Some remove established boundaries for their own gain, and those innocent of wrongdoing suffer in silence.
In Job 24:2, Job laments the actions of the wicked, saying, “Some remove the landmarks; They seize and devour flocks.” (v.2) This verse falls in the midst of Job’s protest that evil often goes unchecked in the world. In the ancient Near East context, removing landmarks was a serious injustice, equivalent to stealing another person’s property or livelihood. Job observes that these wrongdoers extend their theft to livestock, seizing and even consuming flocks that do not belong to them. The Israelite law in Deuteronomy 19:14 warns against moving a neighbor’s boundary marker, underscoring the severity of this offense.
Job, who lived in the land of Uz (often considered to be in the vicinity of Edom or northern Arabia), likely around the time of the patriarchs (circa 2100-1900 BC), describes these injustices to emphasize his frustration at how the wicked seem to flourish without immediate divine retribution. Job’s friends had argued that suffering is always a sign of personal sin, but this verse demonstrates Job’s broader argument: he observes rampant injustices like stolen land and livestock while God remains silent—at least for a time. This tension foreshadows the eventual arrival of God’s answer to Job, but the question of why evil persists remains a critical theme, echoing forward into the New Testament’s assurances that final judgment and justice come in God’s timing (Revelation 20:11-15).
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Job 24:2 meaning
In Job 24:2, Job laments the actions of the wicked, saying, “Some remove the landmarks; They seize and devour flocks.” (v.2) This verse falls in the midst of Job’s protest that evil often goes unchecked in the world. In the ancient Near East context, removing landmarks was a serious injustice, equivalent to stealing another person’s property or livelihood. Job observes that these wrongdoers extend their theft to livestock, seizing and even consuming flocks that do not belong to them. The Israelite law in Deuteronomy 19:14 warns against moving a neighbor’s boundary marker, underscoring the severity of this offense.
Job, who lived in the land of Uz (often considered to be in the vicinity of Edom or northern Arabia), likely around the time of the patriarchs (circa 2100-1900 BC), describes these injustices to emphasize his frustration at how the wicked seem to flourish without immediate divine retribution. Job’s friends had argued that suffering is always a sign of personal sin, but this verse demonstrates Job’s broader argument: he observes rampant injustices like stolen land and livestock while God remains silent—at least for a time. This tension foreshadows the eventual arrival of God’s answer to Job, but the question of why evil persists remains a critical theme, echoing forward into the New Testament’s assurances that final judgment and justice come in God’s timing (Revelation 20:11-15).