Job 24:23
Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth; yet his eyes are upon their ways.
Original Language Analysis
יִתֶּן
Though it be given
H5414
יִתֶּן
Though it be given
Strong's:
H5414
Word #:
1 of 7
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
לָ֭בֶטַח
him to be in safety
H983
לָ֭בֶטַח
him to be in safety
Strong's:
H983
Word #:
3 of 7
properly, a place of refuge; abstract, safety, both the fact (security) and the feeling (trust); often (adverb with or without preposition) safely
וְ֝עֵינֵ֗יהוּ
yet his eyes
H5869
וְ֝עֵינֵ֗יהוּ
yet his eyes
Strong's:
H5869
Word #:
5 of 7
an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
Cross References
Historical Context
The tension between God's sovereignty and delayed judgment permeates wisdom literature (Psalms 37, 73; Ecclesiastes). Job articulates what believers across millennia have felt: empirical observation (the wicked prosper) seemingly contradicts theological conviction (God judges sin). This honest wrestling distinguishes biblical faith from simplistic prosperity theology.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's granting temporary 'safety' to the wicked challenge simplistic equations of prosperity with divine approval?
- What comfort does 'his eyes are upon their ways' provide when you witness injustice going unpunished?
- How does knowing that God sees all help you trust His justice even when you don't see His judgment?
Analysis & Commentary
Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth—God grants the wicked temporary security (betach, בֶּטַח), allowing them to rest (sha'an, שָׁעַן, to lean upon or rely on) in false confidence. This divine permission of prosperity creates Job's theodicy crisis: why does God allow this? Yet sovereignty means God can grant temporary blessing to the wicked for purposes beyond immediate justice—testing the righteous (Job himself), allowing time for repentance (2 Peter 3:9), or demonstrating that earthly prosperity doesn't equal divine approval.
Yet his eyes are upon their ways—Despite granting temporary safety, God's omniscient gaze (einayv al-darkeyhem, עֵינָיו עַל־דַּרְכֵיהֶם) never wavers. "His eyes" emphasizes divine surveillance; "their ways" (derek, דֶּרֶךְ) encompasses conduct, lifestyle, and moral trajectory. This echoes Proverbs 15:3: "The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good." God's watchful omniscience guarantees eventual accountability, though timing remains mysterious.