he always shared his food with orphans and didn't keep it all to himself.

📚 Historical Context

In the book of Job, set in the ancient Near East, Job is defending his integrity during a time of immense suffering by listing his righteous behaviors as evidence of his faithfulness to God. This verse specifically addresses his habit of sharing food with the fatherless, which was a cultural expectation in ancient Israelite society rooted in the Mosaic Law's emphasis on caring for the vulnerable. Such practices highlighted the moral duty to protect orphans, who were often marginalized without family support.

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