The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof - referring to righteous judges, in antithesis to "the wicked," in the parallel first clause. Whereas the wicked oppressor often has the earth given into his hand, the righteous judges are led to execution. Culprits had their faces covered preparatory to execution (Esther 7:8). Or else, "He covereth the faces," etc., means, He causes the righteous judges to cover their faces in sorrow: as David long after (2 Samuel 15:30; 2 Samuel 19:4; cf. Jeremiah 14:4). Thus the contrast of the wicked and righteous here answers to that in Job 9:22. Maurer explains it-`The earth is given into the hand of wicked' rulers; nor can just sentences be given by blinded judges: for "He covereth the faces of (i:e., blinds) the Judges thereof," so that they cannot distinguish right from wrong. An additional proof of Job's position, that great calamities are no proof of special guilt.
If not, where, and who - if God be not the cause of these anomalies, where is the cause to be found, and who is he?