· Translation: KJV

Job 31:14What then shall I do when God rises up? When he visits, what shall I answer him?

The setting

Ancient Uz (likely modern Jordan/Saudi Arabia border). A wealthy man sits in ashes, having lost everything, defending his integrity before three friends who accuse him of hidden sin...

The emotion here: desperate but defiant, calling for divine vindication

The original word

yaqum (יָקוּם) — to rise up in judgment, like a judge standing to pronounce verdict

Why it matters

This is part of Job's final oath of innocence, a legal document that would invoke God's curse if false

Read with care

What most readers miss in Job 31:14

Job isn't just asking rhetorically — he's literally calling God to court to examine his case

Common misconceptionPeople think Job is cowering in fear, but he's actually challenging God to examine his life — this is bold legal language, not timid confession.

Bible Genome reading

Job 31:14 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerJob
EraPatriarchal
Primary emotionanxious
Literary typepoetry

Emotional genome

Comfort power30%
Quotability80%
Memorability80%
Crisis relevance80%
Standalone70%
Themes:accountabilitydivine judgment

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open Job 31

Job 31:14 comes from the book of Job, written during the Patriarchal period. These words are attributed to Job. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the poetry genre of biblical literature. Key themes include accountability, divine judgment. Notable phrases: what shall I do when God rises up; what shall I answer him.

Your reflection

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