Job 9:24

Job 9:24 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?
• New International Version (NIV)When a land falls into the hands of the wicked, he blindfolds its judges. If it is not he, then who is it?
• English Standard Version (ESV)The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; he covers the faces of its judges— if it is not he, who then is it?
• New King James Version (NKJV)The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not He, who else could it be?

Context of Job 9:24

22It is all one; therefore I say, ‘He destroys [both] the blameless and the wicked.’ 23When [His] scourge kills suddenly, He mocks at the despair of the innocent. The earth is given into the hands of the wicked; He covers the faces of its judges [so that they are blind to justice]. If it is not He, then who is it [that is responsible for all this injustice]? 25“Now my days are swifter than a runner; They vanish, they see no good. 26They pass by like the [swift] boats made of reeds, Like an eagle that swoops down on its prey.

Job 9:24 word by word

אֶ֤רֶץ׀ נִתְּנָ֬ה בְֽיַד־רָשָׁ֗ע פְּנֵֽי־שֹׁפְטֶ֥יהָ יְכַסֶּ֑ה אִם־לֹ֖א אֵפ֣וֹא מִי־הֽוּא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• is givenנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• into the handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• of the wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
• he coverethכָּסָהkâsâh · to coverH3680
• the facesפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• of the judgesשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
• thereof; if not, whereאֵפוֹ'êphô 'êphô' · thenH645

Cross-references for Job 9:24

• Job 12:6The tents of the destroyers prosper; And those who provoke God are [apparently] secure, Whom God brings into their power.
• Job 21:7Why do the wicked still live, Become old, and become mighty in power?
• Psalms 17:14From men with Your hand, O Lord, From men of the world [these moths of the night] whose portion [of enjoyment] is in this life—idle and vain, And whose belly You fill with Your treasure; They are satisfied with children, And they leave what they have left [of wealth] to their children.
• Psalms 73:3For I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
• Jeremiah 12:1You, O Lord are [uncompromisingly] righteous and consistently just when I plead my case with You; Yet let me discuss issues of justice with You: Why has the way of the wicked prospered? Why are those who deal in treachery (deceit) at ease and thriving?
• Daniel 4:17This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers And the decision is a command of the holy ones, So that the living may know [without any doubt] That the Most High [God] rules over the kingdom of mankind And He bestows it on whomever He desires And sets over it the humblest and lowliest of men.”
• Daniel 5:18O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and greatness and glory and majesty;
• Daniel 7:7After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, [I saw] a fourth beast (the Roman Empire), terrible and extremely strong; and it had huge iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that came before it, and it had ten horns (ten kings).
• Habakkuk 1:14Why do You make men like the fish of the sea, Like reptiles and creeping things that have no ruler [and are helpless against their enemies]?
• 2 Samuel 15:30And David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, with his head covered and walking barefoot [in despair]. And all the people who were with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went.
• 2 Samuel 19:4But the king covered his face and cried out with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
• Esther 6:12Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to his [own] house, mourning and with his head covered [in sorrow].
• Esther 7:8When the king returned from the palace garden to the place where they were drinking wine, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, “Will he even attempt to assault the queen with me in the palace?” As the king spoke those words, the servants covered Haman’s face [in preparation for execution].
• Jeremiah 14:4The ground is cracked Because there has been no rain on the land; The farmers are distressed, And they have covered their heads [in shame].
• Job 24:25And if this is not so, who can prove me a liar And make my speech worthless?”
• Job 32:2But Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became indignant. His indignation was kindled and burned and he became upset with Job because he justified himself rather than God [and even expressed doubts about God’s character].

Commentaries on Job 9:24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked - Is it not most evident that the worst men possess most of this world's goods, and that the righteous are scarcely ever in power or affluence? This was the case in Job's time; it is the case still. Therefore prosperity and adversity in this life are no marks either of God's approbation or disapprobation. He covereth the faces of the judges thereon - Or, The faces of its decisions he shall cover. God is often…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked - This is evidently designed as an illustration of the sentiment that Job was maintaining - that there was not a distribution of rewards and punishments in this life according to character. In illustration of this, he says that the wicked are raised to places of trust and power. They exercise a wide dominion over the earth, and the world is under their control. Of the truth of this there can be no doubt…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-24Verses 22-24 Job touches briefly upon the main point now in dispute. His friends maintained that those who are righteous and good, always prosper in this world, and that none but the wicked are in misery and distress: he said, on the contrary, that it is a common thing for the wicked to prosper, and the righteous to be greatly afflicted. Yet there is too much passion in what Job here says, for God doth not afflict willingly. When the spirit is heated with…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-35Job answered Bildad by describing God's universal and legal power. His speech resembles a complex legal case. It includes: A summons and response (9:3, 14–16, 19b, 32). The risk of proving himself guilty (9:20). A "mediator" (9:33–34). A question of accusation (9:12). A legal sentence (9:22). A declaration of guilt (9:28–30).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2424. Referring to righteous "judges," in antithesis to "the wicked" in the parallel first clause, whereas the wicked oppressor often has the earth given into his hand, the righteous judges are led to execution--culprits had their faces covered preparatory to execution (Es 7:8). Thus the contrast of the wicked and righteous here answers to that in Job 9:23. if not, where and who?--If God be not the cause of these anomalies, where is the cause to be found…Read the comment

Topics related to Job 9:24

• Afflictions and Adversities
• God
• Satan

In the dictionaries

• Chamber
• Contend
• Daysman
• Pillar
• Blindness, Judicial
• Job, Book of

Commentaries on Job 9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings