Job 24:9-19

9 Quitan el pecho a los huérfanos, y de sobre el pobre toman la prenda.

10 Al desnudo hacen andar sin vestido, y a los hambrientos quitan las gavillas.

11 De dentro de sus paredes exprimen el aceite, pisan los lagares, y mueren de sed.

12 De la ciudad claman los hombres, y las almas muertas dan voces, pero Dios no puso estorbo.

13 Ellos son entre los rebeldes a la luz, nunca conocieron sus caminos, ni estuvieron en sus veredas.

14 A la luz se levanta el matador, mata al pobre y al necesitado, y de noche es como ladrón.

15 El ojo del adúltero está aguardando la noche, diciendo: No me verá nadie; y esconde su rostro.

16 En las tinieblas minan las casas, que de día para sí señalaron; no conocen la luz.

17 Porque la mañana es a todos ellos como sombra de muerte; si son conocidos, terrores de sombra de muerte los toman .

18 Son livianos sobre las aguas; su porción es maldita en la tierra; nunca vienen por el camino de las viñas.

19 La sequía y el calor arrebatan las aguas de la nieve; y el sepulcro a los pecadores.

Job 24:9-19 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.