The Meaning of Job 31:17 Explained

Job 31:17

KJV: Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;

YLT: And I do eat my morsel by myself, And the orphan hath not eat of it,

Darby: Or have eaten my morsel alone, so that the fatherless ate not thereof,

ASV: Or have eaten my morsel alone, And the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Or have eaten  my morsel  myself alone, and the fatherless  hath not eaten  thereof; 

What does Job 31:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 31:1-40 - The Clean Life
Job had specially guarded against impurity, for its heritage is one of calamity and disaster. He is sure that even if he were weighed by God Himself there would be no iniquity discovered in him. He even goes so far as to invoke the most awful results if he has sinned against the seventh commandment. It is well for us if we are able with similar sincerity to appeal to the verdict of God and of our own heart. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to beget in us purity and separateness from sin, that we may walk with unsullied garments.
Job also protests the even-handedness of his dealings with his servants, alleging the principle which underlies the whole Christian teaching on the point, that we all have been made by the same Creator. He insists on his benevolence to the widow and the fatherless. He is careful to show that he had not failed in doing all the good that was within his reach. Alas, how few of us can say as much! How many such occasions cross our path every day, which we heedlessly let pass!
With this appeal Job goes into the presence of God, and asks for a reply. In the strong gospel light we are too deeply convicted of sin to dare to do this, and must rely upon the merits of Christ. In these alone can we approach the uncreated light. [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 31

1  Job makes a solemn protestation of his integrity in several duties

What do the individual words in Job 31:17 mean?

Or eaten my morsel by myself so that not could eat the fatherless of it
וְאֹכַ֣ל פִּתִּ֣י לְבַדִּ֑י וְלֹא־ אָכַ֖ל יָת֣וֹם מִמֶּֽנָּה

וְאֹכַ֣ל  Or  eaten 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
פִּתִּ֣י  my  morsel 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: פַּת 
Sense: fragment, bit, morsel (of bread), piece.
לְבַדִּ֑י  by  myself 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בַּד 
Sense: alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone.
וְלֹא־  so  that  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
אָכַ֖ל  could  eat 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
יָת֣וֹם  the  fatherless 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָתֹום  
Sense: an orphan, fatherless.
מִמֶּֽנָּה  of  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.