Job 24:3

Easy-to-Read Version

They steal a donkey that belongs to an orphan. They take a widow's cow until she pays what she owes them. They take a nursing baby from its mother. They take a poor person's child to guarantee a loan.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
They drive away the donkeys owned by the fatherlessand take the widow’s ox as collateral.

Hebrew Names Version
They drive away the donkey of the fatherless, And they take the widow's ox for a pledge.

King James Version
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge.

English Standard Version
They drive away the donkey of the fatherless; they take the widow's ox for a pledge.

New Century Version
They chase away the orphan's donkey and take the widow's ox when she has no money.

New English Translation
They drive away the orphan's donkey; they take the widow's ox as a pledge.

Amplified Bible
"They drive away the donkeys of the orphans; They take the widow's ox for a pledge.

New American Standard Bible
"They drive away the donkeys of orphans; They seize the widow's ox as a pledge.

World English Bible
They drive away the donkey of the fatherless, And they take the widow's ox for a pledge.

Geneva Bible (1587)
They leade away the asse of the fatherles: and take the widowes oxe to pledge.

Legacy Standard Bible
They drive away the donkeys of the orphans;They take the widow's ox for a pledge.

Berean Standard Bible
They drive away the donkey of the fatherless and take the widow's ox in pledge.

Contemporary English Version
They cheat orphans and widows by taking their donkeys and oxen.

Complete Jewish Bible
they drive away the orphan's donkey; as collateral, they seize the widow's ox.

Darby Translation
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge;

George Lamsa Translation
They seize the ass of the fatherless, they take the widows ox for a pledge.

Good News Translation
They take donkeys that belong to orphans, and keep a widow's ox till she pays her debts.

Lexham English Bible
They drive away the donkey of orphans; they take the widow's ox as a pledge.

Literal Translation
they drive away the ass of orphans; they take the widow's ox for a pledge;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
that dryue awaye the asse of the fatherlesse: that take ye wyddowes oxe for a pledge:

American Standard Version
They drive away the ass of the fatherless; They take the widow's ox for a pledge.

Bible in Basic English
They send away the ass of him who has no father, they take the widow's ox for debt.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge.

King James Version (1611)
They driue away the asse of the fatherlesse, they take the widowes oxe for a pledge.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
They driue away the asse of the fatherlesse, and take the wydowes oxe for a pledge:

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
They have led away, the ass of the fatherless, and taken the widow’s ox for a pledge.

English Revised Version
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thei driueden awei the asse of fadirlesse children, and token awei the cow of a widewe for a wed.

Update Bible Version
They drive away the donkey of the fatherless; They take the widow's ox for a pledge.

Webster's Bible Translation
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge.

New King James Version
They drive away the donkey of the fatherless; They take the widow's ox as a pledge.

New Living Translation
They take the orphan's donkey and demand the widow's ox as security for a loan.

New Life Bible
They drive away the donkeys that belong to those who have no parents. They take the bull that belongs to a woman whose husband has died, as a promise that she will pay what she owes.

New Revised Standard
They drive away the donkey of the orphan; they take the widow's ox for a pledge.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The ass of the fatherless, they drive off, they take in pledge the ox of the widow;

Douay-Rheims Bible
They have driven away the ass of the fatherless, and have taken away the widow’s ox for a pledge.

Revised Standard Version
They drive away the ass of the fatherless; they take the widow's ox for a pledge.

Young's Literal Translation
The ass of the fatherless they lead away, They take in pledge the ox of the widow,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"They drive away the donkeys of the orphans; They take the widow's ox for a pledge.

Contextual Overview

¹ "Why doesn't God All-Powerful set times for judgment? And why can't his followers know when those times will be? ² "People move property markers to get more of their neighbor's land. People steal flocks and lead them to other grasslands. ³ They steal a donkey that belongs to an orphan. They take a widow's cow until she pays what she owes them. They take a nursing baby from its mother. They take a poor person's child to guarantee a loan. ⁴ They force the poor to move out of their way and to get off the road. ⁵ "The poor are like wild donkeys that go out to the desert to find food. From morning to night they work to gather food for their children. ⁶ They have to work in the fields, harvesting grain. They work for the rich, gathering grapes in their vineyards. ⁷ They must sleep all night without clothes. They have no covers to protect them from the cold. ⁸ They are soaked with rain in the mountains. They stay close to the large rocks for shelter. They have no clothes, so they work naked. They carry piles of grain for others, but they go hungry. They press out olive oil and walk on grapes in the winepress, but they have nothing to drink. In the city you can hear the sad sounds of dying people. Those who are hurt cry out for help, but God does not listen. "Some people rebel against the light. They don't know what God wants. They don't live the way he wants. A murderer gets up at dawn and kills poor, helpless people. And at night he becomes a thief. A man who commits adultery waits for the night to come. He thinks, ‘No one will see me,' but still, he covers his face. When it is dark, evil people go out and break into houses. But during the day they lock themselves in their homes to avoid the light. The darkest night is their morning. They are friends with the terrors of darkness. " You say, ‘Evil people are taken away like things carried away in a flood. The land they own is cursed, so no one goes to work in their vineyards. As hot, dry weather melts away the winter snows, so the grave takes away those who have sinned. Their own mothers will forget them. Only the worms will want them. No one will remember them. They will be broken like a rotten stick! These evil people hurt women who have no children to protect them, and they refuse to help widows. By his power God removes the powerful. Even if they have a high position, they cannot be sure of their lives. They might feel safe and secure, but God is watching how they live. They might be successful for a while, but then they will be gone. Like everyone else, they will be cut down like grain.' "I swear these things are true! Who can prove that I lied? Who can show that I am wrong?" ⁹ They take a nursing baby from its mother. They take a poor person's child to guarantee a loan. They force the poor to move out of their way and to get off the road. "The poor are like wild donkeys that go out to the desert to find food. From morning to night they work to gather food for their children. They have to work in the fields, harvesting grain. They work for the rich, gathering grapes in their vineyards. They must sleep all night without clothes. They have no covers to protect them from the cold. They are soaked with rain in the mountains. They stay close to the large rocks for shelter. ¹⁰ They have no clothes, so they work naked. They carry piles of grain for others, but they go hungry.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

drive: Job 22:6-9, Job 31:16, Job 31:17, Deuteronomy 24:6, Deuteronomy 24:10-13, Deuteronomy 24:17-21, 1 Samuel 12:3

Reciprocal: Exodus 22:26 - to pledge Deuteronomy 24:12 - General Job 6:27 - the fatherless Job 22:9 - widows Job 24:21 - doeth not Proverbs 1:13 - General Proverbs 23:10 - fatherless Ezekiel 18:7 - hath restored Ezekiel 33:15 - restore

Cross-References

Genesis 14:19
He blessed Abram and said, "Abram, may you be blessed by God Most High, the one who made heaven and earth.

Genesis 14:22
But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I promise to the Lord , the God Most High, the one who made heaven and earth.

Genesis 21:23
So make a promise to me here before God. Promise that you will be fair with me and with my children. Promise that you will be kind to me and this country where you have lived. Promise that you will be as kind to me as I have been to you."

Genesis 24:3
Now I want you to make a promise to me. Promise to me before the Lord , the God of heaven and earth, that you will not allow my son to marry a girl from Canaan. We live among these people, but don't let him marry a Canaanite girl.

Genesis 24:4
Go back to my country, to my own people, to find a wife for my son Isaac. Bring her here to him."

Genesis 24:14
I will say to one of them, ‘Please put your jar down so that I can drink.' Let her answer show whether she is the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. If she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give water to your camels,' I will know that she is the right one. It will be proof that you have shown kindness to my master."

Genesis 24:15
Before the servant finished praying, a young woman named Rebekah came to the well. She was the daughter of Bethuel. (Bethuel was the son of Milcah and Nahor, Abraham's brother.) Rebekah came to the well with her water jar on her shoulder.

Genesis 24:17
Then the servant ran to her and said, "Please give me a little water to drink from your jar."

Genesis 24:19
As soon as she finished giving him something to drink, Rebekah said, "I will also pour some water for your camels."

Genesis 24:28
Then Rebekah ran and told her family about all these things.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

They drive away the ass of the fatherless,.... Who are left destitute of friends, and have none to take care of them, and provide for them; and who having one ass to carry their goods for them from place to place, or to ride upon, which though a creature of no great worth, yet of some usefulness, this they drove away from its pasture, or however from its right owner; and who having but one, it was the more cruel and inhuman to take it from him, see, 2 Samuel 12:3;

they take the widow's ox for a pledge; or oxen, the singular for the plural, with which her lands were ploughed, for a single ox could be but of little service: some render it "a cow" h, by the milk of which she and her family were chiefly supported, as many poor country families are by the means of a good milch cow; and to take this, on which her livelihood depended, and retain for a pledge, was very barbarous; when the law concerning pledges took place among the Jews, in the times of Moses, which it seems was in being before with others, whatsoever was useful to persons, either to keep them warm, or by which they got their bread, were not to be taken, at least not detained for a pledge, see Exodus 22:26.

h שור "pro bove foemina, vacca", Bolducius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They drive away the ass of the fatherless - Of the orphan, who cannot protect himself, and whose only property may consist in 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.