They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together.
Job 24:4 belongs to the debate between Job and his three friends in Job 4-31 concerning Job's afflictions. It describes the conduct of wicked oppressors who force needy people out of the way so that the poor of the earth hide themselves together. In chapter 24 it stands together with removing landmarks, violently taking away flocks and feeding on them, driving away the ass of the fatherless, and taking the widow's ox for a pledge.
Job presents this picture of oppression as the opposite of his own life, using the contrast to make a complete justification of himself and a vindication of his own self-righteousness. His claim is that with him it had not been so, because he delivered the poor that cried and the fatherless and the one who had no helper, caused the widow's heart to sing for joy, was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame, and was a father to the poor. Such good works are the kind called pure religion and undefiled.
Job 24:4 belongs to the debate between Job and his three friends in Job 4-31 concerning Job's afflictions. It describes the conduct of wicked oppressors who force needy people out of the way so that the poor of the earth hide themselves together. In chapter 24 it stands together with removing landmarks, violently taking away flocks and feeding on them, driving away the ass of the fatherless, and taking the widow's ox for a pledge.
Job presents this picture of oppression as the opposite of his own life, using the contrast to make a complete justification of himself and a vindication of his own self-righteousness. His claim is that with him it had not been so, because he delivered the poor that cried and the fatherless and the one who had no helper, caused the widow's heart to sing for joy, was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame, and was a father to the poor. Such good works are the kind called pure religion and undefiled.