TRV
Translation
King James Version
They reap every one his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked.
Complete Jewish Bible
They must reap in fields that are not their own and gather late grapes in the vineyards of the wicked.
American Standard Version
They cut their provender in the field; And they glean the vintage of the wicked.
World English Bible Messianic
They cut their provender in the field. They glean the vineyard of the wicked.
Geneva Bible (1599)
They reape his prouision in the fielde, but they gather the late vintage of the wicked.
Young's Literal Translation
In a field his provender they reap, And the vineyard of the wicked they glean.
See on the biblical-era map
In the KJVVerse 13,443 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Job 24 verses 1–12
1 ¶ Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?
2 Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof.
3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge.
4 They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together.
5 Behold, as wild asses in the desert, go they forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children.
6 They reap every one his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked.
7 They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold.
8 They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
9 They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor.
10 They cause him to go naked without clothing, and they take away the sheaf from the hungry;
11 Which make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.
12 Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them.
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.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–12. Public domain.
Copy as
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
62. By the name of a ‘field’ may be denoted the wide compass of Holy Scripture, and Heretics ‘reap’ it not being their own, in that they carry away from it sentences which are infinitely removed from their own notions; which same is furthermore described by the title of a ‘vineyard,’ in that through the sentences of truth it puts forth the clusters of the virtues; the owner of which vineyard, i.e. the originator of Holy Scripture, they as it were ‘oppress with violence,’ because they endeavour violently to twist and turn a sense of His upon [L. only reads ‘in the words’] the words of Holy Writ; as He saith, But thou hast made Me to serve with thy sins, thou hast given Me labour in thine iniquity. [Is. 43, 24] And they ‘reap the vintage of that vineyard,’ in that they heap together therefrom clusters of sentences after the bent of their own understanding. It may be that by the title of a ‘field’ or of a ‘vineyard’ the Church Universal is set forth, which corrupt preachers ‘reap,’ and by oppressing in His members the Author of it, ‘gather the vintage,’ in that in bearing down upon the grace of our Creator, whilst they seize off therefrom persons who seemed to be righteous, what else is this but that they carry off ‘ears’ or ‘clusters’ of souls?
Ishodad of MervAD 850
COMMENTARY ON JOB 24:6
“They reap in a field not their own” … as wild asses tread underfoot the fields of others and browse on their grass, so the impious, with their impudent violence, reap in fields that are not theirs and steal them from their owners. “They glean in the vineyard of the wicked.” This means it is not enough for the wicked to steal from the poor, who have worked without a wage in the fields from the beginning to the end, [but also from the rich].
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
Copy as
Continue studying Job 24:6 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Job 24:6 presents a stark and unsettling observation within Job's impassioned discourse, highlighting the perplexing reality that the wicked often appear to flourish, enjoying the fruits of their labor—or, more accurately, the fruits of their injustice—without immediate divine intervention or consequence. This verse encapsulates Job's central challenge to the conventional wisdom of his friends, who rigidly assert that prosperity is a direct sign of righteousness and suffering an immediate result of sin. Instead, Job paints a picture of a world where the unrighteous "reap their corn" and "gather the vintage," seemingly blessed and undisturbed, thereby deepening the profound theological dilemma of God's justice in the face of widespread evil and suffering.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Job 24:6 is situated within Job's fourth and final response (chapters 21-24) to his three friends, particularly Bildad, whose simplistic retribution theology Job has consistently and vehemently refuted. Throughout this section, Job passionately argues that, contrary to their assertions, the wicked often thrive, live long lives, and die peacefully, while the righteous suffer unjustly. Chapter 24 specifically details various acts of social injustice committed by the wicked—such as moving boundary markers, stealing from the poor, and oppressing the vulnerable (e.g., Job 24:2 and Job 24:4)—culminating in verses like 24:6 which vividly illustrate their apparent success and enjoyment of ill-gotten gains. This verse serves as a concrete, agricultural example of the prosperity Job observes among the unrighteous, directly contradicting the theological framework of his interlocutors and intensifying the book's central dilemma.
Historical & Cultural Context: Ancient Israel was an agrarian society where "corn" (grain) and "vintage" (grape harvest) were not merely commodities but fundamental indicators of wealth, sustenance, and divine blessing. The ability to successfully "reap" and "gather" one's harvest was essential for survival and a primary sign of prosperity. Land ownership, often demarcated by boundary stones, was sacred, and tampering with them was a grave offense, frequently leading to the dispossession of the poor and vulnerable. The imagery in Job 24 draws on these deeply familiar agricultural practices. The "vintage of the wicked" would have been particularly jarring, as the grape harvest was a time of communal joy, celebration, and abundance. For such bounty to be explicitly associated with the wicked underscores Job's point: these individuals are not just surviving but flourishing, seemingly enjoying the very blessings traditionally understood as God's reward for the righteous. This observation profoundly challenges the deeply ingrained cultural understanding of divine justice operating visibly and immediately in the earthly realm.
Key Themes: The central theme in Job 24:6 and throughout Job's discourse is the Prosperity of the Wicked. Job observes that the unrighteous often thrive materially and enjoy the fruits of their labor, even if acquired through illicit means, directly contradicting the simplistic retribution theology espoused by his friends (Psalm 73:3-12). This leads to the theme of Injustice and Exploitation, as the "corn" and "vintage" gathered by the wicked are implied to be the result of their oppressive practices, either directly harvested from stolen fields or representing the general prosperity they achieve through their unrighteousness. Underlying these observations is the profound theological problem of Divine Delay or Theodicy—Job's struggle with God's apparent inaction in the face of widespread injustice. He sees the wicked flourishing and questions why divine judgment is not swift and visible, echoing the cries of other biblical figures who wrestled with God's timing and justice (e.g., Habakkuk 1:2-4).
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Job 24:6 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its challenging message. Irony is central, as the verse describes the wicked engaging in acts of harvest and enjoying abundance, which in the biblical worldview are typically associated with divine blessing for the righteous. This creates a stark contrast between what should be (wicked punished, righteous blessed) and what is (wicked prospering). Juxtaposition is also evident, as the seemingly mundane and legitimate acts of "reaping" and "gathering" are placed in direct opposition to the character of the actors—"the wicked." This highlights the moral dissonance and the perplexing reality Job grapples with. Furthermore, Symbolism is at play, with "corn" and "vintage" serving as powerful symbols of sustenance, prosperity, and the fullness of life. By associating these symbols with the wicked, Job underscores the depth of the injustice and the apparent absence of immediate divine accountability.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 24:6 contributes significantly to the book's overarching theological discourse on theodicy—the question of God's justice in a world filled with suffering and evil. Job's observation that the wicked prosper challenges the prevailing Deuteronomic theology, which promised immediate blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. This verse forces a confrontation with the reality that God's justice is not always immediate or visible in human terms, prompting profound questions about divine sovereignty, patience, and the timing of judgment. It underscores a tension found throughout Scripture: how can a just and powerful God allow such injustice to flourish, and how should the righteous respond when the wicked seem to thrive? This tension is ultimately resolved not through simplistic answers, but through a deeper understanding of God's character and His ultimate, though often delayed, redemptive and judgmental purposes, often pointing to an eschatological resolution.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 24:6 serves as a sobering reminder that the world often does not operate according to our ideal sense of immediate justice. The wicked may indeed prosper for a time, enjoying material success and apparent ease, which can be deeply unsettling for those who strive to live righteously. This verse challenges us to look beyond superficial appearances and simplistic theological formulas, encouraging us to trust in God's ultimate justice, even when it is not immediately evident or when our human understanding of fairness is violated. It compels us to recognize that outward material success is not always an indicator of divine favor or righteousness. Instead, true prosperity is often contrasted in Scripture with enduring spiritual blessings, a right relationship with God, and the eternal hope that transcends temporal circumstances. Despite seeing injustice prevail, the believer is called to maintain integrity, faithfulness, and a steadfast reliance on God's character, knowing that He sees all and will ultimately set things right in His perfect timing. Our faith is not in a system of immediate retribution, but in a sovereign God who is just and good, and whose final judgment is certain.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does Job 24:6 imply that God approves of the wicked's actions or their prosperity?
Answer: No, Job 24:6 does not imply God's approval of the wicked's actions or their prosperity. Instead, it is Job's lament and observation of a perplexing reality. Job is struggling with the apparent disconnect between God's known justice and the visible state of the world. The verse highlights God's patience and long-suffering, allowing the wicked to continue in their ways and even enjoy material success for a season. This patience, however, is not approval. Throughout the Bible, God's ultimate judgment against wickedness is clear, even if it is not immediate (e.g., Romans 2:5-6). Job's entire argument is a cry for God to act, precisely because the current state of affairs seems to contradict divine justice. The temporary nature of this prosperity is often emphasized in other biblical texts, even if not explicitly stated here.
How does Job's observation in 24:6 relate to other biblical passages about the prosperity of the wicked?
Answer: Job's observation in Job 24:6 resonates deeply with other biblical passages that grapple with the same theological dilemma. Perhaps the most famous is Psalm 73, where the psalmist confesses his own struggle and near stumble when he saw the prosperity of the wicked. Like Job, he notes their ease, health, and lack of trouble, which causes him great distress until he enters the sanctuary of God and understands their ultimate, often sudden, end. Similarly, Jeremiah 12:1-2 sees the prophet asking why the way of the wicked prospers. These passages collectively affirm that the prosperity of the wicked is a real and unsettling phenomenon that challenges human understanding of divine justice, but they also consistently point to God's ultimate sovereignty and the certainty of future judgment, often in the eschatological sense.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 24:6, with its stark portrayal of the wicked's earthly prosperity and the apparent delay of divine justice, finds its profoundest Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus. The problem of theodicy, so acutely felt by Job, is not merely answered by a philosophical explanation but by God entering into human suffering Himself. Jesus, the Son of God, experienced the ultimate injustice, suffering and dying a criminal's death despite being perfectly righteous (1 Peter 2:22). His crucifixion, a moment of profound cosmic injustice, demonstrates that God does not always intervene immediately to prevent evil, but rather, in Christ, He fully identifies with the suffering of the innocent. Furthermore, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead serves as God's definitive vindication of righteousness and the promise of ultimate justice. While the wicked may "reap their corn" and "gather the vintage" in this life, Christ's return will usher in a new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13) and every injustice will be set right. The temporary prosperity of the wicked is ultimately overshadowed by the eternal kingdom established through Christ, where true and lasting abundance is found not in material gains, but in a right relationship with God and the glorious inheritance of the saints (Colossians 1:12). Through Christ, the perplexing reality of Job 24:6 is transformed into a call for patient endurance, confident hope, and unwavering faith in a God whose justice is perfectly revealed in the Lamb who was slain and who is to come again (Revelation 22:12).