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Commentary on Job 24 verses 13–17
These verses describe another sort of sinners who therefore go unpunished, because they go undiscovered. They rebel against the light, Job 24:13. Some understand it figuratively: they sin against the light of nature, the light of God's law, and that of their own consciences; they profess to know God, but they rebel against the knowledge they have of him, and will not be guided and governed, commanded and controlled, by it. Others understand it literally: they have the day-light and choose the night as the most advantageous season for their wickedness. Sinful works are therefore called works of darkness, because he that does evil hates the light (Joh 3:20), knows not the ways thereof, that is, keeps out of the way of it, or, if he happen to be seen, abides not where he thinks he is known. So that he here describes the worst of sinners, - those that sin wilfully, and against the convictions of their own consciences, whereby they add rebellion to their sin, - those that sin deliberately, and with a great deal of plot and contrivance, using a thousand arts to conceal their villanies, fondly imagining that, if they can but hide them from the eye of men, they are safe, but forgetting that there is no darkness or shadow of death in which the workers of iniquity can hide themselves from God's eye, Job 34:22. In this paragraph Job specifies three sorts of sinners that shun the light: - 1. Murderers, Job 24:14. They rise with the light, as soon as ever the day breaks, to kill the poor travellers that are up early and abroad about their business, going to market with a little money or goods; and though it is so little that they are really to be called poor and needy, who with much ado get a sorry livelihood by their marketings, yet, to get it, the murderer will both take his neighbour's life and venture his own, will rather play at such small game than not play at all; nay, he kills for killing sake, thirsting more for blood than for booty. See what care and pains wicked men take to compass their wicked designs, and let the sight shame us out of our negligence and slothfulness in doing good.
Ut jugulent homines, surgunt de nocte latrones,
Tuque ut te serves non expergisceris? -
Rogues nightly rise to murder men for pelf;
Will you not rouse you to preserve yourself?
2.Adulterers. The eyes that are full of adultery (Pe2 2:14), the unclean and wanton eyes, wait for the twilight, Job 24:15. The eye of the adulteress did so, Pro 7:9. Adultery hides its head for shame. The sinners themselves, even the most impudent, do what they can to hide their sin: si non caste, tamen caute - if not chastely, yet cautiously; and after all the wretched endeavours of the factors for hell to take away the reproach of it, it is and ever will be a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret, Eph 5:12. It hides its head also for fear, knowing that jealousy is the rage of a husband, who will not spare in the day of vengeance, Pro 6:24, Pro 6:25. See what pains those take that make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts of it, pains to compass, and then to conceal, that provision which, after all, will be death and hell at last. Less pains would serve to mortify and crucify the flesh, which would be life and heaven at last. Let the sinner change his heart, and then he needs not disguise his face, but may lift it up without spot. 3. House-breakers, Job 24:16. These mark houses in the day-time, mark the avenues of a house, and on which side they can most easily force their entrance, and then, in the night, dig through them, either to kill, or steal, or commit adultery. The night favours the assault, and makes the defence the more difficult; for the good man of the house knows not what hour the thief will come and therefore is asleep (Luk 12:39) and he and his lie exposed. For this reason our law makes burglary, which is the breaking and entering of a dwelling-house in the night time with a felonious intent, to be felony without benefit of clergy.
And, lastly, Job observes (and perhaps observes it as part of the present, though secret, punishment of such sinners as these) that they are in a continual terror for fear of being discovered (Job 24:17): The morning is to them even as the shadow of death. The light of the day, which is welcome to honest people, is a terror to bad people. They curse the sun, not as the Moors, because it scorches them, but because it discovers them. If one know them, their consciences fly in their faces, and they are ready to become their own accusers; for they are in the terrors of the shadow of death. 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; and 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 that which yet they are so terribly afraid of being known to do.
74. There is nothing to hinder but that this may be understood even after the latter, seeing that he who desires to commit adultery, seeks out the dark. But whereas it is a sentence uttered against Heretics, it is meet that this thing which is declared be understood in a mystical sense. Thus Paul says, For we are not as many that adulterate [Vulg. adulterantes] the word of God. [2 Cor. 2, 17] For the adulterer seeks not offspring, but pleasure in the act of carnal copulation. And every bad man, and that is also a slave to vain-glory, is rightly said to ‘adulterate’ the word of God, because by the sacred word of Revelation he desires not to beget children to God, but to exhibit his own knowledge. For he that is drawn to speak by lust of glory, bestows his pains rather on gratification than the production of children. And it is rightly added there, No eye shall see me; because the adultery which is committed in the interior is very hard indeed that it should be penetrated by the eye of man. Which same the froward soul commits with the more assurance, in proportion as it does not fear being seen by men, whom it may blush at. Moreover it is to be known that as he that commits adultery joins to himself unlawfully the flesh of another man’s wife, so all heretics, while they carry off the faithful soul into their own error, are as it were bearing off another’s wife, in this way; because the soul which is spiritually wedded to God and joined to Him as if in a kind of bridechamber of love, when by wicked persuasions it is led on into corruptness of doctrine, is as it were like the wife of another defiled by the corrupter. And it is well added;
And disguiseth his face.
75. It is for this reason that the adulterer ‘disguises his face;’ that he may not be known. Now every man who either in thinking or in acting lives badly, ‘disguises his face,’ because by corruptness in doctrine or in practice he is tending to this, that he should not be able to be recognised in the Judgment by Almighty God. Hence He shall say to certain persons at the end, I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity. [Matt. 7, 23] And what is the ‘face’ of the human heart, save the likeness of God? which same face the bad man ‘disguiseth,’ that he may not be able to be known, when his life discomposes either by bad deeds, or by the error of misbelief. But every such person when he sees the righteous upheld by this world’s good fortune, never ventures to prompt what is wrong to them, but if any storm of adversity falls upon those persons, he directly breaks out into words of pestilent persuasion.
And so it is well said, “If the morning suddenly appears, it is to them even as the shadow of death.” For “the morning” is the mind of the righteous, which, leaving behind the darkness of sin, now breaks out into the light of eternity. As it is also said of the holy church, “Who is she that looks forth as the morning?” Therefore, in the same measure that every righteous person shining with the light of righteousness in this present life is reared to a height with honors, so the same measure of the darkness of death comes before the eyes of the wicked, in that they who remember that they have done bad things are in fear of being corrected. They always desire to be free in their iniquities, to live free from correction and to delight from sin. Its fatal mirth is itself appropriately described in the words that are directly introduced: “And they walk so in darkness, as in the light.” For with an evil mind they delight in deeds of wickedness. Through their sin they are day by day being dragged to punishment and are full of assurance. Hence it is said by Solomon that “there are wicked people who are as secure as if they had done the deeds of righteous.” Concerning them it is written that they “rejoice to do evil and delight in the most wicked doings.” Thus “they walk in darkness as in the light,” in that they delight in the night of sin as if the light of righteousness were spread around them.…“He is light on the face of the water.” From the plural number he returns to the singular, because most frequently one person begins what is bad, and numbers follow after by imitating him, but the fault is primarily his, whom the bad people follow after being furnished examples of wickedness; and hence the sentence frequently returns to him who was the leader in sin. Now the surface of water is carried here and there by the breath of air. Not being steadied with any stability it is put in motion everywhere. And so the mind of the wicked is “lighter than the surface of water,” in that every breath of temptation that touches it, draws it in without any retarding resistance. For if we imagine the unstable heart of any bad person, what do we discover but a surface of water set in the wind?
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SUMMARY
Job 24:15 powerfully illustrates the calculated deceit of the adulterer, who meticulously plans transgression under the cover of darkness, convinced that human eyes will not detect them. This verse serves as a poignant example within Job's broader lament concerning the apparent prosperity of the wicked and the perplexing delay of divine justice. It highlights the sinner's profound self-delusion, operating under the false premise that secrecy grants immunity from accountability, a belief that stands in stark contrast to the omnipresent and all-seeing nature of God.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message. Personification is evident in the phrase "The eye...waiteth," giving agency and intention to a part of the body to emphasize the deliberate and calculating nature of the sinner's actions, highlighting their active pursuit of opportune conditions for sin. There is profound irony in the adulterer's confident declaration, "No eye shall see me." While they may successfully evade human detection, the broader biblical worldview, particularly as developed throughout Job and the rest of Scripture, asserts God's omnipresence and omniscience, rendering such attempts at concealment utterly futile in the divine sight. This creates a dramatic tension between human perception and divine reality. Furthermore, the verse uses vivid imagery of darkness, waiting, and disguise to paint a compelling picture of clandestine activity, evoking a sense of moral corruption, stealth, and the deceptive nature of sin.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 24:15, while expressing Job's perplexity over the apparent unpunished prosperity of the wicked, implicitly points to a profound theological truth: the futility of attempting to hide sin from God. The adulterer's delusion that "no eye shall see me" stands in stark contrast to the biblical affirmation of God's perfect knowledge and omnipresence. This verse underscores the pervasive nature of sin's deceit, which often leads individuals to believe they can escape accountability through secrecy. However, the consistent testimony of Scripture reveals that all deeds, whether done in light or darkness, are ultimately known to God and will one day be brought to light, challenging humanity's false sense of security and calling for a life lived in transparency before a holy God.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 24:15 serves as a timeless and sobering warning against the illusion of hidden sin. In an age where digital anonymity and private spaces can foster a false sense of security, this verse reminds us that while we may successfully conceal our actions from human eyes—whether through physical disguise, digital facades, or social pretense—we can never hide from God. True integrity is not merely about avoiding detection, but about living transparently and authentically before the One who sees all. This verse calls believers to resist the temptation to succumb to "secret sins," those areas of our lives we believe are private and unobserved. Instead, it encourages a life lived in the light, marked by genuine repentance, a desire for righteousness, and the liberating knowledge that walking in truth, even when it exposes our flaws, is the path to spiritual freedom and genuine intimacy with God. It challenges us to examine our hearts and motives, knowing that ultimate accountability rests not with human judgment, but with the all-seeing eyes of our Creator.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does Job focus on the adulterer specifically among other evildoers?
Answer: While Job lists various evildoers (thieves, murderers, oppressors) in Job 24, the adulterer serves as a particularly potent example of clandestine sin because adultery inherently involves a betrayal of trust and a deliberate act of concealment. It's a sin often committed in secret, relying on darkness and disguise to avoid detection, making it a perfect illustration of the wicked who believe their deeds go unseen. It also highlights a profound moral corruption that seeks to violate sacred covenants, as outlined in Exodus 20:14. The choice emphasizes the deliberate, premeditated nature of sin that actively seeks to evade both human and divine judgment.
Does this verse suggest that God is not seeing or acting against these hidden sins?
Answer: No, the verse reflects the sinner's delusion, not God's actual blindness or inaction. Job's larger lament in the chapter is precisely about his perception that God is not intervening immediately or visibly to punish the wicked. However, the biblical narrative consistently affirms God's omniscience, meaning nothing is hidden from Him. Passages like Psalm 139:11-12 explicitly state that darkness offers no concealment from God's sight, and Hebrews 4:13 declares that all things are naked and open to His eyes. Job's struggle is with the timing and manifestation of divine justice, not its eventual certainty or God's knowledge.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 24:15, with its portrayal of the sinner's futile attempt to hide in darkness, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus, who is the light of the world. While the adulterer seeks the twilight, believing "no eye shall see me," Christ came to expose the darkness and bring all things into the light, as stated in John 3:19-21. He is the divine "eye" that sees beyond mere outward appearance, discerning the intentions of the heart (Matthew 5:28). The very sins committed in secret, like adultery, are those for which Christ offered His life as the ultimate sacrifice, bearing the shame and guilt that humanity sought to hide. His death and resurrection not only provide forgiveness for sins committed in darkness but also empower believers to "walk in the light, as he is in the light" (1 John 1:7), no longer needing to disguise their face or hide their deeds. Ultimately, the New Testament assures us that there is "nothing covered that will not be revealed, and nothing hidden that will not be known" (Matthew 10:26), and that "God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus" (Romans 2:16). Thus, Christ is both the revealer of hidden sin and the redeemer who offers cleansing and freedom from its power, enabling a life of transparency and integrity before God.