Job 24

Job Says God Seems to Ignore Wrongs

1 "1Why are times not stored up by the Almighty, And why do those who know Him not see 2His days?
2 "Some 3remove the landmarks; They seize and devour flocks.
3 "They drive away the donkeys of the 4orphans; They take the 5widow's ox for a pledge.
4 "They push 6the needy aside from the road; The 7poor of the land are made to hide themselves altogether.
5 "Behold, as 8wild donkeys in the wilderness They 9go 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.
7 "10They spend the night naked, without clothing, And have no covering against the cold.
8 "They are wet with the mountain rains And hug the rock for want of a shelter.
9 "Others snatch the 11orphan from the breast, And against the poor they take a pledge.
10 "They cause the poor to go about naked without clothing, And they take away the sheaves from the hungry.
11 "Within the walls they produce oil; They tread wine presses but thirst.
12 "From the city men groan, And the souls of the wounded cry out; Yet God 12does not pay attention to folly.
13 "Others have been with those who rebel against the light; They do not want to know its ways Nor abide in its paths.
14 "The murderer 13arises at dawn; He 14kills the poor and the needy, And at night he is as a thief.
15 "The eye of the 15adulterer waits for the twilight, Saying, 'No eye will see me.' And he disguises his face.
16 "In the dark they 16dig into houses, They 17shut themselves up by day; They do not know the light.
17 "For the morning is the same to him as thick darkness, For he is familiar with the 18terrors of thick darkness.
18 "They are 19insignificant on the surface of the water; Their portion is 20cursed on the earth. They do not turn toward the 21vineyards.
19 "Drought and heat 22consume the snow waters, So does 23Sheol those who have sinned.
20 "A 24mother will forget him; The 25worm feeds sweetly till he is 26no longer remembered. And wickedness will be broken 27like a tree.
21 "He wrongs the barren woman And does no good for 28the widow.
22 "But He drags off the valiant by 29His power; He rises, but 30no one has assurance of life.
23 "He provides them 31with security, and they are supported; And His 32eyes are on their ways.
24 "They are exalted a 33little while, then they are gone; Moreover, they are 34brought low and like everything gathered up; Even like the heads of grain they are cut off.
25 "Now if it is not so, 35who can prove me a liar, And make my speech worthless?"

Cross References 35

Footnotes 13

Job 24 Commentaries

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