Job 24:23
in Job 24He gives them a sense of security, but His eyes are on their ways.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
God giveth them to be in security, and they rest thereon; And his eyes are upon their ways.
KJV
Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth; yet his eyes are upon their ways.
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This verse in Job 24
Commentary
12 notes on this verseGod hath given unto him room for repentance, and he abuseth it in pride. Whosoever commits sin and lives, such a person Divine Appointment for this reason bears with in iniquity, that it may withhold him from iniquity. But he that is borne with for a longer time, and yet is not withholden from iniquity, is vouchsafed indeed the benefit of the patience Above, yet with the chains of his guilt is by that very benefit binding himself the tighter.
This site's exposition
by His power, God drags away the mighty
on Job 24:22-25
The chapter closes with God, who "drags away the mighty" and gives them "a sense of security". Readers differ on whether Job grants judgment comes late or quotes the friends' creed to overturn it. He then dares them: "who can prove me a liar and reduce my words to nothing?"
This site's exposition
His eyes are on their ways
The mighty whom God drags away in verse 22 are given a sense of security for a while. His eyes watch their ways all the same. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown hear Job's wonder at this, and Wesley reads the watching eyes as a promise of punishment in due time.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"When he has fallen sick, let him not hope to recover, but let him perish by disease." The diseases of the body, in fact, often occur because of sin. "Let him not hope," that is, the lack of hope is due to the consciousness of …
The Medieval Church1 voice
He then gives the reason why the sinner must be punished without mercy, because he did not want to profit from the mercy of God when he could have, and so he says, "God gave him an occasion for penance," in deferring punishment, and this …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Though he keep silence, and seem to connive at them, yet he takes notice, and keeps account of all their wickedness, and will make it to appear shortly that their most secret sins, which they thought no eye should see (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Yet - Yet his eyes are upon their ways: although God gives them such strange successes, yet he sees and observes them all, and will in due time punish them.
Though it be given him to be in safety,....
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
That, at length, they are carried out of the world very silently and gently, and without any remarkable disgrace or terror. "They go down to the grave as easily as snow-water sinks into the dry ground when it is melted by the sun;" so bishop Patrick explains
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Though it be given him to be in safety - That is, God gives him safety. The name God is often understood, or not expressed. The meaning is, that God gives this wicked man, or oppressor, safety. He is permitted to live a life of security and tranquility. Whereon he resteth - Or, rather, “And he is sustained, or upheld” - (וישׁען veyshâ‛an). The meaning is, that he is sustained or upheld by God.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Literally, "He (God omitted, as often; Ec 9:9; reverentially) giveth to him (the wicked, to be) in safety, or security." yet--Job means, How strange that God should so favor them, and yet have His eyes all the time open to their wicked ways (Pr 15:3;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Though it be given him to be in safety - The Vulgate gives this verse a singular turn: Dedit ei Deus locum paenitentiae, et ille abutitur eo in superbiam, “God gave him space for repentance, but he has abused it through pride.” This is by no means conformable to the original. I think the words should be translated thus: “He gives them (i.e., the guards) to him for security, and he leans upon them; yet his eyes are upon their ways.” Though he have taken the guards, mentioned in the preceding verse, for his personal defense, and for this purpose he uses them; yet he is full of diffidence, and he is continually watching them lest they should be plotting his destruction. The true picture of an Eastern tyrant. Without are fightings; within are fears.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יִתֶּן־ | yiten- | he gives | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| ל֣וֹ | lo | to him | ||
| לָ֭בֶטַח | lavetach | to security | H983 → | |
| וְיִשָּׁעֵ֑ן | veyishaen | so he may support himself | H8172 → | |
| וְ֝עֵינֵ֗יהוּ | veeineihu | and eyes his | H5869 → | 887 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | [are] on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| דַּרְכֵיהֶֽם׃ | darkheihem | ways their | H1870 → | 707 times |
יִתֶּן־he gives
yiten-H5414 →2011 times
ל֣וֹto him
lo
לָ֭בֶטַחto security
lavetachH983 →
וְיִשָּׁעֵ֑ןso he may support himself
veyishaenH8172 →
וְ֝עֵינֵ֗יהוּand eyes his
veeineihuH5869 →887 times
עַל־[are] on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
דַּרְכֵיהֶֽם׃ways their
darkheihemH1870 →707 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 15:3The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.
it leads to
- Hebrews 4:13
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 16:17
For My eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from My face, and their guilt is not concealed from My eyes.
- Jeremiah 23:24
“Can a man hide in secret places where I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD.
- 2 Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him. You have acted foolishly in…
- Proverbs 5:21
For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and the LORD examines all his paths.
- Hebrews 4:13
Through
1 Thessalonians 5:3While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
it leads to
- Luke 21:34–35
But watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life—and that day will spring upon you suddenly like a snare.
- Matthew 24:37–39
As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.
- Luke 17:26–30
Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man:
- Luke 21:34–35
About Job
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on A. B. Davidson, The Book of Job, Cambridge Bible; Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Job; Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVII; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Olympiodorus of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON JOB 24:22-24 and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.