Albert Barnes Commentary Job 24

Why, since times are not hidden from the Almighty – Dr. Good renders this:

“Why are not judgment days kept by the Almighty, so that his offenders may observe his appointed times?”

Dr. Noyes:

“Why are not times of punishment reserved by the Almighty, and why do not they, who regard him, see his judgments?”

Jerome: “Times are not hidden from the Almighty; but they who know him are ignorant of his days.”

The Septuagint: “But why have set times—ὧραι (hōrai)—escaped the notice—ἔλαθον (elathon)—of the Almighty, and the wicked transgressed all bounds?”

The word עתים (‛êthı̂ym), here translated “times,” is rendered by the Chaldee (עדניא) as “set times”—times appointed for an assembly or a trial, designated beforehand for any purpose. The Hebrew word properly means set time, fit and proper times; and in the plural, as used here, means “seasons” (Esther 1:13; 1 Chronicles 12:32), and then vicissitudes of things, fortunes, destinies (Psalms 31:16; 1 Chronicles 29:30).

Here it probably means the vicissitudes of things, or what actually occurs. All changes are known to God. He sees good and bad times; he sees the changes that take place among people.

And since he sees all this, Job asks with concern, why is it that God does not come forth to deal with people according to their true character? Job proceeds to show further that this was the fact, illustrating the position he had maintained in Job 21 by specifying additional cases where the wicked undeniably prospered.

It was this that perplexed him so much, for he did not doubt that their conduct was clearly known to God. If their conduct had been unknown to God, it would not have been surprising that they should go unpunished.

But since all their ways were clearly seen by him, it might well prompt inquiry as to why they were permitted to prosper in this way. He (Job) believed that they were reserved for a future day of wrath (Job 21:30; Job 24:23–24). They would be punished in due time, but it was not a fact, as his friends alleged, that they were punished in this life according to their deeds.

Do they that know him? — This refers to his true friends; the pious.

Not see his days — This means the days of his wrath, or the day when he punishes the wicked. Why are they not permitted to see him come forth to take vengeance on his foes?

The phrase “his days” means the days when God would come forth to punish his enemies. They are called “his days” because at that time God would be the prominent object that would draw attention. They would be days when he would manifest himself in a manner so remarkable as to characterize the period.

Thus, the day of judgment is called the day of the Son of Man, or his day (Luke 17:24), because at that time the Lord Jesus will be the prominent and glorious object that shall give character to the day.

The question here seems to have been asked by Job mainly to call attention to the fact which he proceeds to illustrate. The fact was undeniable. Job did not maintain, as Eliphaz had charged him (Job 22:12–14), that the reason God did not punish them was that he could not see their deeds.

He admitted most fully that God did see them and understood all that they did. In this, they were agreed. Since this was so, the question was why the wicked were spared and lived in prosperity. Job affirms that this was the fact. The reason why it was so was the subject of inquiry now.

This was perplexing, and Job could solve it only by referring to what was to come hereafter.

Some remove the land-marks - Landmarks are pillars or stones set up to mark the boundaries of a farm. To remove them, by carrying them onto the land of another, was an act of dishonesty and robbery—since it was only by marks that the extent of a man’s property could be known. Fences were uncommon; the art of surveying was not well understood, and deeds describing land were probably unknown also. Their whole dependence, therefore, was on the stones that were erected to mark the boundaries of a lot or farm.

As it was not difficult to remove them, it became a matter of special importance to guard against it and to make it a crime of magnitude. Accordingly, it was forbidden in the strictest manner in the law of Moses. Cursed be he that removeth his neighbor’s land-mark; (Deuteronomy 27:17); compare Deuteronomy 19:14; Proverbs 22:28; Proverbs 23:10.

And feed thereof - Margin, “or, them.” The margin is correct. The meaning is, that they drive off the flocks of others, and “pasture” them; that is, they make no effort to conceal what they do, but mingle them with their own herds, and feed them as if they were their own. If they drove them away to kill, and removed them wholly from view, it would be less shameful than to keep and claim them as their own, and to make the robbery so public.

They drive away the ass of the fatherless - Of the orphan, who cannot protect himself, and whose only property may be this useful animal. Injury done to an orphan is always regarded as a crime of special magnitude, for they are unable to protect themselves; see the notes at Job 22:9.

They take the widow’s ox for a pledge - See the notes at Job 22:6. The widow was dependent on her ox to till the ground, and hence, the crime of taking it away in pledge for the payment of a debt.

They turn the needy out of the way - They crowd the poor out of the path, and thus oppress and injure them. They do not allow them the advantages of the highway.

The poor of the earth hide themselves together - For fear of the rich and mighty man. Driven from the society of the rich, without their patronage and friendship, they are obliged to associate together, and find in the wicked man neither protector nor friend. And yet the proud oppressor is not punished.

Behold, as wild asses in the desert - Regarding the wild ass, see the notes at Job 6:5. Schultens, Good, Noyes, and Wemyss understand this not as referring to the haughty tyrants themselves, but to the oppressed and needy wretches whom they had driven from society and compelled to seek a precarious subsistence, like the wild ass, in the desert. They suppose that the meaning is that these outcasts go to their daily toil, seeking roots and vegetables in the desert for subsistence, like wild animals.

But it seems to me that the reference is rather to another class of wicked people: the wandering tribes that live by plunder. These tribes roam through the deserts and live an unrestrained and lawless life, like wild animals. The wild ass is distinguished for its speed, and the comparison here turns principally on this fact. These marauders move rapidly from place to place, make their assault suddenly and unexpectedly, and, after plundering a traveler or caravan, disappear just as suddenly.

They have no home, cultivate no land, and keep no flocks. The only objection to this interpretation is that the wild ass is not a beast of prey. But, in reply to this, it may be said that the comparison does not depend on that, but on the fact that they resemble those animals in their lawless habits of life (see Job 11:12 (note) and Job 39:5 (note)).

Go they forth to their work - To their employment—namely, plunder.

Rising betimes - Rising early. It is a custom of people in the East everywhere to rise by break of day. In journeys, they usually rise long before day, and travel much in the night, and during the heat of the day they rest. As caravans often traveled early, plunderers would rise early, also, to meet them.

For a prey - For plunder—the business of their lives.

The wilderness - The desert, as the word 'wilderness' is used in the Scriptures (see Isaiah 35:1 (note) and Matthew 3:1 (note)).

Yieldeth food - Namely, by plunder. They obtain subsistence for themselves and their families by plundering the caravans of the desert. The idea of Job is that they are seen by God, and yet are allowed to roam at large.