Job 24 The practice and prosperity of the wicked, Job 24:1–16. Their punishment and curse in the end, Job 24:17–25.

The sense of the words according to this translation is this, Why, ( how comes it to pass,) seeing times (i.e. the several times of every man’s life, how long he shall live, or the fittest seasons and opportunities (which are oft called times, as Gen. 24:11, Ps. 31:15, Ps.

Some remove the landmarks; or, they (i.e. the wicked, of whom he here treats) touch (to wit, in an unlawful manner, and with evil design, as this word is oft used, as Gen. 26:11, Gen.

The ass, either the asses, the singular number being used collectively. Or he saith the ass, to aggravate their sin, that they robbed him who had but one ass. Compare 1 Sam. 12:2–4. The fatherless; whose helpless condition required their pity and mercy.

Out of the way; either, 1. Out of the way of piety and justice. They engage them to take evil courses by their examples, or promises, or threatenings. Or, 2. Out of their right. Or, 3. Out of their course and way of living.

As wild asses; which are wild, and lawless, and unteachable, and fierce, and greedy of prey, or food, which they snatch out of the goods or labours of the husbandman; in all which they are fit emblems of these men. Or, these wild men; for so this word signifies, Gen. 16:12, as elsewhere wild asses.

They; either, 1. The poor, who are forced to gather in the corn and grapes of their wicked oppressors; or rather, 2. The oppressors, of whom he speaks Job 4:4–5, Job 4:7. His corn, i.e. the corn of the wicked, as it is in the next clause.

The naked, i.e. those whom they have made naked, whom they stripped of their garments and coverings; so far were they from exercising justice or charity towards them. To lodge; to sleep in the night, which is the coldest season. Without clothing; without bed-clothes to cover them: compare Deut.

They, i.e. the poor, being stripped of their raiment, and forced away from their houses. With the showers of the mountains; with the rain water, which in great showers run down from the rocks or mountains into the caves or holes in the sides of them, to which they fled for shelter.

They; the wicked oppressors, as is manifest from the following words. From the breast; either out of cruelty, not sparing poor infants, but killing them; or out of covetousness, and with design either to sell the mother, or to employ her in their work, to which they so strictly confine her, that…

They cause him, the poor oppressed person, to go naked without clothing; leaving him nothing, or next to nothing, to cover him in the day-time, when he should go abroad to his labour to get his living, but cannot for want of clothes to cover his nakedness.

To wit, the poor man last mentioned. Within their walls; either, 1. Within their own walls, i.e. in private and secret places, for fear of the oppressors. Or rather, 2.

Men groan under the burden of injuries and grievous oppressions. From out of the city; not only in deserts or less inhabited places, where these tyrants have the greater opportunity and advantage to practise their villanies; but even in cities, where there is a face of order and government, and…

This is added as the general character of the persons before mentioned, and as a great aggravation of their wickedness, that they were not modest sinners, which were ashamed of their evil ways, and therefore sinned in the dark, and in secret, as some who here follow; but sinned impudently in the…

With the light; as soon as the light appears, using no less diligence in his wicked practices, than labourers do in their honest and daily employments. Killeth the poor and needy; where he finds nothing to satisfy his covetousness, he exerciseth his cruelty. Is as a thief, i.e.

The eye of the adulterer, i.e. the adulterer; but he mentions his eye, because the eye discerns the difference between light and darkness. The twilight, to wit, for the evening twilight, which is his opportunity. Saying in his heart, comforting himself with the thoughts of secretness and impunity.

They dig; either, 1. The adulterer last mentioned; although such persons do not use nor need these violent courses to get into the house of the adulteress, but are commonly admitted upon milder and easier terms. Or, 2.

As the shadow of death, i.e. terrible and hateful, because it both discovers them and hinders their practices. If they are brought to light or discovered, they are overwhelmed with deadly horrors and terrors.

In these words he describes either, 1. The wicked man’s disposition and deportment, that such persons are light and frothy in their spirits, or swift or hasty to do evil, or unstable in their ways as the waters, or upon the face of the waters, i.e.

As the snow, though it doth for a time lie upon the ground, yet at last is dissolved into water by the heat of the season, and that water quickly swallowed up by the earth when it is dry and thirsty; so ungodly sinners, though they live and prosper for a season, yet at last they shall go into the…

His mother that bare him in her womb, and much more the rest of his friends, shall seldom or never remember or mention him, to wit, with honour and comfort, but shall rather be afraid and ashamed to own their relation to one that lived such a vile and wretched life, and died such an accursed death.

He; either, 1. God, who is oft understood, who having cut off his person, and brought him to his grave, continues his judgments upon his wife or widow, and family. Or rather, 2.

He draweth, either into his net, as Ps. 10:9, or to his party, to assist and serve him in his enterprises. The mighty; who are mighty in place, or wealth, or power; he practiseth upon these as well as upon the poor.

Heb. He giveth to him to be in safety, or all things necessary for his safety, &c. This verse is understood either, 1. Of the oppressor; if the oppressor give a man his hand or promise that he shall live in safety by him, or if the oppressed give gifts to the oppressor to purchase his quiet and…

They live in honour and happiness, but not for ever, but only at best during this short and mortal life, which lasteth but for a very little time, and therefore their present happiness is not to be envied; nor is it any reproach to God’s providence, which hath time enough to reckon with them…

If it be not so now, to wit, as I have discoursed; if God doth not suffer wicked men to live long and prosperously in the world before he punisheth them; and if good men be not sometimes sorely afflicted there, if all things do not fall alike to all men in these matters.