Job 24:4

4 "They push 1the needy aside from the road; The 2poor of the land are made to hide themselves altogether.

Job 24:4 Meaning and Commentary

Job 24:4

They turn the needy out of the way
Either, in a moral sense, out of the right way, the way of righteousness and truth, by their bad examples, or by their threatenings or flatteries; or, in a civil sense, out of the way of their livelihood, by taking that from them by which they got it; or, in a literal sense, obliging them to turn out of the way from them, in a supercilious and haughty manner, or causing them, through fear of them, to get out of the way, that they might not meet them, lest they should insult them, beat and abuse them, or take that little from them they had, as follows:

the poor of the earth hide themselves together;
who are not only poor in purse, but poor in spirit, meek, humble, and lowly, and have not spirit and courage to stand against such oppressors, but are easily crushed by them; these through fear of them hide themselves in holes and corners in a body, in a large company together, lest they should fall into their cruel hands, and be used by them in a barbarous manner, see ( Proverbs 28:28 ) .

Job 24:4 In-Context

2 "Some remove the landmarks; They seize and devour flocks.
3 "They drive away the donkeys of the orphans; They take the widow's ox for a pledge.
4 "They push the needy aside from the road; The poor of the land are made to hide themselves altogether.
5 "Behold, as wild donkeys in the wilderness They go forth seeking food in their activity, As bread for their children in the desert.
6 "They harvest their fodder in the field And glean the vineyard of the wicked.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Job 24:14; Job 29:16; Job 30:25; Job 31:19
  • 2. Job 29:12; Psalms 41:1; Proverbs 14:31; Proverbs 28:28; Amos 8:4
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