Job 24

1 But why have the seasons been hidden from the Lord,

2 while the ungodly have passed over the bound, carrying off the flock with the shepherd?

3 They have led away, the ass of the fatherless, and taken the widow's ox for a pledge.

4 They have turned aside the weak from the right way: and the meek of the earth have hidden themselves together.

5 And they have departed like asses in the field, having gone forth on my account according to their own order: his bread is sweet to little ones.

6 They have reaped a field that was not their own before the time: the poor have laboured in the vineyards of the ungodly without pay and without food.

7 They have caused many naked to sleep without clothes, and they have taken away the covering of their body.

8 They are wet with the drops of the mountains: they have embraced the rock, because they had no shelter.

9 They have snatched the fatherless from the breast, and have afflicted the outcast.

10 And they have wrongfully caused to sleep without clothing, and taken away the morsel of the hungry.

11 They have unrighteously laid wait in narrow places, and have not known the righteous way.

12 Who have cast forth poor from the city and their own houses, and the soul of the children has groaned aloud.

13 Why then has he not visited these? forasmuch as they were upon the earth, and took no notice, and they knew not the way of righteousness, neither have they walked in their paths?

14 But having known their works, he delivered them into darkness: and in the night one will be as a thief:

15 and the eye of the adulterer has watched the darkness, saying, Eye shall not perceive me, and he puts a covering on his face.

16 In darkness he digs through houses: by day they conceal themselves securely: they know not the light.

17 For the morning is to them all the shadow of death, for will be conscious of the terror of the shadow of death.

18 He is swift on the face of the water: let his portion be cursed on the earth; and let their plants be laid bare.

19 withered upon the earth; for they have plundered the sheaves of the fatherless.

20 Then is his sin brought to remembrance, and he vanishes like a vapour of dew: but let what he has done be recompensed to him, and let every unrighteous one be crushed like rotten wood.

21 For he has not treated the barren woman well, and has had no pity on a feeble woman.

22 And in wrath he has overthrown the helpless: therefore when he has arisen, will not feel secure of his own life.

23 When he has fallen sick, let him not hope to recover: but let him perish by disease.

24 For his exaltation has hurt many; but he has withered as mallows in the heat, or as an ear of corn falling off of itself from the stalk.

25 But if not, who is he that says I speak falsely, and will make my words of no account?

Job 24 Commentary

Chapter 24

Wickedness often unpunished. (1-12) The wicked shun the light. (13-17) Judgements for the wicked. (18-25)

Verses 1-12 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, ( Jeremiah 17:11 ) .

Verses 13-17 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.

Verses 18-25 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.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 24

This chapter contains the second part of Job's answer to the last discourse of Eliphaz, in which he shows that wicked men, those of the worst characters, prosper in the world, and go through it with impunity; he lays down this as a certain truth, that though no time is hid from God, yet they that are most familiar with him, and know most of him, do not see, and cannot observe, any days of his for judging and punishing wicked men in, this life, Job 24:1; and instances in men guilty of injustice, violence, oppression, cruelty, and inhumanity, to their neighbours, and yet God lays not folly to them, or charges them with sin, and punishes them for it, Job 24:2-12; and in persons that commit the most atrocious crimes in secret, such as murderers, adulterers, and thieves, Job 24:13-17; he allows that there is a curse upon their portion, and that the grave shall consume them, and they shall be remembered no more, Job 24:18-20; and because of their ill treatment of others, though they may be in safety and prosperity, and be exalted for a while, they shall be brought low and cut off by death, but generally speaking are not punished in this life, Job 24:21-24; and concludes with the greatest assurance of being in the right, and having truth on his side, Job 24:25.