Job 24:17

_FOR THE MORNING IS TO THEM EVEN AS THE SHADOW OF DEATH: IF ONE KNOW THEM, THEY ARE IN THE TERRORS OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH._ They shrink from the "morning" light, as much as other men do from the blackest darkness ("the shadow of death"). IF ONE KNOW - i:e., recognize them. Rather, 'they know well (are familiar with) the terrors of,' etc. (Umbreit.) Or, as Maurer. 'They know the terrors of (this) darkness'-namely, of morning light, that it is as terrible to them as darkness ("the shadow of death") is to other men....

13-17 See what care and pains wicked men take to compass their wicked designs; let it shame our negligence and slothfulness in doing good. See what pains those take, who make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts of it: pains to compass, and then to hide that which will end in death and hell at last. Less pains would mortify and crucify the flesh, and be life and heaven at last. Shame came in with sin, and everlasting shame is at the end of it. See the misery of sinners; they are exposed to continual frights: yet see their folly; they are afraid of coming under the eye of men, but have no dread of God's eye, which is always upon them: they are not afraid of doing things which they are afraid of being known to do....

FOR THE MORNING IS TO THEM EVEN AS THE SHADOW OF DEATH - They dread the light as one does usually the deepest darkness. The morning or light would reveal their deeds of wickedness, and they therefore avoid it. AS THE SHADOW OF DEATH - As the deepest darkness; see the notes at Job 3:5. IF ONE KNOW THEM - If they are recognized. Or, more probably, this means “they,” that is, each one of them, “are familiar with the terrors of the shadow of death,” or with the deepest darkness. By this rendering the common signification of the word (יכיר _yakı̂yr_) will be retained, and the translation will accord with the general sense of the passage. The meaning is, that they are familiar with the blackest night. They do not dread it. They dread only the light of day. To

EXPOSITION The general subject of this chapter is the prosperity of the wicked, whose proceedings and their results are traced out in detail (Job 24:2). A single note of perplexity (Job 24:1) forms a sufficient introduction; and a single note of challenge a sufficient epilogue (Job 24:25). JOB 24:1 WHY, SEEING TIMES ARE NOT HIDDEN FROM THE ALMIGHTY. By "times" seem to be meant God's special periods of exhibiting himself in action as the moral Governor of the world, vindicating the righteous, and taking vengeance upon sinners. Such "times" are frequently spoken of in the prophetical Scriptures as "days of th

FOR THE MORNING [IS] TO THEM EVEN AS THE SHADOW OF DEATH,.... It is as disagreeable, and as hateful, and as terrible to them as the grossest and thickest darkness can be to others. The word יחדו is to be rendered either "alike" or "altogether", and not "even", as in our version: "the morning is to them equally" or "together" w; that is, to the murderer, robber, thief, adulterer, and housebreaker, "as the shadow of death"; alike disagreeable to them all; or "the shadow of death is to them together" or "alike [as the] morning"; what the morning is to others, exceeding pleasant and delightful, that to them is the shadow of death, or the darkest night; they love darkness rather than light: IF [ONE] KNOW [THEM, THEY ARE IN] THE TERRORS OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH; they are frightened unto death, they are in as great terror as a man is to whom death is the king of terrors; and who is sensible of t...

Job 24:1. _Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?_ «Why do they live so long? Why do they appear to have such prosperity?» Job 24:2. _Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof. They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge. They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together._ «They are hard-hearted enough to rob even poor widows and orphan children.» Job 24:5. _Behold, as wild asses in the desert, go they forth to their work;_ Like wild asses, their work consists in going forth to do mischief....

CHAPTER S 23-24 JOB'S REPLY _ 1. O that I knew where I may find Him (Job 23:1)_ 2. Trusting yet doubting (Job 23:10) 3. Hath God failed? (Job 24:1) 4. Job's further testimony as to the wicked (Job 24:13) Job 23:1. Job here does not disprove at once the false charges of Eliphaz. He can afford to wait till later, till their mouths are completely silenced. Then he speaks the final word. He acknowledgeth that he is still rebellious. His hand which is upon him is heavier than all his groanings. Then that outburst which reveals the longing of his t

JOB 24. This chapter has since Merx in 1871 been subjected to much criticism, the general trend of which has been to deny the whole or a considerable part of the chapter to Job. Peake, however, considers that the chapter as a whole reflects Job's point of view, though alien elements are to be recognised in it. Davidson sums up the chapter under the heading: The Divine rectitude which Job misses in his own instance he equally misses in the broad field of the world. Job 24:1 asks why days of assize are wanting in the universe? With Job 24:2 begins a series of examples of injustice. In Job 24:5 we have the description of a wretched tribe of pariahs, nameless outcasts, probably aborigines. In...

IF ONE KNOW THEM. See translation below....

The outrages perpetrated by a different class of wrongdoers, the murderer (Job 24:14), the adulterer (Job 24:15), and the robber (Job 24:16). Those described in former verses pursued their violent course openly, they had law or at least custom on their side, and their cruelties did no more than illustrate the rights of property; those now mentioned are "rebels against the light" and operate under cover of the darkness....