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Read the Bible

New King James Version

Job 24:3

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

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Creditor;   Dishonesty;   Homicide;   Orphan;   Pawn;   Wicked (People);   Widow;   Thompson Chain Reference - Business Life;   Credit System;   Creditors;   Pledges;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Creditors;   Fatherless;   Ox, the;   Widows;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Pledge;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Lending;   Orphan;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Widow;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Poor;   Widow;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Fatherless;   Justice;   Loan;   Poor, Orphan, Widow;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Debt;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Debt, Debtor (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Pledge;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Debts;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Borrowing;   Fatherless;   Pledge;  

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;
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.
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 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 "Since times are not hidden from the Almighty, Why do those who know Him see not His days? 2 "Some remove landmarks; They seize flocks violently and feed on them; 3 They drive away the donkey of the fatherless; They take the widow's ox as a pledge. 4 They push the needy off the road; All the poor of the land are forced to hide. 5 Indeed, like wild donkeys in the desert, They go out to their work, searching for food. The wilderness yields food for them and for their children. 6 They gather their fodder in the field And glean in the vineyard of the wicked. 7 They spend the night naked, without clothing, And have no covering in the cold. 8 They are wet with the showers of the mountains, And huddle around the rock for want of shelter. 9 "Some snatch the fatherless from the breast, And take a pledge from the poor. 10 They cause the poor to go naked, without clothing; And they take away the sheaves from the 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 6:2
that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.
Genesis 6:4
There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.
Genesis 14:19
And he blessed him and said: "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth;
Genesis 14:22
But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth,
Genesis 21:23
Now therefore, swear to me by God that you will not deal falsely with me, with my offspring, or with my posterity; but that according to the kindness that I have done to you, you will do to me and to the land in which you have dwelt."
Genesis 24:3
and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell;
Genesis 24:4
but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac."
Genesis 24:14
Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, "Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,' and she says, "Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink'--let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master."
Genesis 24:15
And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out with her pitcher on her shoulder.
Genesis 24:17
And the servant ran to meet her and said, "Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher."

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.


 
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