15 The eye H5869 also of the adulterer H5003 waiteth H8104 for the twilight, H5399 saying, H559 No eye H5869 shall see H7789 me: and disguiseth H5643 H7760 his face. H6440
He hath said H559 in his heart, H3820 God H410 hath forgotten: H7911 he hideth H5641 his face; H6440 he will never H5331 see H7200 it.
In the twilight, H5399 in the evening, H3117 H6153 in the black H380 and dark H653 night: H3915 And, behold, there met H7125 him a woman H802 with the attire H7897 of an harlot, H2181 and subtil H5341 of heart. H3820
And she put H5493 her widow's H491 garments H899 off H5493 from her, and covered her H3680 with a vail, H6809 and wrapped herself, H5968 and sat in H3427 an open H5869 place, H6607 which is by the way H1870 to Timnath; H8553 for she saw H7200 that Shelah H7956 was grown, H1431 and she was not given H5414 unto him to wife. H802 When Judah H3063 saw her, H7200 he thought H2803 her to be an harlot; H2181 because she had covered H3680 her face. H6440
And David H1732 sent H7971 messengers, H4397 and took H3947 her; and she came in H935 unto him, and he lay H7901 with her; for she was purified H6942 from her uncleanness: H2932 and she returned H7725 unto her house. H1004 And the woman H802 conceived, H2029 and sent H7971 and told H5046 David, H1732 and said, H559 I am with child. H2030 And David H1732 sent H7971 to Joab, H3097 saying, Send H7971 me Uriah H223 the Hittite. H2850 And Joab H3097 sent H7971 Uriah H223 to David. H1732 And when Uriah H223 was come H935 unto him, David H1732 demanded H7592 of him how Joab H3097 did, H7965 and how the people H5971 did, H7965 and how the war H4421 prospered. H7965 And David H1732 said H559 to Uriah, H223 Go down H3381 to thy house, H1004 and wash H7364 thy feet. H7272 And Uriah H223 departed out H3318 of the king's H4428 house, H1004 and there followed H310 him a mess H4864 of meat from the king. H4428 But Uriah H223 slept H7901 at the door H6607 of the king's H4428 house H1004 with all the servants H5650 of his lord, H113 and went not down H3381 to his house. H1004 And when they had told H5046 David, H1732 saying, H559 Uriah H223 went not down H3381 unto his house, H1004 David H1732 said H559 unto Uriah, H223 Camest H935 thou not from thy journey? H1870 why then didst thou not go down H3381 unto thine house? H1004 And Uriah H223 said H559 unto David, H1732 The ark, H727 and Israel, H3478 and Judah, H3063 abide H3427 in tents; H5521 and my lord H113 Joab, H3097 and the servants H5650 of my lord, H113 are encamped H2583 in the open H6440 fields; H7704 shall I H589 then go H935 into mine house, H1004 to eat H398 and to drink, H8354 and to lie H7901 with my wife? H802 as thou livest, H2416 and as thy soul H5315 liveth, H2416 I will not do H6213 this thing. H1697 And David H1732 said H559 to Uriah, H223 Tarry H3427 here to day H3117 also, and to morrow H4279 I will let thee depart. H7971 So Uriah H223 abode H3427 in Jerusalem H3389 that day, H3117 and the morrow. H4283 And when David H1732 had called H7121 him, he did eat H398 and drink H8354 before H6440 him; and he made him drunk: H7937 and at even H6153 he went out H3318 to lie H7901 on his bed H4904 with the servants H5650 of his lord, H113 but went not down H3381 to his house. H1004
And thou sayest, H559 How doth God H410 know? H3045 can he judge H8199 through the dark cloud? H6205 Thick clouds H5645 are a covering H5643 to him, that he seeth H7200 not; and he walketh H1980 in the circuit H2329 of heaven. H8064
Yet they say, H559 The LORD H3050 shall not see, H7200 neither shall the God H430 of Jacob H3290 regard H995 it.
But whoso committeth adultery H5003 with a woman H802 lacketh H2638 understanding: H3820 he that doeth H6213 it destroyeth H7843 his own soul. H5315 A wound H5061 and dishonour H7036 shall he get; H4672 and his reproach H2781 shall not be wiped away. H4229 For jealousy H7068 is the rage H2534 of a man: H1397 therefore he will not spare H2550 in the day H3117 of vengeance. H5359 He will not regard H5375 H6440 any ransom; H3724 neither will he rest content, H14 though thou givest many H7235 gifts. H7810
Then said H559 he unto me, Son H1121 of man, H120 hast thou seen H7200 what the ancients H2205 of the house H1004 of Israel H3478 do H6213 in the dark, H2822 every man H376 in the chambers H2315 of his imagery? H4906 for they say, H559 The LORD H3068 seeth H7200 us not; the LORD H3068 hath forsaken H5800 the earth. H776
Then said H559 he unto me, The iniquity H5771 of the house H1004 of Israel H3478 and Judah H3063 is exceeding H3966 H3966 great, H1419 and the land H776 is full H4390 of blood, H1818 and the city H5892 full H4390 of perverseness: H4297 for they say, H559 The LORD H3068 hath forsaken H5800 the earth, H776 and the LORD H3068 seeth H7200 not.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Job 24
Commentary on Job 24 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 24
Job 24:1-25.
1. Why is it that, seeing that the times of punishment (Eze 30:3; "time" in the same sense) are not hidden from the Almighty, they who know Him (His true worshippers, Job 18:21) do not see His days (of vengeance; Joe 1:15; 2Pe 3:10)? Or, with Umbreit less simply, making the parallel clauses more nicely balanced, Why are not times of punishment hoarded up ("laid up"; Job 21:19; appointed) by the Almighty? that is, Why are they not so appointed as that man may now see them? as the second clause shows. Job does not doubt that they are appointed: nay, he asserts it (Job 21:30); what he wishes is that God would let all now see that it is so.
2-24. Instances of the wicked doing the worst deeds with seeming impunity (Job 24:2-24).
Some—the wicked.
landmarks—boundaries between different pastures (De 19:14; Pr 22:28).
3. pledge—alluding to Job 22:6. Others really do, and with impunity, that which Eliphaz falsely charges the afflicted Job with.
4. Literally, they push the poor out of their road in meeting them. Figuratively, they take advantage of them by force and injustice (alluding to the charge of Eliphaz, Job 22:8; 1Sa 8:3).
poor—in spirit and in circumstances (Mt 5:3).
hide—from the injustice of their oppressors, who have robbed them of their all and driven them into unfrequented places (Job 20:19; 30:3-6; Pr 28:28).
5. wild asses—(Job 11:12). So Ishmael is called a "wild ass-man"; Hebrew (Ge 16:12). These Bedouin robbers, with the unbridled wildness of the ass of the desert, go forth thither. Robbery is their lawless "work." The desert, which yields no food to other men, yields food for the robber and his children by the plunder of caravans.
rising betimes—In the East travelling is begun very early, before the heat comes on.
6. Like the wild asses (Job 24:5) they (these Bedouin robbers) reap (metaphorically) their various grain (so the Hebrew for "corn" means). The wild ass does not let man pile his mixed provender up in a stable (Isa 30:24); so these robbers find their food in the open air, at one time in the desert (Job 24:5), at another in the fields.
the vintage of the wicked—Hebrew, "the wicked gather the vintage"; the vintage of robbery, not of honest industry. If we translate "belonging to the wicked," then it will imply that the wicked alone have vineyards, the "pious poor" (Job 24:4) have none. "Gather" in Hebrew, is "gather late." As the first clause refers to the early harvest of corn, so the second to the vintage late in autumn.
7. Umbreit understands it of the Bedouin robbers, who are quite regardless of the comforts of life, "They pass the night naked, and uncovered," &c. But the allusion to Job 22:6, makes the English Version preferable (see on Job 24:10). Frost is not uncommon at night in those regions (Ge 31:40).
8. They—the plundered travellers.
embrace the rock—take refuge under it (La 4:5).
9. from the breast—of the widowed mother. Kidnapping children for slaves. Here Job passes from wrongs in the desert to those done among the habitations of men.
pledge—namely, the garment of the poor debtor, as Job 24:10 shows.
10. (See on Job 22:6). In Job 24:7 a like sin is alluded to: but there he implies open robbery of garments in the desert; here, the more refined robbery in civilized life, under the name of a "pledge." Having stripped the poor, they make them besides labor in their harvest-fields and do not allow them to satisfy their hunger with any of the very corn which they carry to the heap. Worse treatment than that of the ox, according to De 25:4. Translate: "they (the poor laborers) hungering carry the sheaves" [Umbreit].
11. Which—"They," the poor, "press the oil within their wall"; namely, not only in the open fields (Job 24:10), but also in the wall-enclosed vineyards and olive gardens of the oppressor (Isa 5:5). Yet they are not allowed to quench their "thirst" with the grapes and olives. Here, thirsty; Job 24:10, hungry.
12. Men—rather, "mortals" (not the common Hebrew for "men"); so the Masoretic vowel points read as English Version. But the vowel points are modern. The true reading is, "The dying," answering to "the wounded" in the next clause, so Syriac. Not merely in the country (Job 24:11), but also in the city there are oppressed sufferers, who cry for help in vain. "From out of the city"; that is, they long to get forth and be free outside of it (Ex 1:11; 2:23).
wounded—by the oppressor (Eze 30:24).
layeth not folly—takes no account of (by punishing) their sin ("folly" in Scripture; Job 1:22). This is the gist of the whole previous list of sins (Ac 17:30). Umbreit with Syriac reads by changing a vowel point, "Regards not their supplication."
13. So far as to openly committed sins; now, those done in the dark. Translate: "There are those among them (the wicked) who rebel," &c.
light—both literal and figurative (Joh 3:19, 20; Pr 2:13).
paths thereof—places where the light shines.
14. with the light—at early dawn, while still dark, when the traveller in the East usually sets out, and the poor laborer to his work; the murderous robber lies in wait then (Ps 10:8).
is as a thief—Thieves in the East steal while men sleep at night; robbers murder at early dawn. The same man who steals at night, when light dawns not only robs, but murders to escape detection.
15. (Pr 7:9; Ps 10:11).
disguiseth—puts a veil on.
16. dig through—Houses in the East are generally built of sun-dried mud bricks (so Mt 6:19). "Thieves break through," literally, "dig through" (Eze 12:7).
had marked—Rather, as in Job 9:7, "They shut themselves up" (in their houses); literally, "they seal up."
for themselves—for their own ends, namely, to escape detection.
know not—shun.
17. They shrink from the "morning" light, as much as other men do from the blackest darkness ("the shadow of death").
if one know—that is, recognize them. Rather, "They know well (are familiar with) the terrors of," &c. [Umbreit]. Or, as Maurer, "They know the terrors of (this) darkness," namely, of morning, the light, which is as terrible to them as darkness ("the shadow of death") is to other men.
18-21. In these verses Job quotes the opinions of his adversaries ironically; he quoted them so before (Job 21:7-21). In Job 24:22-24, he states his own observation as the opposite. You say, "The sinner is swift, that is, swiftly passes away (as a thing floating) on the surface of the waters" (Ec 11:1; Ho 10:7).
is cursed—by those who witness their "swift" destruction.
beholdeth not—"turneth not to"; figuratively, for He cannot enjoy his pleasant possessions (Job 20:17; 15:33).
the way of the vineyards—including his fields, fertile as vineyards; opposite to "the way of the desert."
19. Arabian image; melted snow, as contrasted with the living fountain, quickly dries up in the sunburnt sand, not leaving a trace behind (Job 6:16-18). The Hebrew is terse and elliptical to express the swift and utter destruction of the godless; (so) "the grave—they have sinned!"
20. The womb—The very mother that bare him, and who is the last to "forget" the child that sucked her (Isa 49:15), shall dismiss him from her memory (Job 18:17; Pr 10:7). The worm shall suck, that is, "feed sweetly" on him as a delicate morsel (Job 21:33).
wickedness—that is, the wicked; abstract for concrete (as Job 5:16).
as a tree—utterly (Job 19:10); Umbreit better, "as a staff." A broken staff is the emblem of irreparable ruin (Isa 14:5; Ho 4:12).
21. The reason given by the friends why the sinner deserves such a fate.
barren—without sons, who might have protected her.
widow—without a husband to support her.
22-25. Reply of Job to the opinion of the friends. Experience proves the contrary. Translate: "But He (God) prolongeth the life of (literally, draweth out at length; Ps 36:10, Margin) the mighty with His (God's) power. He (the wicked) riseth up (from his sick bed) although he had given up hope of (literally, when he no longer believed in) life" (De 28:66).
23. Literally, "He (God omitted, as often; Job 3:20; Ec 9:9; reverentially) giveth to him (the wicked, to be) in safety, or security."
yet—Job means, How strange that God should so favor them, and yet have His eyes all the time open to their wicked ways (Pr 15:3; Ps 73:4)!
24. Job repeats what he said (Job 21:13), that sinners die in exalted positions, not the painful and lingering death we might expect, but a quick and easy death. Join "for a while" with "are gone," not as English Version. Translate: "A moment—and they are no more! They are brought low, as all (others) gather up their feet to die" (so the Hebrew of "are taken out of the way"). A natural death (Ge 49:33).
ears of corn—in a ripe and full age, not prematurely (Job 5:26).
25. (So Job 9:24).