Job 31:1

 Job 31:1

I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

a. ASV: I made a covenant with mine eyes; How then should I look upon a virgin? [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT: A covenant I made for mine eyes, And what -- do I attend to a virgin? [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Amplified Bible Classic: I dictated a covenant (an agreement) to my eyes; how then could I look [lustfully] upon a girl? [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Septuagint: I made a covenant with mine eyes, and I will not think upon a virgin.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: I forged a covenant with my eyes, and I would not gaze at a maiden. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ltd.]

f. Job, Jewish Publication Society of America Text: I made a covenant with mine eyes; How then should I look upon a maid? [Soncino Books of the Bible, Job, 1946; Jewish Publication Society of America Text; Commentary, Rabbi Dr. Victor E. Reichert]

1. “I made a covenant with mine eyes…”

a. [I] made [Strong: 3772 karath kaw-rath' a primitive root; to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to covenant (i.e. make an alliance or bargain, originally by cutting flesh and passing between the pieces):--be chewed, be con-(feder-)ate, covenant, cut (down, off), destroy, fail, feller, be freed, hew (down), make a league ((covenant)), X lose, perish, X utterly, X want.]

b. [a] covenant [Strong: 1285 briyth ber-eeth' from 1262 (in the sense of cutting (like 1254)); a compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh):--confederacy, (con-)feder(-ate), covenant, league.]

c. [with] mine] eyes [Strong: 5869 `ayin ah'-yin probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape):--affliction, outward appearance, + before, + think best, colour, conceit, + be content, countenance, + displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, + favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), X him, + humble, knowledge, look, (+ well), X me, open(-ly), + (not) please, presence, + regard, resemblance, sight, X thee, X them, + think, X us, well, X you(-rselves).]

2. “...why then should I think upon a maid?”

a. why then [Strong: 4100 mah maw or mah {mah}; or ma {maw}; or ma {mah}; also meh {meh}; a primitive particle; properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses:--how (long, oft, (- soever)), (no-)thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.]

b. [should] I think [Strong: 995  biyn bene a primitive root; to separate mentally (or distinguish), i.e.(generally) understand:--attend, consider, be cunning, diligently, direct, discern, eloquent, feel, inform, instruct, have intelligence, know, look well to, mark, perceive, be prudent, regard, (can) skill(-full), teach, think, (cause, make to, get, give, have) understand(-ing), view, (deal) wise(-ly, man).]

c. upon [Strong: 5921 `al al properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications (as follow):--above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, X with.]

d.  [a] maid [Strong: 1330 bthuwlah beth-oo-law' feminine passive participle of an unused root meaning to separate; a virgin (from her privacy); sometimes (by continuation) a bride; also (figuratively) a city or state:--maid, virgin.]

1). Psalm 101:1-3 I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing.

101:2  I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

101:3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.

2). Psalm 119:37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.

3). Matthew 5:27-29 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

5:29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

5:30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

4). The context of this verse continues down to Job 31:12.