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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Job 24:1–12. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Job's friends had been very positive in it that they should soon see the fall of wicked people, how much soever they might prosper for a while. By no means, says Job; though times are not hidden from the Almighty, yet those that know him do not presently see his day, Job 24:1. 1. He takes it for granted that times are not hidden from the Almighty; past times are not hidden from his judgment (Ecc 3:15), present times are not hidden from his providence (Mat 10:29), future times are not hidden from his prescience, Act 15:18. God governs the world, and therefore we may be sure he takes cognizance of it. Bad times are not hidden from him, though the bad men that make the times bad say one to another, He has forsaken the earth, Psa 94:6, Psa 94:7. Every man's times are in his hand, and under his eye, and therefore it is in his power to make the times of wicked men in this world miserable. He foresees the time of every man's death, and therefore, if wicked men die before they are punished for their wickedness, we cannot say, "They escaped him by surprise;" he foresaw it, nay, he ordered it. Before Job will enquire into the reasons of the prosperity of wicked men he asserts God's omniscience, as one prophet, in a similar case, asserts his righteousness (Jer 12:1), another his holiness (Hab 1:13), another his goodness to his own people, Psa 73:1. General truths must be held fast, though we may find it difficult to reconcile them to particular events. 2. He yet asserts that those who know him (that is, wise and good people who are acquainted with him, and with whom his secret is) do not see his day, - the day of his judging for them; this was the thing he complained of in his own case (Job 23:8), that he could not see God appearing on his behalf to plead his cause, - the day of his judging against open and notorious sinners, that is called his day, Psa 37:13. We believe that day will come, but we do not see it, because it is future, and its presages are secret. 3. Though this is a mystery of Providence, yet there is a reason for it, and we shall shortly know why the judgment is deferred; even the wisest, and those who know God best, do not yet see it. God will exercise their faith and patience, and excite their prayers for the coming of his kingdom, for which they are to cry day and night to him, Luk 18:7.
For the proof of this, that wicked people prosper, Job specifies two sorts of unrighteous ones, whom all the world saw thriving in their iniquity: -
I.Tyrants, and those that do wrong under pretence of law and authority.
It is a melancholy sight which has often been seen under the sun, wickedness in the place of judgment (Ecc 3:16), the unregarded tears of the oppressed, while on the side of the oppressors there was power (Ecc 4:1), the violent perverting of justice and judgment, Ecc 5:8.
1.They disseize their neighbours of their real estates, which came to them by descent from their ancestors. They remove the land-marks, under pretence that they were misplaced (Job 24:2), and so they encroach upon their neighbours' rights and think they effectually secure that to their posterity which they have got wrongfully, by making that to be an evidence for them which should have been an evidence for the rightful owner. This was forbidden by the law of Moses (Deu 19:14), under a curse, Deu 27:17. Forging or destroying deeds is now a crime equivalent to this.
2.They dispossess them of their personal estates, under colour of justice. They violently take away flocks, pretending they are forfeited, and feed thereof; as the rich man took the poor man's ewe lamb, Sa2 12:4. If a poor fatherless child has but an ass of his own to get a little money with, they find some colour or other to take it away, because the owner is not able to contest with them. It is all one if a widow has but an ox for what little husbandry she has; under pretence of distraining for some small debt, or arrears of rent, this ox shall be taken for a pledge, though perhaps it is the widow's all. God has taken it among the titles of his honour to be a Father of the fatherless and a judge of the widows; and therefore those will not be reckoned his friends that do not to their utmost protect and help them; but those he will certainly reckon with as his enemies that vex and oppress them.
3.They take all occasions to offer personal abuses to them, Job 24:4. They will mislead them if they can when they meet them on the high-way, so that the poor and needy are forced to hide themselves from them, having no other way to secure themselves from them. They love in their hearts to banter people, and to make fools of them, and do them a mischief if they can, especially to triumph over poor people, whom they turn out of the way of getting relief, threaten to punish them as vagabonds, and so force them to abscond, and laugh at them when they have done. Some understand those barbarous actions (Job 24:9, Job 24:10) to be done by those oppressors that pretend law for what they do: They pluck the fatherless from the breast; that is, having made poor infants fatherless, they make them motherless too; having taken away the father's life, they break the mother's heart, and so starve the children and leave them to perish. Pharaoh and Herod plucked children from the breast to the sword; and we read of children brought forth to the murderers, Hos 9:13. Those are inhuman murderers indeed that can with so much pleasure suck innocent blood. They take a pledge of the poor, and so they rob the spital; nay, they take the poor themselves for a pledge (as some read it), and probably it was under this pretence that they plucked the fatherless from the breast, distraining them for slaves, as Neh 5:5. Cruelty to the poor is great wickedness and cries aloud for vengeance. Those who show no mercy to such as lie at their mercy shall themselves have judgment without mercy. Another instance of their barbarous treatment of those they have advantage against is that they take from them even their necessary food and raiment; they squeeze them so with their extortion that they cause them to go naked without clothing (Job 24:10) and so catch their death. And if a poor hungry family has gleaned a sheaf of corn, to make a little cake of, that they may eat it and die, even that they take away from them, being well pleased to see them perish for want, while they themselves are fed to the full.
4.They are very oppressive to the labourers they employ in their service. They not only give them no wages, though the labourer is worthy of his hire (and this is a crying sin, Jam 5:4), but they will not so much as give them meat and drink: Those that carry their sheaves are hungry; so some read it (Job 24:10), and it agrees with Job 24:11, that those who make oil within their walls, and with a great deal of toil labour at the wine-presses, yet suffer thirst, which was worse than muzzling the mouth of the ox that treads out the corn. Those masters forget that they have a Master in heaven who will not allow the necessary supports of life to their servants and labourers, not caring whether they can live by their labour or no.
5.It is not only among the poor country people, but in the cities also, that we see the tears of the oppressed (Job 24:12): Men groan from out of the city, where the rich merchants and traders are as cruel with their poor debtors as the landlords in the country are with their poor tenants. In cities such cruel actions as these are more observed than in obscure corners of the country and the wronged have easier access to justice to right themselves; and yet the oppressors there fear neither the restraints of the law nor the just censures of their neighbours, but the oppressed groan and cry out like wounded men, and can no more ease and help themselves, for the oppressors are inexorable and deaf to their groans.
II.He speaks of robbers, and those that do wrong by downright force, as the bands of the Sabeans and Chaldeans, which had lately plundered him.
He does not mention them particularly, lest he should seem partial to his own cause, and to judge of men (as we are apt to do) by what they are to us; but among the Arabians, the children of the east (Job's country), there were those that lived by spoil and rapine, making incursions upon their neighbours, and robbing travellers. See how they are described here, and what mischief they do, Job 24:5-8.
1.Their character is that they are as wild asses in the desert, untamed, untractable, unreasonable, Ishmael's character (Gen 16:12), fierce and furious, and under no restraint of law or government, Jer 2:23, Jer 2:24. They choose the deserts for their dwelling, that they may be lawless and unsociable, and that they may have opportunity of doing the more mischief. The desert is indeed the fittest place for such wild people, Job 39:6. But no desert can set men out of the reach of God's eye and hand.
2.Their trade is to steal, and to make a prey of all about them. They have chosen it as their trade; it is their work, because there is more to be got by it, and it is got more easily, than by an honest calling. They follow it as their trade; they follow it closely; they go forth to it as their work, as man goes forth to his labour, Psa 104:23. They are diligent and take pains at it: They rise betimes for a prey. If a traveller be out early, they will be out as soon to rob him. They live by it as a man lives by his trade: The wilderness (not the grounds there but the roads there) yieldeth food for them and for their children; they maintain themselves and their families by robbing on the high-way, and bless themselves in it without any remorse of compassion or conscience, and with as much security as if it were honestly got; as Ephraim, Hos 12:7, Hos 12:8.
3.See the mischief they do to the country. They not only rob travellers, but they make incursions upon their neighbours, and reap every one his corn in the field (Job 24:6), that is, they enter upon other people's ground, cut their corn, and carry it away as freely as if it were their own. Even the wicked gather the vintage, and it is their wickedness; or, as we read it, They gather the vintage of the wicked, and so one wicked man is made a scourge to another. What the wicked got by extortion (which is their way of stealing) these robbers get from them in their way of stealing; thus oftentimes are the spoilers spoiled, Isa 33:1.
4.The misery of those that fall into their hands (Job 24:7, Job 24:8): They cause the naked, whom they have stripped, not leaving them the clothes to their backs, to lodge, in the cold nights, without clothing, so that they are wet with the showers of the mountains, and, for want of a better shelter, embrace the rock, and are glad of a cave or den in it to preserve them from the injuries of the weather. Eliphaz had charged Job with such inhumanity as this, concluding that Providence would not thus have stripped him if he had not first stripped the naked of their clothing, Job 22:6. Job here tells him there were those that were really guilty of those crimes with which he was unjustly charged and yet prospered and had success in their villanies, the curse they laid themselves under working invisibly; and Job thinks it more just to argue as he did, from an open notorious course of wickedness inferring a secret and future punishment, than to argue as Eliphaz did, who from nothing but present trouble inferred a course of past secret iniquity. The impunity of these oppressors and spoilers is expressed in one word (Job 24:12): Yet God layeth not folly to them, that is, he does not immediately prosecute them with his judgments for these crimes, nor make them examples, and so evince their folly to all the world. He that gets riches, and not by right, at his end shall be a fool, Jer 17:11. But while he prospers he passes for a wise man, and God lays not folly to him until he saith, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee, Luk 12:20.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
“Times are not hidden from the Almighty.” [Job] raises the same question he had discussed above, but now with a profession of faith. He says that he certainly knows that parts of his censorship in blotting out the merits of people follow the course of his justice, but, in the present situation, many things happen that seem to deny this judgment. With this impression in his mind he pursues the crimes of the wicked to the end of his speech. “Times are not hidden,” he says, “from the Almighty,” that is, in his knowledge dwells a full awareness of all our moments. It is as if he said, God does not ignore any time of our actions even as we change them constantly, yet we, who touch him with the devotion of our mind, ignore how many days of patience and deferment he hangs on our judgment.“Others removed the landmarks.” It must be noticed, in this reproof of human vices, that they are weighed more lightly or more seriously according to their effect on the virtue of soul. Thus Job and his friends are affected in different ways by different vices; the friends only accuse the acts of inhumanity, whereas Job describes the crimes of iniquity, violence, robbery, lewdness, pride and impiety.
57. Whom do we understand by the fatherless in this place, but the Elect of God, who are set in tenderness of mind, are nourished with the efficacious grace of faith, and do not yet see the face of their Father, Who has already died in their behalf. And there are very many in the Church, who see certain persons aiming at the things of heaven, having all earthly things in contempt, and though they themselves are toiling with all their strength in this world’s labours, yet to those whom they see panting after heavenly things, from the goods which they possess in this world, they bring this life’s aid and support. And though they cannot themselves follow a spiritual life, yet to those reaching forth to the things above they gladly yield means of support. For an ass is used to bear the burthens of men. He then is as it were a kind of ass of the Elect, who whilst yielding himself to earthly courses, carries loads for the uses of men. And often when Heretics turn aside any such person from the bosom of Holy Church, they are as it were driving off the ass of the fatherless, in that when they force him into their own misbelief, they drive him away from tendance on the good.
58. But who is to be understood by the ‘widow’ saving Holy Church, who is bereft in the mean seas out of the sight of her slain Husband? Now ‘the ox’ of this ‘widow’ is every individual preacher. And it often chances that Heretics by their perverted tenets draw over even those very persons that appeared to be preachers. And so they ‘take the widow’s ox,’ when they carry off from Holy Church even a person preaching. And it is rightly added here for a pledge. For when a pledge is taken away, one thing indeed is held in our hands, but another yet further is sought for. And very often Heretics for this reason try to carry off those that preach, that they may draw to them their followers likewise. Thus ‘the widow’s ox is taken away for a pledge,’ when the same person that practised preaching is for this reason carried off, that others may follow after him. By whose downfall it is very often brought about, that they also go forth from the bosom of Holy Church, who, imbued with godly habits in her, seemed to be meek and humble.
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Summary
Job 24:3 powerfully illustrates the profound social injustice observed by Job, where the most vulnerable members of society—the fatherless and widows—are systematically exploited. This verse highlights the predatory actions of the wicked who seize essential assets, such as a donkey or an ox, thereby stripping these defenseless individuals of their means of livelihood and survival, presenting a stark contradiction to divine justice and compassionate societal norms.
Context
Literary Context
Job 24 is an integral part of Job's third and final discourse (chapters 21-27), a pivotal section where he continues to grapple with the perplexing problem of evil and the apparent prosperity of the wicked. In this chapter, Job articulates a passionate lament, detailing the pervasive injustice he witnesses in the world. His observations stand in stark contrast to the traditional retribution theology espoused by his friends, who rigidly maintain that suffering is always a direct consequence of sin. Job presents a litany of specific examples of oppression and exploitation, with verse 3 serving as a particularly poignant illustration of the cruelties inflicted upon the most vulnerable, thereby setting the stage for his subsequent, agonizing questions regarding divine inaction and the seemingly unpunished wickedness of humanity.
Historical & Cultural Context
In the ancient Near Eastern world, the "fatherless" (orphans) and "widows" were archetypal representations of society's most vulnerable groups. Lacking the traditional male patriarchal protection, economic provision, and legal advocacy, their well-being was often precariously dependent on the extended family, community charity, or the benevolence of rulers. Animals such as donkeys and oxen were not mere possessions but indispensable assets for agricultural labor, transport, and economic survival. Seizing an orphan's donkey or a widow's ox, whether through outright theft or as an oppressive pledge, constituted an act of extreme cruelty, effectively condemning them to destitution. Such actions directly violated the ethical codes and emerging legal principles (like those later codified in the Mosaic Law) that sought to protect the marginalized, rendering these acts particularly egregious in the eyes of a just society and an affront to divine standards.
Key Themes
This verse profoundly contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Job and broader biblical theology. Firstly, it underscores the theme of Injustice and Oppression, vividly illustrating how human depravity manifests in the exploitation of the weak, thereby challenging the simplistic notion of immediate divine retribution. Secondly, it highlights the Vulnerability of the Marginalized, particularly orphans and widows, who are consistently identified throughout Scripture as objects of God's special care and concern, making their exploitation a grave offense against divine principles, as seen in passages like Deuteronomy 24:17. Thirdly, it touches upon the Violation of Divine Law and Ethical Conduct, anticipating later Mosaic injunctions that explicitly protected the poor from having essential items taken as pledges, ensuring their livelihood, as detailed in Deuteronomy 24:6. Job's lament here serves as a powerful indictment of a world that fails to uphold God's standards of justice and compassion, setting the stage for the profound theological dialogue that unfolds in the book.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root signifies to "drive forth" or "lead away," often implying a forceful or violent removal. In the context of the fatherless and their donkey, it conveys an act of outright seizure or theft, emphasizing the lack of recourse for the vulnerable victim. It suggests a predatory action, dispossessing the orphan of a vital means of transport or labor.
Referring to a male donkey, this animal was a common and essential beast of burden in ancient Israel. For the fatherless, who would typically lack other significant assets or means of transport, an ass was often a primary tool for earning a livelihood, carrying goods, or simply for basic mobility. Its seizure meant not merely the loss of property but a profound disruption of their ability to sustain themselves and navigate daily life.
This primitive root means "to bind" or "to wind tightly," specifically in the context of taking something as a pledge or security for a debt. While taking a pledge was a legitimate practice in ancient economies, the Mosaic Law later placed strict limitations on what could be taken, especially from the poor, to prevent deprivation of livelihood (e.g., Deuteronomy 24:6). In this verse, taking an ox from a widow as a pledge signifies an act that, while perhaps technically legal in some sense, was morally reprehensible due to its devastating impact on her ability to survive and provide for her family.
Verse Breakdown
"They drive away the ass of the fatherless"
This clause vividly describes an act of outright theft or forcible seizure. The "fatherless" (orphan) is portrayed as utterly defenseless, lacking the protection and legal standing to safeguard his minimal assets. The "ass" (donkey) represents a vital tool for transport, trade, or agricultural labor, and its removal signifies a complete disregard for the orphan's well-being, condemning him to increased hardship and potential destitution.
"they take the widow's ox for a pledge"
This clause illustrates a form of economic exploitation that, while perhaps framed as a legal transaction, was deeply unjust. An "ox" was indispensable for farming and thus for the widow's very livelihood, as it was used for plowing and other agricultural tasks. Taking it as a "pledge," even if for a legitimate debt, would render her utterly destitute, demonstrating a profound lack of compassion and an abuse of power against one of society's most vulnerable members. This action directly violated the spirit of justice and care for the marginalized that God consistently commanded.
Literary Devices
Job 24:3 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message of pervasive injustice and the suffering of the vulnerable. Parallelism is prominently featured through the two clauses, "They drive away the ass of the fatherless" and "they take the widow's ox for a pledge." This structural repetition highlights the similar nature of the oppressive acts and the equally vulnerable status of the victims, emphasizing the systematic and widespread nature of the exploitation. Synecdoche is present in the use of "ass" and "ox," which represent not merely animals but the entire means of livelihood and economic stability for the fatherless and the widow, respectively. The animals stand in for their very survival and ability to sustain themselves. Furthermore, the verse powerfully uses Pathos by evoking a strong emotional response in the reader. It highlights the extreme vulnerability of the victims and the callousness of the perpetrators, thereby intensifying Job's lament over the apparent absence of divine justice and the suffering of the innocent.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Job 24:3 serves as a stark reminder of the pervasive problem of injustice in a fallen world, a theme that resonates throughout Scripture. It underscores God's deep concern for the marginalized and His consistent condemnation of those who exploit the vulnerable. The actions described here are not merely social wrongs but direct affronts to God's character and His desire for a righteous and compassionate society. This verse highlights the tension between human wickedness and divine justice, a central struggle for Job, and implicitly calls believers to align themselves with God's heart for the oppressed, actively pursuing righteousness and defending the defenseless.
Reflection and Application
Job 24:3 is a timeless mirror reflecting the enduring reality of social injustice and the exploitation of the weak. It challenges us, both as individuals and as a society, to confront the insidious ways in which power imbalances lead to the oppression of the vulnerable. This verse compels us to move beyond mere sympathy to active empathy and advocacy, recognizing that true faith is demonstrated not only in our worship but also in our commitment to justice and compassion for those who cannot defend themselves. It calls us to examine our economic systems, social structures, and personal choices to ensure they do not inadvertently, or intentionally, contribute to the marginalization of others. Ultimately, it reminds us that reflecting God's heart for the fatherless and widows, and indeed for all who are oppressed, is a fundamental aspect of living out our faith in a fallen world, demanding tangible action and a pursuit of righteousness that extends beyond personal piety into societal engagement.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does Job focus on the "fatherless" and "widows" specifically?
Job focuses on the "fatherless" (orphans) and "widows" because, in ancient Near Eastern society, these groups were inherently the most vulnerable and marginalized. Lacking the traditional male head of household for protection, provision, and legal representation, they were often without recourse against exploitation. Throughout the Old Testament, God consistently identifies these groups as recipients of His special care and commands His people to protect them, as seen in passages like Deuteronomy 10:18. Their exploitation, as depicted in Job 24:3, was considered a grave offense against divine justice and human decency, highlighting the depth of the wickedness Job observed.
Does this verse imply God is absent or uncaring in the face of injustice?
Job 24:3, within Job's broader lament in Job 24, expresses Job's perception of God's apparent inaction or silence in the face of widespread injustice. It does not imply God is truly absent or uncaring, but rather reflects Job's profound struggle to reconcile God's righteous character with the observable reality of the wicked prospering and the righteous suffering. The book of Job, as a whole, explores this profound theological dilemma, ultimately affirming God's sovereignty and wisdom even when His ways are beyond human comprehension. While Job questions why God does not immediately intervene, the very act of condemning these injustices aligns with God's own revealed character and laws, suggesting that such acts are indeed an affront to Him, even if His timing for justice is not what humans expect.
How does the "pledge" system relate to the injustice described?
In ancient economies, taking a "pledge" was a common practice to secure a loan or debt. However, the Mosaic Law, given later, introduced strict regulations to prevent the exploitation of the poor through pledges. For instance, Deuteronomy 24:6 prohibited taking a millstone (essential for food preparation) as a pledge, and Deuteronomy 24:12-13 required the return of a poor person's cloak by nightfall. The injustice in Job 24:3 lies in taking an "ox" from a "widow" as a pledge. An ox was her primary means of livelihood for farming; its seizure, even as a pledge, effectively stripped her of her ability to feed herself and her family, making it an act of extreme economic oppression that violated the spirit, if not the letter, of ethical conduct and later divine law.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While Job 24:3 powerfully highlights the pervasive injustice in a fallen world and God's deep concern for the vulnerable, its ultimate fulfillment is found in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament's repeated commands to care for the fatherless and widows (e.g., Deuteronomy 14:29) find their perfect embodiment in Christ, who consistently demonstrated compassion for the marginalized and oppressed. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and welcomed the outcasts, embodying the very heart of God for the vulnerable, as seen in His ministry to the poor and needy (e.g., Luke 4:18-19). Furthermore, Jesus's ministry inaugurated the Kingdom of God, a realm where true justice will ultimately prevail, and all exploitation will cease. His sacrificial death on the cross addresses the root cause of all injustice—sin—and His future return promises a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness dwells and there will be no more weeping or sorrow (Revelation 21:4). Until then, His followers are called to be His hands and feet, actively pursuing justice and caring for the "least of these" (Matthew 25:40), reflecting the compassionate character of the One who came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).