(The Lord speaking is red text)
[Which] make oil within their walls, [and] tread [their] winepresses, and suffer thirst.
between these men's rows [of olives], they make oil; treading their winepresses, they suffer thirst.
They crush olives within their walls; they tread the winepresses, but go thirsty.
They make oil within the walls of these men; They treadtheirwinepresses, and suffer thirst.
Which make oil{H6671} within{H996} their walls{H7791}, and tread{H1869} their winepresses{H3342}, and suffer thirst{H6770}.
Job 24:11 is a part of the Book of Job, which is one of the Wisdom Books in the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. The Book of Job deals with the problem of theodicy—the justice of God—amidst human suffering. It explores why the righteous suffer and whether suffering is a direct result of personal sin.
In Job 24, Job is in the midst of a lengthy discourse, lamenting the plight of the poor and the wickedness he observes in the world. The verse in question, Job 24:11, depicts a striking image of injustice. The text describes individuals who produce oil and wine within their walls, indicating that they are engaged in the laborious processes of oil and winemaking, which would suggest a level of prosperity and industry. However, the verse concludes with the paradoxical detail that despite their apparent wealth and productivity, these same individuals "suffer thirst."
This paradox highlights a theme of reversal of expectation, where the rich, who should have plenty, are depicted as lacking basic necessities. The historical context of the Book of Job is uncertain, but it is traditionally set in the patriarchal period, which would place it in the second millennium BCE. The verse reflects a broader ancient Near Eastern context where oil and wine were valuable commodities, symbols of prosperity and blessings.
In summary, Job 24:11 touches on the themes of injustice and the reversal of fortunes. It reflects the disparity between the expected outcomes of hard work and the actual experiences of some individuals, who despite their labor, do not enjoy the fruits of their toil. This verse contributes to the larger dialogue in the Book of Job about the nature of suffering, the apparent prosperity of the wicked, and the hiddenness of God's justice in the world.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)