He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no man is sure of life.
Reply of Job to the opinions of the friends. Experience proves the contrary. Translate, 'But He (God) prolongeth the life of (literally, draweth out at length; margin, Psalms 36:10, "continue;" Hebrew, 'draw out at length') the mighty with His (God's) power. He (the wicked) riseth up (from his sick bed), although he had given up hope of (literally, when he no longer believed in) life' (Deuteronomy 28:66, "Thy life shall hang in doubt before thee ... and thou shalt have none assurance of thy life"). (Umbreit.) (Cf. margin)
Verse 23. Literally, He (God omitted as often: Job 3:20); Ecclesiastes 9:9: reverentially) giveth to him (the wicked, to be) in safety, or security.
Yet. Job means, How strange that God should so favour them, and yet have His eyes all the time open to their wicked ways! (Proverbs 15:3, "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.")
Verse 24. Job repeats what he said (Job 21:13), that sinners die in exalted positions, not the painful and lingering death we might expect, but a quick and easy death. Join "for a ... while" with "are gone," not as the English version. Translate 'A moment-and they are no more! They are brought low, as all (others) gather up (their feet) to die' (so the Hebrew of 'are taken out of the way') х yiqaapªtsuwn (H7092)]. A natural death (Genesis 49:33).
Ears of corn - in a ripe and full age, not prematurely (Job 5:26).
Verse 25. (So Job 9:24.)
Remarks:
(1) They that truly know God long for the manifestation of the day of the Lord (Job 24:1). Even the souls of the matryred-dead cry, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge?" etc. It is for the probation of their faith that it is not given to them "to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in His own power."
(2) In this present time oppression and wrong prevail. Deeds of darkness are done on every side. Sinners are careful that their crimes should not be brought to light under the eye of their fellow-men, but have no dread of God's eye, which is always upon them: they shrink, not from doing, but from being detected in doing wrong.
(3) How wretched, whatever be the sinner's success, to be in a state of continual fear lest his evil deeds should be exposed! Moreover, though God does not always visit transgressors with condign punishment in this life, and they may seem to be favoured alike in life and death, yet God's "eyes are upon their ways" (Job 24:23) even now; and in the great day of retribution they shall receive the righteous doom of their evil deeds.