2 "Some remove the landmarks ; They seize and devour flocks . 3 "They drive away the donkeys of the orphans ; They take the widow's ox for a pledge . 4 "They push the needy aside from the road ; The poor of the land are made to hide themselves altogether . 5 "Behold , as wild donkeys in the wilderness They go 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 " They 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 orphan 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 does 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 arises at dawn ; He kills the poor and the needy , And at night he is as a thief . 15 "The eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight , Saying , 'No eye will see me.' And he disguises his face . 16 "In the dark they dig into houses , They shut 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 terrors of thick darkness .
18 "They are insignificant on the surface of the water ; Their portion is cursed on the earth . They do not turn toward the vineyards . 19 "Drought and heat consume the snow waters , So does Sheol those who have sinned . 20 "A mother will forget him; The worm feeds sweetly till he is no longer remembered . And wickedness will be broken like a tree . 21 "He wrongs the barren woman And does no good for the widow . 22 "But He drags off the valiant by His power ; He rises , but no one has assurance of life . 23 "He provides them with security , and they are supported ; And His eyes are on their ways . 24 "They are exalted a little while , then they are gone ; Moreover, they are brought low and like everything gathered up; Even like the heads of grain they are cut off .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 24:2-24
Commentary on Job 24:1-12
(Read Job 24:1-12)
Job discourses further about the prosperity of the wicked. That many live at ease who are ungodly and profane, he had showed, ch. xxi. Here he shows that many who live in open defiance of all the laws of justice, succeed in wicked practices; and we do not see them reckoned with in this world. He notices those that do wrong under pretence of law and authority; and robbers, those that do wrong by force. He says, "God layeth not folly to them;" that is, he does not at once send his judgments, nor make them examples, and so manifest their folly to all the world. But he that gets riches, and not by right, at his end shall be a fool, Jeremiah 17:11.
Commentary on Job 24:13-17
(Read Job 24:13-17)
See what care and pains wicked men take to compass their wicked designs; let it shame our negligence and slothfulness in doing good. See what pains those take, who make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts of it: pains to compass, and then to hide that which will end in death and hell at last. Less pains would mortify and crucify the flesh, and be life and heaven at last. Shame came in with sin, and everlasting shame is at the end of it. See the misery of sinners; they are exposed to continual frights: yet see their folly; they are afraid of coming under the eye of men, but have no dread of God's eye, which is always upon them: they are not afraid of doing things which they are afraid of being known to do.
Commentary on Job 24:18-25
(Read Job 24:18-25)
Sometimes how gradual is the decay, how quiet the departure of a wicked person, how is he honoured, and how soon are all his cruelties and oppressions forgotten! They are taken off with other men, as the harvestman gathers the ears of corn as they come to hand. There will often appear much to resemble the wrong view of Providence Job takes in this chapter. But we are taught by the word of inspiration, that these notions are formed in ignorance, from partial views. The providence of God, in the affairs of men, is in every thing a just and wise providence. Let us apply this whenever the Lord may try us. He cannot do wrong. The unequalled sorrows of the Son of God when on earth, unless looked at in this view, perplex the mind. But when we behold him, as the sinner's Surety, bearing the curse, we can explain why he should endure that wrath which was due to sin, that Divine justice might be satisfied, and his people saved.