Job 31:17 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 17. Or have eaten my morsel myself alone ] Hospitality was a very prominent virtue among the ancients in almost all nations: friends and strangers were equally welcome to the board of the affluent. The supper was their grand meal: it was then that they saw their friends; the business and fatigues of the day being over, they could then enjoy themselves comfortably together. The supper was called coena on this account; or, as Plutarch says, τομενγαρδειπνονφασικοιναδιατηνκοινωνιανκαλεισθαικαθ εαυτουςγαρηριστωνεπιεικωςοιπαλαιρωμαιοισυνδειπνουντεςτοις φιλοις. "The ancient Romans named supper COENA, (κοινα,) which signifies communion (κοινωνια) or fellowship ; for although they dined alone , they supped with their friends ."-PLUT. Symp . lib. viii., prob. 6, p. 687. But Job speaks here of dividing his bread with the hungry: Or have eaten my morsel myself alone . And he is a poor despicable caitiff who would eat it alone, while there was another at hand, full as hungry as himself.

‏ Job 31:17

Verse 17. Or have eaten my morsel myself alone] Hospitality was a very prominent virtue among the ancients in almost all nations: friends and strangers were equally welcome to the board of the affluent. The supper was their grand meal: it was then that they saw their friends; the business and fatigues of the day being over, they could then enjoy themselves comfortably together. The supper was called coena on this account; or, as Plutarch says, τομενγαρδειπνονφασικοιναδιατηνκοινωνιανκαλεισθαικαθ εαυτουςγαρηριστωνεπιεικωςοιπαλαιρωμαιοισυνδειπνουντεςτοις φιλοις. "The ancient Romans named supper COENA, (κοινα,) which signifies communion (κοινωνια) or fellowship; for although they dined alone, they supped with their friends."-PLUT. Symp. lib. viii., prob. 6, p. 687. But Job speaks here of dividing his bread with the hungry: Or have eaten my morsel myself alone. And he is a poor despicable caitiff who would eat it alone, while there was another at hand, full as hungry as himself.