Job 31:33

Job 31:33 Meaning and Explanation

If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:

King James Version (KJV)

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Job swears he never concealed his sins as Adam did, hiding his guilt within himself.

What Does Job 31:33 Mean?

Job turns to honesty about his own faults. He denies covering his 'transgressions as Adam' — recalling how the first man hid after his sin — by 'hiding mine iniquity in my bosom,' concealing guilt in the secret of his heart rather than confessing it.

From Eden onward, the human instinct is to hide sin. Job claims he resisted that instinct, refusing to bury his faults out of shame or fear of others. Honesty before God and openness with people are marks of integrity. Scripture promises that the one who covers sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them finds mercy from the God who longs to forgive.

Job 31:33 in the Original Language

adam (אָדָם), 'Adam' -- the proper name of the first man, also the ordinary word for 'humanity.'

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What does Job 31:33 mean?

Job swears he never concealed his sins as Adam did, hiding his guilt within himself.

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