Job 24

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Job 24
  chapter 23
chapter 25  
Leningrad-codex-16-job.pdf
The whole Book of Job in the Leningrad Codex (1008 C.E.) from an old fascimile edition.
Book Book of Job
Hebrew Bible part Ketuvim
Order in the Hebrew part3
Category Sifrei Emet
Christian Bible part Old Testament
Order in the Christian part18

Job 24 is the 24th chapter of the Book of Job in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. [1] [2] The book is anonymous; most scholars believe it was written around 6th century BCE. [3] [4] This chapter records the speech of Job, which belongs to the Dialogue section of the book, comprising Job 3:131:40. [5] [6]

Contents

Text

The original text is written in Hebrew language. This chapter is divided into 25 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Biblical Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text, which includes the Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008). [7]

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE; some extant ancient manuscripts of this version include Codex Vaticanus (B; B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: S; 4th century), and Codex Alexandrinus (A; A; 5th century). [8]

Analysis

The structure of the book is as follows: [9]

Within the structure, chapter 24 is grouped into the Dialogue section with the following outline: [10]

The Dialogue section is composed in the format of poetry with distinctive syntax and grammar. [5] Comparing the three cycles of debate, the third (and final) round can be seen as 'incomplete' because there is no speech from Zophar and the speech by Bildad is very short (6 verses only), which may indicate as a symptom of the disintegration of the friends' arguments. [11] In response to Eliphaz, Job starts by speaking to God indirectly (in the third person), although it is spoken to his friends (chapter 23). [12] Next (in chapter 24), Job addresses the issue of the oppression of the poor that Eliphaz had raised (Job 22:6-20). [13] Job concurs that oppression exists, but questions why God does not act in judgment against the oppressors while listing the kind of actions and attitudes that Job regards as morally reprehensible (to be expanded in chapter 31. [14]

"Job and his friends". Book of Job in Illuminated Byzantine Manuscripts with Cyclic llustration (AD 1300). Greek Patriarchal Library, Jerusalem TAPHOU5fol42v.jpg
"Job and his friends". Book of Job in Illuminated Byzantine Manuscripts with Cyclic llustration (AD 1300). Greek Patriarchal Library, Jerusalem

Job reflects on the oppression (24:1–17)

In this section, Job asks about the "times" and God's "days" when the wicked are allowed to oppress and prosper without punishment, followed by ample evidence: [15]

Next are the more serious wrongdoings in the world against the wicked (verses 13-17): murder (verse 14), adultery (verse 15), and stealing (verse 16), in the same order of appearance in the Ten Commandments. [17] The key image here is of darkness (verses 15, 16, 17) and light (verses 13, 14, 16), with a key implication that those who choose the paths of darkness are not caught or held to account, whereas God's light should expose them. [17]

Verse 12

[Job said:] "Men groan from outside the city,
and the soul of the wounded cries out;
yet God does not charge them with wrong." [18]

Job expounds the fate of the wicked (24:18–25)

Job knows that the wicked would be swallowed by Sheol or death (verse 19b) suddenly (verses 18–19a) and completely that they would be utterly forgotten, as if never existed (verses 20). [17] However, before that happens, God seems to preserve and prolong the lives of such wicked (verse 22), who wrongfully treat childless women and widows (verse 21), even to give them security and protection for a "long time" (verse 23). [23] Therefore Job challenges his friends to prove him wrong about the examples he has given. [23]

Verse 25

[Job said:] "If it is not so, who will prove me a liar
and make my speech worth nothing?" [24]

Job dares his friends to disprove his argument that there is observable injustice in the world, but that God will eventually balance the scales of justice. [26] Significantly, none of the three friends takes up Job's challenge. [26]

See also

References

  1. Halley 1965, pp. 245–246.
  2. Holman Illustrated Bible Handbook. Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. 2012.
  3. Kugler & Hartin 2009, p. 193.
  4. Crenshaw 2007, p. 332.
  5. 1 2 Crenshaw 2007, p. 335.
  6. Wilson 2015, p. 18.
  7. Würthwein 1995, pp. 36–37.
  8. Würthwein 1995, pp. 73–74.
  9. Wilson 2015, pp. 17–23.
  10. Wilson 2015, pp. 18–21.
  11. Wilson 2015, p. 116.
  12. Wilson 2015, p. 120.
  13. Wilson 2015, pp. 120, 122.
  14. Wilson 2015, p. 122.
  15. Wilson 2015, pp. 122–123.
  16. 1 2 Wilson 2015, p. 123.
  17. 1 2 3 Wilson 2015, p. 124.
  18. Job 24:12 MEV
  19. 1 2 Note [a] on Job 24:12 in NET Bible
  20. Note on Job 24:12 in ESV
  21. 1 2 Note [c] on Job 24:12 in NET Bible
  22. Estes 2013, p. 148.
  23. 1 2 Wilson 2015, p. 125.
  24. Job 24:25 MEV
  25. Note on Job 24:25 in NET Bible
  26. 1 2 Estes 2013, p. 149.

Sources