Job 24:19-25

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 24:18-25

Job here, in the conclusion of his discourse, I. Gives some further instances of the wickedness of these cruel bloody men. 1. Some are pirates and robbers at sea. To this many learned interpreters apply those difficult expressions (Job 24:18), He is swift upon the waters. Privateers choose those ships that are the best sailors. In these swift ships they cruise from one channel to another, to pick up prizes; and this brings them in so much wealth that their portion is cursed in the earth, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 24:19

Drought and heat consume the snow waters ,.... Melt the snow into water, and dry up that, which is done easily, quickly, and suddenly: so doth the grave those which have sinned ; all have sinned, but some are more notorious sinners than others, as those here meant; and all die and are laid in the grave, and are consumed; hence the grave is called the pit of corruption and destruction, because bodies are corrupted and destroyed in it, and which is the case of all, both good and bad... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 24:20

The womb shall forget him ,.... His mother that bore him; or his wife, by whom he had many children; or his friend, as Gersom, who had a tender and affectionate respect for him; these all, and each of them, either because of his wicked life and infamous death, care not to speak of him, but bury him in oblivion; or because of his quiet and easy death, are not distressed with it, but soon forget him; unless this is to be understood of the womb of the earth, in which being buried, he lies... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 24:21

He evil entreateth the barren, that beareth not ,.... Here Job returns, to give some further account of the sins of some wicked men, who prosper in this world, and go through it with impunity; and speaks of such that use their wives ill because they are barren, upbraid them with it, and are churlish to them on account of it; or use them ill that they may be barren, and bear no children, having no pleasure in them, as not in vineyards, before, Job 24:18 ; and some interpret this of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 24:22

He draweth also the mighty with his power ,.... Such a wicked man not only maltreats the weak, the helpless, and the defenceless, but even attacks the mighty and powerful; such as are in great power and authority, and abound in wealth and riches, only somewhat inferior in both to himself: wherefore, by his superior force, he draws them to be of his party, to join with him in acts of rapine and violence, oppression and cruelty; or he draws them by power or policy, or by both, as the wicked... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 24:23

Though it be given him to be in safety ,.... Or "he gives him" F7 יתן לו "dat ei", Piscator, Mercerus, i.e., Deus, Beza, Drusius, Michaelis. , that is, it is God gives the wicked man to be in safety, notwithstanding all his wickedness; for Job, having described the wicked man, now represents him as in the greatest prosperity: safety is of God in every respect, not only the safety of good men, both in a way of providence and in a way of grace, but even of bad men; those are... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 24:24

They are exalted for a little while ,.... To seats of honour, to places of profit and trust, to great wealth and riches, to be highly esteemed among men, and to have a large affluence of the good things of life; see Malachi 3:15 ; though this exaltation, dignity, and glory, wealth and riches, last but for a little time, this life at longest being but short, like a vapour that appears, and soon vanishes away; and then all a man's honours and glory, riches and substance, are at an end, who... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 24:25

And if it be not so now ,.... If this is not the case of men of such wicked lives as above described, do not prosper in the world, and increase in riches, and do not pass through the world with impunity, and die quietly, in the full possession of their honour and wealth: who will make me a liar ? where is the man? let him stand forth and appear, and disprove what has been said, and make out the doctrine delivered to be false doctrine, and a lie; for no lie is of the truth: and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 24:19

Drought and heat consume the snow-waters - The public cisterns or large tanks which had been filled with water by the melting of the snow on the mountains, and which water was stored for the irrigation of their lands, had been entirely exhausted by the intensity of the heat, and the long continuance of drought. So doth the grave those which have sinned - For this whole paragraph we have only two words in the original; viz., חטאו שאול sheol chatau , "the pit, they have sinned;" which... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 24:20

The womb shall forget him - The mother that bare him shall have no affection for him, nor be afflicted at his death. But the word רחם rechem signifies compassion, mercy. Mercy shall be unmindful of him. How dreadful such a state! When mercy itself forgets the sinner, his perdition slumbereth not. The worm shall feed sweetly on him - The Chaldee has, "The cruel, who have neglected to commiserate the poor, shall be sweet to the worms." He shall be brought into a state of the greatest... read more

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