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Job 9:24
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The earth is handed over to the wicked;he blindfolds its judges.If it isn’t he, then who is it?
The eretz is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of the judges of it. If not he, then who is it?
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?
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?
When the land falls into the hands of evil people, he covers the judges' faces so they can't see it. If it is not God who does this, then who is it?
If a land has been given into the hand of a wicked man, he covers the faces of its judges; if it is not he, then who is it?
"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]?
"The earth is handed over to the wicked; He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not He, then who is it?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of the judges of it. If not he, then who is it?
The earth is giuen into the hand of ye wicked: he couereth the faces of the iudges therof: if not, where is he? or who is he?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked;He covers the faces of its judges.If it is not He, then who is it?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He blindfolds its judges. If it is not He, then who is it?
And who else but God blindfolds the judges, then lets the wicked take over the earth?
The earth has been given to the power of the wicked; he covers the faces of its judges — if it isn't he, then who is it?
The earth is given over into the hand of the wicked [man]; he covereth the faces of its judges. If not, who then is it?
The earth is handed over to the wicked; and the faces of the judges are covered; if not, who can endure their wrath?
God gave the world to the wicked. He made all the judges blind. And if God didn't do it, who did?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; he covers the face of its judge— if it is not he, then who is it?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not He, then who is it?
As for the worlde, he geueth it ouer in to the power of the wicked, soch as the rulers be, wherof all londes are full. Is it not so? where is there eny, but he is soch one?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He covereth the faces of the judges thereof: If it be not he, who then is it?
The land is given into the power of the evil-doer; the faces of its judges are covered; if not by him, then who has done it?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; he covereth the faces of the judges thereof;
The earth is giuen into the hand of the wicked: he couereth the faces of the Iudges thereof; if not, where, and who is hee?
As for the worlde it is geuen ouer into the hande of the wicked, and he shall couer the faces of the iudges therof: if not, where is he, or who is he [that can shewe the contrarie?]
For they are delivered into the hands of the unrighteous man: he covers the faces of the judges of the earth: but if it be not he, who is it?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if it be not he, who then is it?
The erthe is youun in to the hondis of the wickid; he hilith the face of iugis; that if he is not, who therfor is?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He covers the faces of the judges thereof: If [it is] not [he], then who is it?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of its judges; if not, where, [and] who [is] he?
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?
The whole earth is in the hands of the wicked, and God blinds the eyes of the judges. If he's not the one who does it, who is?
The earth is given into the hand of the sinful. He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not He, then who is it?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; he covers the eyes of its judges— if it is not he, who then is it?
The earth, hath been given into the hand of a lawless one, The faces of her judges, he covereth, If not, then who is it?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked, he covereth the face of the judges thereof: and if it be not he, who is it then?
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?
Earth hath been given Into the hand of the wicked one. The face of its judges he covereth, If not -- where, who [is] he?
"The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not He, then who is it?
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
earth: Job 12:6-10, Job 21:7-15, Psalms 17:14, Psalms 73:3-7, Jeremiah 12:1, Jeremiah 12:2, Daniel 4:17, Daniel 5:18-21, Daniel 7:7-28, Habakkuk 1:14-17
he covereth: 2 Samuel 15:30, 2 Samuel 19:4, Esther 6:12, Esther 7:8, Jeremiah 14:4
if not: Job 24:25, Job 32:2
Reciprocal: Esther 7:5 - Who is he Isaiah 22:17 - cover
Gill's Notes on the Bible
The earth is given into the hands of the wicked,.... Either the wicked one, Satan, as Jarchi and Bar Tzemach, who is the god of this world; or some wicked tyrant, as Nimrod, or some other known by Job in his time, to whom he may have respect; or wicked men in general, who for the most part have the greatest share of the earth, and earthly things, and of power, dominion, and authority in it; and this they have of God, the powers that be are ordained by him, and therefore to be obeyed; and what any have of the earth, and the fulness of it, they have it from him, whose it is, and who has a right to dispose of it, and therefore being given by him, they have a proper right unto it; but then it is only the things of this world which are given them; they have their portion here, and that is their all; wherefore, as the giving of these is no proof of a man's goodness, so the taking of them away is no evidence of his wickedness; love or hatred are not to be known by these things; this is Job's scope and drift in this and Job 9:23:
he covereth the face of the judges thereof; not Satan, who blinds the minds of such, that they should not understand justice, and do it, as the above Jewish writers interpret it; nor the wicked man that is possessed of riches and wealth, power and authority, who by his substance bribes the judges, and blinds their eyes, or by his power and authority awes them, keeps them from executing true judgment, or discourages persons fit for such an office, and will not advance them, but lets them lie in, and covers them with, obscurity; or such who are honest and faithful, and are not to be bribed and browbeaten, these he either removes from their post, and covers their faces with shame, or takes them away by death, condemns and executes them as malefactors; it being usual in former times, as well as in ours, to cover the faces of such as are executed: but rather this is to be understood of God, who delivers the earth into the hands of the wicked, suffers them to have the rule over it, and permits such things to be done, as already observed; and besides, gives up the judges of the earth to judicial blindness, so that they cannot discern what is right and just, and do it, see Isaiah 29:10;
if not, where [and] who [is] he? if it is not so as I say, where is the man, and who is he, that can disprove me, and make me a liar? as Aben Ezra; let him come forth and appear, and confute me, and teach me otherwise if he can; or name the place of his abode, and say who he is; or if God does not do this, give the earth into the hands of wicked men, and cover the faces of the judges of it, and suffer wicked men to prevail, and the causes of good men to be subverted, the one to flourish, and the other to be crushed; who does do it? where is the man that has done or can do it? certain it is, that it is done; and who but that God that superintends all things, sits in the heavens, and does whatsoever he pleases, can do such things as these? or could they be done without his will and permission? by such mediums Job proves his assertion, that God destroys the perfect and the wicked; and therefore, by the face of things in providence, no judgment is to be had of a man's character, good or bad, and then instances in himself in the following verses.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
The 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. Rulers have been, in general, eminent for wickedness, and the affairs of nations have thus far been almost always under the control of those who are strangers to God. At the present time there is scarcely a pious man on any throne in the world, and the rulers of even Christian nations are in general eminent for anything rather than for personal religion.
He covereth the faces of the judges thereof - There has been considerable variety in the exposition of this expression. Some suppose that it refers to the wicked, meaning that they cover the faces of the judges under them so that they connive at and tolerate crime. Others, that it means that God blinds the eyes of wicked rulers, so that they connive at crime, and are partial and unjust in their decisions. Others, that it means that God covers the faces of the judges of the earth with shame and confusion, that though he admits them to prosperity and honor for a time, yet that he overwhelms them at length with calamities and sorrows. Dr. Good supposes it to mean that the earth is given over into the hands of injustice, and that this hoodwinks the faces of the judges. The phrase properly means, to hoodwink, to blind, to conceal the face. It seems to me that the true sense is not expressed by either of the views above. The parallelism requires us to understand it as meaning that while the wicked had dominion over the earth, the righteous were in obscurity, or were not advanced to honor and power. The word âjudges,â therefore, I think, is to be understood of the righteous judges, of those who are qualified to administer justice. Their face is covered. They are kept in concealment. The wicked have the sway, and they are doomed to shame, obscurity, and dishonor. This interpretation accords with the tenor of the argument, and may be sustained by the Hebrew, though I have not found it in any of the commentaries which I have consulted.
If not, where, and who is he - If this is not a just view, who is God? What are his dealings? Where is he to be seen, and how is he to be known? Or, it may mean, âif it is not God who does these strange things, who is it that does them?â Rosenmuller. But I prefer the former interpretation. âTell me who and what God is, if this is not a fair and just account of him. These things in fact are done, and if the agency of God is not employed in them, who is God? And where is his agency seen?
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Job 9:24. The 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 stated in Scripture as doing a thing which he only permits to be done. So he permits the eyes of judgment to be blinded; and hence false decisions. Mr. Good translates the verse thus: -
"The earth is given over to the hand of INJUSTICE;
She hoodwinketh the faces of its judges.
Where every one liveth is it not so?"
And vindicates the translation in his learned notes: but I think the Hebrew will not bear this rendering; especially that in the third line.
Where, and who is he? — If this be not the case, who is he that acts in this way, and where is he to be found? If God does not permit these things, who is it that orders them?
Coverdale translates, As for the worlde, he geveth it over into the power of the wicked, such as the rulers be wherof all londes are full. Is it not so? Where is there eny, but he is soch one? This sense is clear enough, if the original will bear it. The last clause is thus rendered by the Syriac and Arabic, Who can bear his indignation?
