Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 24:4

They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together.

4. “Turning the needy out of the way” is a general expression for doing them wrong, hindering them of their just rights; comp. Amo 5:12. The last clause “the poor hide themselves together” seems to sum up the general effect of the preceding wrongs. The poor, violently dispossessed of what belonged to them, or stripped through forms of law little different from violence (“for a pledge,” Job 24:3), and deprived of their fields, are forced to hide themselves away from men, among whom they had formerly lived in respect, and huddle together in obscure haunts.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

They turn the needy out of the way – They crowd the poor out of the path, and thus oppress and injure them. They do not allow them the advantages of the highway.

The poor of the earth hide themselves together – For fear of the rich and mighty man. Driven from the society of the rich, without their patronage and friendship, they are obliged to associate together, and find in the wicked man neither protector nor friend. And yet the proud oppressor is not punished.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 4. They turn the needy out of the way] They will not permit them to go by the accustomed paths; they oblige them to take circuitous routes. When the Marquis of H. was made ranger of Richmond Park, he thought it his duty to shut up a pathway which had existed for a long time; and those who presumed, after this shutting up, to break the fence, and take that path as formerly, were prosecuted. A cobbler near the place entered an action against the marquis: the cause was tried, the marquis cast, and the path ordered to be opened, on the ground that it had, time out of mind, been a public undisputed path. When one asked the cobbler, “How he could have the boldness to go to law with the Marquis of H.?” he answered, “Because I did not like to leave the world worse than I found it.” All tolerated oppression and voluntary forfeiture of ancient rights, are injurious to society at large, and they who wink at them leave the world worse than they found it.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Out of the way; either,

1. Out of the way of piety and justice. They engage them to take evil courses by their examples, or promises, or threatenings. Or,

2. Out of their right. Or,

3. Out of their course and way of living. Or rather, (as the word properly signifies, and as the next clause explains it,) out of the high-way; out of the path or place in which these wicked oppressors walk and range. They labour to keep out of their way and sight for fear of their further injuries and oppressions.

Hide themselves, for fear of these wicked tyrants and persecutors.

Together, for their mutual comfort and defence against those who should invade or disturb them there. Or, alike. Though some of the poor are more nearly related, or have been more serviceable to these oppressors, yet none of them can escape their rage and violence.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

4. Literally, they push the poorout of their road in meeting them. Figuratively, they take advantageof them by force and injustice (alluding to the charge of Eliphaz,Job 22:8; 1Sa 8:3).

poorin spirit and incircumstances (Mt 5:3).

hidefrom the injusticeof their oppressors, who have robbed them of their all and driventhem into unfrequented places (Job 20:19;Job 30:3-6; Pro 28:28).

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

They turn the needy out of the way,…. Either, in a moral sense, out of the right way, the way of righteousness and truth, by their bad examples, or by their threatenings or flatteries; or, in a civil sense, out of the way of their livelihood, by taking that from them by which they got it; or, in a literal sense, obliging them to turn out of the way from them, in a supercilious and haughty manner, or causing them, through fear of them, to get out of the way, that they might not meet them, lest they should insult them, beat and abuse them, or take that little from them they had, as follows:

the poor of the earth hide themselves together; who are not only poor in purse, but poor in spirit, meek, humble, and lowly, and have not spirit and courage to stand against such oppressors, but are easily crushed by them; these through fear of them hide themselves in holes and corners in a body, in a large company together, lest they should fall into their cruel hands, and be used by them in a barbarous manner, see Pr 28:28.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

4. Out of the way To which all had equal rights. “Perhaps equivalent to our phrase, ‘ kick out of the way.’” Dillmann. The sense is, that the poor are forced to betake themselves to bypaths that they may escape overt acts of violence.

Hide themselves Are made to hide themselves. They huddle together in cave or den, like wild beasts, from the fury of the storm.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 24:4. They turn the needy out of the way They pervert justice in the cause of the poor; the meek of the land hide themselves with one consent. See Amo 2:7; Amo 5:12. Heath.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Job 24:4 They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together.

Ver. 4. They turn the needy out of the way ] Either to make room for themselves, as the only men. Stand back, say the Sodomites to Lot, Gen 19:9 . Stand further off, say those in Isaiah. See Pro 30:14 Amo 8:4 . Or else, because when these spoilers are abroad, they beset the ways, and no travellers, be they never so poor and needy, can pass freely by them (Beza); insomuch that they are constrained to leave the broad beaten way, and everywhere to seek out by ways and unknown passages, to escape their hands.

And the poor of the earth hide themselves together ] Lest after their cattle driven away, as before, themselves, ut mancipia nexa, as slaves linked together (Junius), should be taken and carried away by them to such base offices, as are mentioned in the next verses. Tyrants are looked upon as so many comets or tempests. Attilas styleth himself, Dei flagellum, et orbis vastitatem, The scourge in God’s hand, and the world’s waste good; he arrogantly said, that the stars fell before him, the earth shook under him, and that he would make the inhabitants thereof wriggle into corners, as worms do into their holes when once it thundereth. We know who they were (even those worthies of whom the world was not worthy) who, hunted as partridges by their cruel persecutors, and driven out from house and home, wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth, Heb 11:38 , where they found the wild beasts were more mild and merciful to them than those hard hearted tyrants.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

They: [while others]. See translation below.

poor = wretched.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

turn: Job 24:14, Job 31:16, Psa 109:16, Pro 22:16, Pro 30:14, Isa 10:2, Eze 18:12, Eze 18:18, Eze 22:29, Amo 2:7, Amo 8:4-6, Mic 2:1, Mic 2:2

hide: Pro 28:12, Pro 28:28, Jam 5:4-6

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

24:4 They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves {c} together.

(c) And for cruelty and oppression dare not show their faces.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes