Job24
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1Why are times not laid up by the Almighty? And why do not they that know him see his days?
2There are that remove the landmarks; They violently take away flocks, and feed them.
3They drive away the ass of the fatherless; They take the widow’s ox for a pledge.
4They turn the needy out of the way: The poor of the earth all hide themselves.
5Behold, as wild asses in the desert They go forth to their work, seeking diligently for food; The wilderness yieldeth them bread for their children.
6They cut their provender in the field; And they glean the vintage of the wicked.
7They lie all night naked without clothing, And have no covering in the cold.
8They are wet with the showers of the mountains, And embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
9There are that pluck the fatherless from the breast, And take a pledge of the poor;
10So that they go about naked without clothing, And being hungry they carry the sheaves.
11They make oil within the walls of these men; They tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.
12From out of the populous city men groan, And the soul of the wounded crieth out: Yet God regardeth not the folly.
13These are of them that rebel against the light; They know not the ways thereof, Nor abide in the paths thereof.
14The murderer riseth with the light; He killeth the poor and needy; And in the night he is as a thief.
15The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, Saying, No eye shall see me: And he disguiseth his face.
16In the dark they dig through houses: They shut themselves up in the day-time; They know not the light.
17For the morning is to all of them as thick darkness; For they know the terrors of the thick darkness.
18Swiftly they pass away upon the face of the waters; Their portion is cursed in the earth: They turn not into the way of the vineyards.
19Drought and heat consume the snow waters: So doth Sheol those that have sinned.
20The womb shall forget him; The worm shall feed sweetly on him; He shall be no more remembered; And unrighteousness shall be broken as a tree.
21He devoureth the barren that beareth not, And doeth not good to the widow.
22Yet God preserveth the mighty by his power: He riseth up that hath no assurance of life.
23God giveth them to be in security, and they rest thereon; And his eyes are upon their ways.
24They are exalted; yet a little while, and they are gone; Yea, they are brought low, they are taken out of the way as all others, And are cut off as the tops of the ears of grain.
25And if it be not so now, who will prove me a liar, And make my speech nothing worth?
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Job 24.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Wickedness often unpunished. (1–12). The wicked shun the light. (13–17). Judgements for the wicked. (18–25).
vv1-12
Job discourses further about the prosperity of the wicked. That many live at ease who are ungodly and profane, he had showed, ch. xxi. Here he shows that many who live in open defiance of all the laws of justice, succeed in wicked practices; and we do not see them reckoned with in this world. He notices those that do wrong under pretence of law and authority; and robbers, those that do wrong by force. He says, “God layeth not folly to them;” that is, he does not at once send his judgments, nor make them examples, and so manifest their folly to all the world. But he that gets riches, and not by right, at his end shall be a fool, Jer 17:11.
vv13-17
See what care and pains wicked men take to compass their wicked designs; let it shame our negligence and slothfulness in doing good. See what pains those take, who make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts of it: pains to compass, and then to hide that which will end in death and hell at last. Less pains would mortify and crucify the flesh, and be life and heaven at last. Shame came in with sin, and everlasting shame is at the end of it. See the misery of sinners; they are exposed to continual frights: yet see their folly; they are afraid of coming under the eye of men, but have no dread of God's eye, which is always upon them: they are not afraid of doing things which they are afraid of being known to do.
vv18-25
Sometimes how gradual is the decay, how quiet the departure of a wicked person, how is he honoured, and how soon are all his cruelties and oppressions forgotten! They are taken off with other men, as the harvestman gathers the ears of corn as they come to hand. There will often appear much to resemble the wrong view of Providence Job takes in this chapter. But we are taught by the word of inspiration, that these notions are formed in ignorance, from partial views. The providence of God, in the affairs of men, is in every thing a just and wise providence. Let us apply this whenever the Lord may try us. He cannot do wrong. The unequalled sorrows of the Son of God when on earth, unless looked at in this view, perplex the mind. But when we behold him, as the sinner's Surety, bearing the curse, we can explain why he should endure that wrath which was due to sin, that Divine justice might be satisfied, and his people saved.
Key Words
מַדּוּעַ: what (is) known?; i.e. (by implication) (adverbially) why?
לֹא: not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
עֵת: time, especially (adverb with preposition) now, when, etc.
צָפַן: to hide (by covering over); by implication, to hoard or reserve; figuratively to deny; specifically (favorably) to protect, (unfavorably) to lurk
שַׁדַּי: the Almighty
יָדַע: to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)
חָזָה: to gaze at; mentally to perceive, contemplate (with pleasure); specifically, to have avision of
יוֹם: a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
נָשַׂג: to reach (literally or figuratively)
גְּבוּלָה: a boundary, region
Cross References
Job 24The Mosaic law explicitly forbids removing landmarks, which Job identifies here as a major societal crime.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Cursing those who remove neighbors' landmarks, directly matching the wicked actions described in verse 2.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Proverbs warns against removing the ancient landmarks that secure property boundaries.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Taking garments/necessities as a pledge, violating the merciful standard later codified in the Law.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Law prohibiting taking essential survival items (like millstones) as pledges, mirroring Job's complaint.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Ishmael described as a 'wild ass-man,' mirroring the lawless Bedouin lifestyle of these robbers.
Supported by JFB
Those brought up in luxury are reduced to embracing dunghills/rocks for want of shelter.
Supported by JFB
Contrasts with the law: even oxen tread corn without muzzles, yet hungry laborers are denied food.
Supported by JFB
Jesus declares that everyone who does evil hates and avoids the light, fearing exposure.
Supported by JFB
Job points out that others actually commit the cruel pledge-taking Eliphaz falsely charged him with.
Supported by JFB
When the wicked rise, the helpless and righteous hide themselves for safety.
Supported by JFB
Jacob describes the intense cold of the desert nights, illustrating the suffering of the stripped poor.
Supported by JFB
Verbal echo of the groaning of the wounded under oppression and violence in the land.
Supported by JFB
The heavy groans of oppressed mortals crying out under bondage and harsh labor.
Supported by JFB
Scripture usage of 'times' representing the appointed seasons of life and judgment in God's hands.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The ultimate end of those who get riches unjustly, though God delays their punishment.
Supported by Matthew Henry