Job – Chapter 24

Old Testament25 Verses

Chapter Summary

Job 24 opens with the words: "Times are not hid from the Almighty: but they that know him, know not his days." Across its 25 verses, two threads run through the text: justice and care for the poor and family and covenant relationships. Read slowly, this chapter rewards the kind of prayerful attention the Church calls lectio divina.

1Times are not hid from the Almighty: but they that know him, know not his days.

2Some have removed landmarks, have taken away flocks by force, and fed them.

3They have driven away the ass of the fatherless, and have taken away the widow's ox for a pledge.

4They have overturned the way of the poor, and have oppressed together the meek of the earth.

5Others like wild asses in the desert go forth to their work: by watching for a prey they get bread for their children.

6They reap the field that is not their own, and gather the vintage of his vineyard whom by violence they have oppressed.

7They send men away naked, taking away their clothes who have no covering in the cold:

8Who are wet, with the showers of the mountains, and having no covering embrace the stones.

9They have violently robbed the fatherless, and stripped the poor common people.

10From the naked and them that go without clothing, and from the hungry they have taken away the ears of corn.

11They have taken their rest at noon among the stores of them, who after having trodden the winepresses suffer thirst.

12Out of the cities they have made men to groan, and the soul of the wounded hath cried out, and God doth not suffer it to pass unrevenged.

13They have been rebellious to the light, they have not known his ways, neither have they returned by his paths.

14The murderer riseth at the very break of day, he killeth the needy, and the poor man: but in the night he will be as a thief.

15The eye of the adulterer observeth darkness, saying: No eye shall see me: and he will cover his face.

16He diggeth through houses in the dark, as in the day they had appointed for themselves, and they have not known the light.

17If the morning suddenly appear, it is to them the shadow of death: and they walk in darkness as if it were in light.

18He is light upon the face of the water: cursed be his portion on the earth, let him not walk by the way of the vineyards.

19Let him pass from the snow waters to excessive heat, and his sin even to hell.

20Let mercy forget him: may worms be his sweetness: let him be remembered no more, but be broken in pieces as an unfruitful tree.

21For he hath fed the barren that beareth not, and to the widow he hath done no good.

22He hath pulled down the strong by his might: and when he standeth up, he shall not trust to his life.

23God hath given him place for penance, and he abuseth it unto pride: but his eyes are upon his ways.

24They are lifted up for a little while and shall not stand, and shall be brought down as all things, and shall be taken away, and as the tops of the ears of corn they shall be broken.

25And if it be not so, who can convince me that I have lied, and set my words before God?

Important Verses in Job 24

Times are not hid from the Almighty: but they that know him, know not his days.

Job 24:1

Out of the cities they have made men to groan, and the soul of the wounded hath cried out, and God doth not suffer it to pass unrevenged.

Job 24:12

Let mercy forget him: may worms be his sweetness: let him be remembered no more, but be broken in pieces as an unfruitful tree.

Job 24:20

And if it be not so, who can convince me that I have lied, and set my words before God?

Job 24:25

Historical Context

Job belongs to the Old Testament and was composed for all who wrestle with the mystery of suffering and God's justice. Chapter 24 of 42 stands in the central portion of the book, where decisive events or teachings take shape. It is a wisdom instruction on how to live before God in ordinary circumstances with 25 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. It opens with the line: "Times are not hid from the Almighty: but they that know him, know not his days." The final verse reads: "And if it be not so, who can convince me that I have lied, and set my words before God? " In terms of historical background, Job confronts the deepest human question: why do the innocent suffer? Scholarly and ecclesial tradition places the composition of Job around Uncertain; commonly dated between the 7th and 4th centuries BC.

Who Wrote It

Unknown inspired poet of Israel

When It Was Written

Uncertain; commonly dated between the 7th and 4th centuries BC

Catholic Commentary

This chapter offers practical instruction on how to live wisely before God in daily life. A pivotal line is verse 1: "Times are not hid from the Almighty: but they that know him, know not his days." The passage repeatedly touches on justice and care for the poor.

The Church teaches that every passage of Scripture must be read in light of Christ and the Magisterium (CIC 1700). Here, the Church sees Job as prefiguring Christ in innocent suffering (CIC 1502). The spiritual sense invites believers to recognize justice and care for the poor as part of God's pedagogy of salvation.

For Christians today, the chapter's lesson is clear: God defends the poor and the oppressed, and calls His people to act with justice.. The Church invites us to receive this word not as antiquarian information but as living Scripture proclaimed at Mass and prayed in lectio divina.

Main Teachings

  • God defends the poor and the oppressed, and calls His people to act with justice.
  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • Suffering, united to Christ, becomes a path of purification and deeper trust in God.

Reflection for Today

Job Chapter 24, containing 25 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation, offers a distinct passage for prayer and meditation.

The Magisterium teaches that every biblical passage must be read in light of Christ, the center of Scripture (CIC 302). Here the emphasis falls on the Eucharist as source and summit, which shapes how the Church understands suffering, faith, and divine mystery.

As you continue through Job, carry this chapter's lesson into your family, parish, and work. Catholic faith is always ecclesial—God speaks to us as members of Christ's Body, not as isolated individuals.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Job Chapter 24 about?

Job 24 contains 25 verses. It opens with "Times are not hid from the Almighty: but they that know him, know not his days." and closes with "And if it be not so, who can convince me that I have lied, and set my words before God? ". The book as a whole is wisdom literature in poetic dialogue.

What is a key verse in Job 24?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "Times are not hid from the Almighty: but they that know him, know not his days." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who wrote Job and when?

Unknown inspired poet of Israel. Uncertain; commonly dated between the 7th and 4th centuries BC.

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