Job 24:4

4 They push needy people off the path; all the poor of the land hide from them.

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 Wicked people take other people's land; they steal flocks and take them to new pastures.

3 They chase away the orphan's donkey and take the widow's ox when she has no money.

4 They push needy people off the path; all the poor of the land hide from them.

5 The poor become like wild donkeys in the desert who go about their job of finding food. The desert gives them food for their children.

6 They gather hay and straw in the fields and pick up leftover grapes from the vineyard of the wicked.