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| .1
¶ Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that
know him not see his days?
.2 Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof. |
1 -
Why ... not hidden from The line may
be read "Why are times not treasured up on the part of the Almighty?"
1 - Times Apparently "occasions." Compare da0221. 1 - Not see his days The righteous do not see God's ways of punishment. 2 - Landmarks It seems that God neither rewards nor punishes. On "landmarks" see de1914, de2717, pr2228, ho0510. |
| .3
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for
a pledge.
4 They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together. |
3 - Fatherless1sa1203. Also see ex2222., re2217, de1119 ,ps09609, is1203, jn0528, 2co0710. |
| 5 Behold, as wild asses in
the desert, go they forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the
wilderness meddleth food for them and for their children.
6 They reap every one his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked. |
Wild
asses in the desert The helpless people must live a difficult
life finding whatever they can.
For a prey The clause better translates as "The wilderness yields food for them and for their children." (NKJV) |
| 7 They cause the naked to
lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold.
8 They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter. 9 They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor. |
9 -
Pluck The verse pictures the wicked
practice of children being taken into slavery to pay the debts of their
fathers he0505,
2ti0107.
Today, children, especially girls, are sold into slavery for prostitution
by poor parents in Thailand and probably elsewhere. Our Lord died for all.
To coldly disregard the God-given rights of a human of any race or culture
or religion is a high order crime.
9 - Pledge Notice that this leaves babies and children with neither father nor mother! See ne0505, 2ki0407. For "pledge" see jb2206 |
| 10 They cause him to go naked
without clothing, and they take away the sheaf from the hungry;
11 Which make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst. |
11 - Winepress ... suffer thirst Wicked oppression. See de2504, 1ti0518. |
| 12 Men groan from out of the
city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly
to them.
.13 ¶ They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof. |
God layeth not folly to them Or "God does not charge them with wrong." (NKJV) |
| 14 The murderer rising with
the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.
15 The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disgusted his face. |
14 - Killeth ... thief Illustrates v13. |
| 16 In the dark they dig through
houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know
not the light.
17 For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death. |
Dig
That is, dig through the dirt walls. Compare he1025,
re2122.
Marked Literally "by day they seal up for themselves." They hide during the day. Shadow of death Or "deep darkness." This ends discussion of violations that began at v13. |
| .18
¶ He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth:
he holdeth not the way of the vineyards.
19 Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned. 20 The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree. |
Swift
as May also be "light upon." The wicked move quickly and quietly
as a stream. They do not produce fruit as would be the case for irrigation
water in the vineyards.
Drought and heat These bring an end to the streams which soak into the earth. In the same way the wicked go into the grave. Of course the righteous go into the grave, too, but not as sinking into hopelessness jn1926. Womb forget They are not remembered with love re1007. The broken tree does not produce fruit mr0210. |
| 21 He evil entereth the barren
that beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow.
22 He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no man is sure of life. |
21
- Barren Harshly oppressed with no son to support or defend.
See 1sa0105-8.
22 - Draweth ... mighty "'He draws with him guards for his defense; he raises himself up, and does not feel assured of his life.' In the midst even of his guards he is afraid; and dares not put confidence in any person. This is an admirable delineation of the inquietudes and terrors of a tyrant.' (Clarke quoting Calmet)." |
| 23 Though it be given him
to be in safety, whereon he restate; yet his eyes are upon their ways.
24 They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn. 25 And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth? |
22-25 - Safety ... little while "Reply of Job to the opinion of the friends. Experience proves the contrary. Translate: 'But He (God) prolongeth the life of (literally, draweth out at length; Ps 36:10, Margin) the mighty with His (God's) power. He (the wicked) riseth up (from his sick bed) although he had given up hope of (literally, when he no longer believed in) life'" (De 28:66). |
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