Bible Commentaries
Job 24

Verses 1-25

2. Job’s third reply to Eliphaz chs. 23-24

Job temporarily ignored Eliphaz’s groundless charges of sin and proceeded to reflect on the problem of God’s injustice.

"The first part of this speech is superb. The option placed before Job by Eliphaz has clarified his thinking. He has come to quite different conclusions, and he expresses them in a soliloquy, for he does not appear to be addressing either Eliphaz or God." [Note: Andersen, p. 207.]

Verses 13-17

Job’s frustration 23:13-24:17

God’s irresistible power and inscrutable behavior made Job afraid (Job 23:13-17). Nevertheless he determined to confront God with His apparent injustice.

Job could not understand why God did not always judge overt sin quickly (Job 24:1-12). Most people still have the same question. He mentioned three sins specifically: removing boundary landmarks and thereby appropriating someone else’s land, stealing flocks of sheep, and mistreating the weak. Job could not see why God seemingly ignored the perpetrators of these terrible sins, yet afflicted him so severely. Neither could he see why God did not judge sinners who practiced secret atrocities, specifically: murderers, adulterers, and burglars (Job 24:14-17).

Verses 18-25

Job’s confidence 24:18-25

These confusing verses may seem to be saying that God does punish the wicked at all. Probably Job was reflecting that God does indeed punish them in death if not in life. [Note: Andersen, pp. 213-14.] What bothered him was why God did not punish them sooner. Even with more revelation than Job enjoyed, we still have great difficulty understanding God’s ways generally, and why He does what He does in specific individual lives particularly. God’s wisdom is still unfathomable.