23 Though it be given H5414 him to be in safety, H983 whereon he resteth; H8172 yet his eyes H5869 are upon their ways. H1870
And G1161 he spake G2036 a parable G3850 unto G4314 them, G846 saying, G3004 The ground G5561 of a certain G5100 rich G4145 man G444 brought forth plentifully: G2164 And G2532 he thought G1260 within G1722 himself, G1438 saying, G3004 What G5101 shall I do, G4160 because G3754 I have G2192 no G3756 room where G4226 to bestow G4863 my G3450 fruits? G2590 And G2532 he said, G2036 This G5124 will I do: G4160 I will pull down G2507 my G3450 barns, G596 and G2532 build G3618 greater; G3187 and G2532 there G1563 will I bestow G4863 all G3956 my G3450 fruits G1081 and G2532 my G3450 goods. G18 And G2532 I will say G2046 to my G3450 soul, G5590 Soul, G5590 thou hast G2192 much G4183 goods G18 laid up G2749 for G1519 many G4183 years; G2094 take thine ease, G373 eat, G5315 drink, G4095 and be merry. G2165 But G1161 God G2316 said G2036 unto him, G846 Thou fool, G878 this G5026 night G3571 thy G4675 soul G5590 shall be required G523 of G575 thee: G4675 then G1161 whose G5101 shall those things be, G2071 which G3739 thou hast provided? G2090
Righteous H6662 art thou, O LORD, H3068 when I plead H7378 with thee: yet let me talk H1696 with thee of thy judgments: H4941 Wherefore doth the way H1870 of the wicked H7563 prosper? H6743 wherefore are all they happy H7951 that deal very H899 treacherously? H898 Thou hast planted H5193 them, yea, they have taken root: H8327 they grow, H3212 yea, they bring forth H6213 fruit: H6529 thou art near H7138 in their mouth, H6310 and far from H7350 their reins. H3629 But thou, O LORD, H3068 knowest H3045 me: thou hast seen H7200 me, and tried H974 mine heart H3820 toward thee: pull them out H5423 like sheep H6629 for the slaughter, H2878 and prepare H6942 them for the day H3117 of slaughter. H2028
For he saith, H559 Are not my princes H8269 altogether H3162 kings? H4428 Is not Calno H3641 as Carchemish? H3751 is not Hamath H2574 as Arpad? H774 is not Samaria H8111 as Damascus? H1834 As my hand H3027 hath found H4672 the kingdoms H4467 of the idols, H457 and whose graven images H6456 did excel them of Jerusalem H3389 and of Samaria; H8111 Shall I not, as I have done H6213 unto Samaria H8111 and her idols, H457 so do H6213 to Jerusalem H3389 and her idols? H6091
If thine enemy H8130 be hungry, H7457 give him bread H3899 to eat; H398 and if he be thirsty, H6771 give him water H4325 to drink: H8248 For thou shalt heap H2846 coals of fire H1513 upon his head, H7218 and the LORD H3068 shall reward H7999 thee. The north H6828 wind H7307 driveth away H2342 rain: H1653 so doth an angry H2194 countenance H6440 a backbiting H5643 tongue. H3956
For I was envious H7065 at the foolish, H1984 when I saw H7200 the prosperity H7965 of the wicked. H7563 For there are no bands H2784 in their death: H4194 but their strength H193 is firm. H1277 They are not in trouble H5999 as other men; H582 neither are they plagued H5060 like H5973 other men. H120 Therefore pride H1346 compasseth them about as a chain; H6059 violence H2555 covereth H5848 them as a garment. H7897 Their eyes H5869 stand out H3318 with fatness: H2459 they have more H5674 than heart H3824 could wish. H4906 They are corrupt, H4167 and speak H1696 wickedly H7451 concerning oppression: H6233 they speak H1696 loftily. H4791 They set H8371 their mouth H6310 against the heavens, H8064 and their tongue H3956 walketh H1980 through the earth. H776 Therefore his people H5971 return H7725 H7725 hither: H1988 and waters H4325 of a full H4392 cup are wrung out H4680 to them. And they say, H559 How doth God H410 know? H3045 and is there H3426 knowledge H1844 in the most High? H5945 Behold, these are the ungodly, H7563 who prosper H7961 in the world; H5769 they increase H7685 in riches. H2428
The LORD H3068 is in his holy H6944 temple, H1964 the LORD'S H3068 throne H3678 is in heaven: H8064 his eyes H5869 behold, H2372 his eyelids H6079 try, H974 the children H1121 of men. H120 The LORD H3068 trieth H974 the righteous: H6662 but the wicked H7563 and him that loveth H157 violence H2555 his soul H5315 hateth. H8130
Wherefore doth the wicked H7563 contemn H5006 God? H430 he hath said H559 in his heart, H3820 Thou wilt not require H1875 it. Thou hast seen H7200 it; for thou beholdest H5027 mischief H5999 and spite, H3708 to requite H5414 it with thy hand: H3027 the poor H2489 committeth H5800 himself unto thee; thou art the helper H5826 of the fatherless. H3490
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Job 24
Commentary on Job 24 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 24
Job 24:1-25.
1. Why is it that, seeing that the times of punishment (Eze 30:3; "time" in the same sense) are not hidden from the Almighty, they who know Him (His true worshippers, Job 18:21) do not see His days (of vengeance; Joe 1:15; 2Pe 3:10)? Or, with Umbreit less simply, making the parallel clauses more nicely balanced, Why are not times of punishment hoarded up ("laid up"; Job 21:19; appointed) by the Almighty? that is, Why are they not so appointed as that man may now see them? as the second clause shows. Job does not doubt that they are appointed: nay, he asserts it (Job 21:30); what he wishes is that God would let all now see that it is so.
2-24. Instances of the wicked doing the worst deeds with seeming impunity (Job 24:2-24).
Some—the wicked.
landmarks—boundaries between different pastures (De 19:14; Pr 22:28).
3. pledge—alluding to Job 22:6. Others really do, and with impunity, that which Eliphaz falsely charges the afflicted Job with.
4. Literally, they push the poor out of their road in meeting them. Figuratively, they take advantage of them by force and injustice (alluding to the charge of Eliphaz, Job 22:8; 1Sa 8:3).
poor—in spirit and in circumstances (Mt 5:3).
hide—from the injustice of their oppressors, who have robbed them of their all and driven them into unfrequented places (Job 20:19; 30:3-6; Pr 28:28).
5. wild asses—(Job 11:12). So Ishmael is called a "wild ass-man"; Hebrew (Ge 16:12). These Bedouin robbers, with the unbridled wildness of the ass of the desert, go forth thither. Robbery is their lawless "work." The desert, which yields no food to other men, yields food for the robber and his children by the plunder of caravans.
rising betimes—In the East travelling is begun very early, before the heat comes on.
6. Like the wild asses (Job 24:5) they (these Bedouin robbers) reap (metaphorically) their various grain (so the Hebrew for "corn" means). The wild ass does not let man pile his mixed provender up in a stable (Isa 30:24); so these robbers find their food in the open air, at one time in the desert (Job 24:5), at another in the fields.
the vintage of the wicked—Hebrew, "the wicked gather the vintage"; the vintage of robbery, not of honest industry. If we translate "belonging to the wicked," then it will imply that the wicked alone have vineyards, the "pious poor" (Job 24:4) have none. "Gather" in Hebrew, is "gather late." As the first clause refers to the early harvest of corn, so the second to the vintage late in autumn.
7. Umbreit understands it of the Bedouin robbers, who are quite regardless of the comforts of life, "They pass the night naked, and uncovered," &c. But the allusion to Job 22:6, makes the English Version preferable (see on Job 24:10). Frost is not uncommon at night in those regions (Ge 31:40).
8. They—the plundered travellers.
embrace the rock—take refuge under it (La 4:5).
9. from the breast—of the widowed mother. Kidnapping children for slaves. Here Job passes from wrongs in the desert to those done among the habitations of men.
pledge—namely, the garment of the poor debtor, as Job 24:10 shows.
10. (See on Job 22:6). In Job 24:7 a like sin is alluded to: but there he implies open robbery of garments in the desert; here, the more refined robbery in civilized life, under the name of a "pledge." Having stripped the poor, they make them besides labor in their harvest-fields and do not allow them to satisfy their hunger with any of the very corn which they carry to the heap. Worse treatment than that of the ox, according to De 25:4. Translate: "they (the poor laborers) hungering carry the sheaves" [Umbreit].
11. Which—"They," the poor, "press the oil within their wall"; namely, not only in the open fields (Job 24:10), but also in the wall-enclosed vineyards and olive gardens of the oppressor (Isa 5:5). Yet they are not allowed to quench their "thirst" with the grapes and olives. Here, thirsty; Job 24:10, hungry.
12. Men—rather, "mortals" (not the common Hebrew for "men"); so the Masoretic vowel points read as English Version. But the vowel points are modern. The true reading is, "The dying," answering to "the wounded" in the next clause, so Syriac. Not merely in the country (Job 24:11), but also in the city there are oppressed sufferers, who cry for help in vain. "From out of the city"; that is, they long to get forth and be free outside of it (Ex 1:11; 2:23).
wounded—by the oppressor (Eze 30:24).
layeth not folly—takes no account of (by punishing) their sin ("folly" in Scripture; Job 1:22). This is the gist of the whole previous list of sins (Ac 17:30). Umbreit with Syriac reads by changing a vowel point, "Regards not their supplication."
13. So far as to openly committed sins; now, those done in the dark. Translate: "There are those among them (the wicked) who rebel," &c.
light—both literal and figurative (Joh 3:19, 20; Pr 2:13).
paths thereof—places where the light shines.
14. with the light—at early dawn, while still dark, when the traveller in the East usually sets out, and the poor laborer to his work; the murderous robber lies in wait then (Ps 10:8).
is as a thief—Thieves in the East steal while men sleep at night; robbers murder at early dawn. The same man who steals at night, when light dawns not only robs, but murders to escape detection.
15. (Pr 7:9; Ps 10:11).
disguiseth—puts a veil on.
16. dig through—Houses in the East are generally built of sun-dried mud bricks (so Mt 6:19). "Thieves break through," literally, "dig through" (Eze 12:7).
had marked—Rather, as in Job 9:7, "They shut themselves up" (in their houses); literally, "they seal up."
for themselves—for their own ends, namely, to escape detection.
know not—shun.
17. They shrink from the "morning" light, as much as other men do from the blackest darkness ("the shadow of death").
if one know—that is, recognize them. Rather, "They know well (are familiar with) the terrors of," &c. [Umbreit]. Or, as Maurer, "They know the terrors of (this) darkness," namely, of morning, the light, which is as terrible to them as darkness ("the shadow of death") is to other men.
18-21. In these verses Job quotes the opinions of his adversaries ironically; he quoted them so before (Job 21:7-21). In Job 24:22-24, he states his own observation as the opposite. You say, "The sinner is swift, that is, swiftly passes away (as a thing floating) on the surface of the waters" (Ec 11:1; Ho 10:7).
is cursed—by those who witness their "swift" destruction.
beholdeth not—"turneth not to"; figuratively, for He cannot enjoy his pleasant possessions (Job 20:17; 15:33).
the way of the vineyards—including his fields, fertile as vineyards; opposite to "the way of the desert."
19. Arabian image; melted snow, as contrasted with the living fountain, quickly dries up in the sunburnt sand, not leaving a trace behind (Job 6:16-18). The Hebrew is terse and elliptical to express the swift and utter destruction of the godless; (so) "the grave—they have sinned!"
20. The womb—The very mother that bare him, and who is the last to "forget" the child that sucked her (Isa 49:15), shall dismiss him from her memory (Job 18:17; Pr 10:7). The worm shall suck, that is, "feed sweetly" on him as a delicate morsel (Job 21:33).
wickedness—that is, the wicked; abstract for concrete (as Job 5:16).
as a tree—utterly (Job 19:10); Umbreit better, "as a staff." A broken staff is the emblem of irreparable ruin (Isa 14:5; Ho 4:12).
21. The reason given by the friends why the sinner deserves such a fate.
barren—without sons, who might have protected her.
widow—without a husband to support her.
22-25. Reply of Job to the opinion of the friends. Experience proves the contrary. Translate: "But He (God) prolongeth the life of (literally, draweth out at length; Ps 36:10, Margin) the mighty with His (God's) power. He (the wicked) riseth up (from his sick bed) although he had given up hope of (literally, when he no longer believed in) life" (De 28:66).
23. Literally, "He (God omitted, as often; Job 3:20; Ec 9:9; reverentially) giveth to him (the wicked, to be) in safety, or security."
yet—Job means, How strange that God should so favor them, and yet have His eyes all the time open to their wicked ways (Pr 15:3; Ps 73:4)!
24. Job repeats what he said (Job 21:13), that sinners die in exalted positions, not the painful and lingering death we might expect, but a quick and easy death. Join "for a while" with "are gone," not as English Version. Translate: "A moment—and they are no more! They are brought low, as all (others) gather up their feet to die" (so the Hebrew of "are taken out of the way"). A natural death (Ge 49:33).
ears of corn—in a ripe and full age, not prematurely (Job 5:26).
25. (So Job 9:24).