They thrust the poor off the road; the poor of the earth all hide themselves.
Job answers his friends by pointing at the world around him. Men steal land, seize the widow's ox, and drive the helpless off the road. This raises a question Job cannot answer. If God settles every account in this life, why does all this go on in the open while a faithful man suffers?
What the verse describes
These are people crowded out of ordinary life. One commentator lists the crimes, and notes that everyone knew about them:
Leslie M. GrantJob says, "Some remove landmarks," thereby stealing land from others; they violently steal flocks of sheep and feed on them; "they drive away the donkey of the fatherless; they take the widow's ox as a pledge. They push the needy off the road," forcing the poor of the land to hide (vv. 2-4). These were evils publicly known to take place.
The question behind the complaint
Job is not only reporting cruelty. He asks God to set a limit on it. He also asks why those who honour God never see Him do it:
Samuel RidoutJob is about to dwell on the apparent failure of God to judge the wicked. He begins by asking why God does not let His saints see a righteous judgment fall on the wicked. Why does He not set a limit to their godlessness and wicked oppression?
Who is doing the pushing
Job points at the men doing this. They are not outcasts driven by hunger:
William KellyNow Job simply takes up the things that are around him. "They violently take away flocks and feed thereof. They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge. They turn the needy out of the way." These were what you may call the "respectables" of society. They had flocks and herds, but they wanted more. "The poor of the earth hide themselves together."
The argument this wrecks
Job's friends held that suffering always proves guilt. These open crimes break that rule, and they leave Job with a deeper problem:
Samuel RidoutWhy do his friends hint that he was guilty of such conduct, when glaring cases were plain to everyone? How can Eliphaz make such facts fit in with his theory that evil is always punished in this life? But, oh, how can God close His eyes to these things, and afflict a faithful man instead of these wrong doers? This is Job's great trouble, and for this he has found no solution.
Why judgment waits
Job found no answer. One commentator gives one. Judgment is not cancelled; it waits for the right Judge:
William KellyGod is a moral governor, and He takes notice of all evil — yes, even the words of people, since words reveal the secrets of the heart. So how is it that He lets these times of evil pass as He does, with no day of retribution now? Well, we can answer that fully. It is all reserved for Christ.
Where to look while it lasts
One writer says plainly what this means for now:
William KellyAll is wrong, and will be wrong here below till the Lord Jesus is the One that executes judgment and that reigns righteously. Nothing will escape; there will be no favouritism. All will be according to God, and never before.
There is one direction that still gives comfort:
William KellyThere is the greatest possible comfort in looking up to God. There there is absolute righteousness, and not only that, but active goodness. There there is God caring for His own. He disciplines them because He loves them, where there is something they do not see — and very often they do not see it.
Summary
- Crime — they move landmarks, drive off the orphan's donkey, seize the widow's ox, and shove the needy off the road. It all happens in the open.
- Criminals — not outcasts, but respected owners of flocks and herds who wanted more.
- Collapse — this breaks the friends' rule that suffering proves guilt. The guilty walk free, and Job suffers.
- Cry — Job asks God to set a limit on the wicked, and asks why those who honour Him never see it.
- Court — the day of reckoning is not cancelled. It is reserved for Christ. Until He reigns, look up to God, who is righteous and cares for His own.