Job 24:18-25

18 "He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed on the earth; he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.
19 Drought and heat consume the snow waters; so doth the grave those who have sinned.
20 The womb shall forget him, the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered, and wickedness shall be broken as a tree.
21 He evilly treateth the barren that beareth not, and doeth not good to the widow.
22 He draweth also the mighty with his power; he riseth up, and no man is sure of life.
23 Though it be given him to be in safety whereon he resteth, yet his eyes are upon their ways.
24 They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all others, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.
25 And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar and make my speech worth nothing?"

Job 24:18-25 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.