Job 24:8

Job 24:8 They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.

Ver. 8. They are wet with the showers of the mountains] Wet they are, but not at all refreshed, as this word (here only found in the Bible) signifieth sometimes among the Rabbis. Cold comfort they find abroad; and at home they dare not abide, lest rich men should oppress them and draw them before the judgment seats, Jas 2:6, or drag them to prison for refusing their drudgery. Hence they are forced to live in the mountains and desert places, in extreme misery.

And embrace the rock for want of a shelter] Like conies or wild beasts, glad of any lurking place that may keep them out of the hands of unreasonable and wicked men. What hardship have many worthy men in all ages suffered from persecutors and oppressors (in Dioclesian’s days especially), driven out of house and harbour, and glad to take up in any hole, there to lie on the cold stone instead of a warm bed (as that good duchess of Suffolk, with that noble gentleman her husband, did in the Low Countries, whither they fled from the Marian persecution), till, as Elijah once under the juniper, they wish themselves out of the world? Iterum hic disce gratias Deo agere, saith Lavater. Here again learn to give thanks to God for this great benefit, if thou mayest stay at home, and not be forced to flee for thy life, or for conscience’ sake; for home is home, as we say, and very desirable; and the apostle reckons it for a piece of his sufferings that he was ανεστιος, and had no settled station, no certain dwelling place, αστατουμεν, 1Co 4:11.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Job 24:8. They are wet — That is, the poor, being stripped of their raiment, and forced away from their houses; with the showers of the mountains — With the rain-water, which, in great showers, runs down from the rocks or mountains into the caves or holes in the sides of them, to which they have fled for shelter. And embrace the rock — That is, are glad when they can find a cavern, or cleft of a rock, in which they may have some protection against the injuries of the weather, and a hiding-place from the fury of their oppressors.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The poor are driven by the wicked into the rocks and holes where they cannot lie dry for the rain.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

They--the plundered travellers.

embrace the rock--take refuge under it (Lam 4:5).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 8. They are wet with the showers of the mountains] Mr. Good thinks that torrents, not showers, is the proper translation of the original זרם zerem; but I think showers of the mountain strictly proper. I have seen many of these in mountainous countries, where the tails of water-spouts have been intercepted and broken, and the outpouring of them would be incredible to those who have never witnessed similar phenomena. The rain fell in torrents, and produced torrents on the land, carrying away earth and stones and every thing before them, scooping out great gullies in the sides of the mountains. Mountain torrents are not produced but by such extraordinary outpourings of rain, formed either by water-spouts, or by vast masses of clouds intercepted and broken to pieces by the mountain tops.

And embrace the rock for want of a shelter.] In such cases as that related above, the firm rock is the only shelter which can be found, or safely trusted.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

8. The mountain rains, more violent than even those in the plain, drench these thinly-clad outcasts; and they “embrace the rock,” i. e. huddle in closely under its ledge.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They are wet with the showers of the mountains,.... They that are without any clothes to cover them, lying down at the bottom of a hill or mountain, where the clouds often gather, and there break, or the snow at the top of them melts through the heat of the day; and whether by the one or by the other, large streams of water run down the mountains, and the naked poor, or such who are thinly clothed, are all over wet therewith, as Nebuchadnezzar's body was with the dew of heaven, when he was driven from men, and lived among beasts, Dan 4:33,

and embrace the rock for want of a shelter; or habitation, as the Targum; having no house to dwell in, nor any raiment to cover them, they were glad to get into the hole of a rock, in a cave or den there, and where some good men in former times were obliged to wander, Heb 11:38; and whither mean persons, in the time and country in which Job lived, were driven to dwell in, see Job 30:6.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

They are wet with the showers of the mountains - That is, the poor persons, or the travelers whom they have robbed. Hills collect the clouds, and showers seem to pour down from the mountains. These showers often collect and pour down so suddenly that there is scarcely time to seek a shelter.

And embrace the rock for want of a shelter - Take refuge beneath a projecting rock. The robbers drive them away from their homes, or plunder them of their tents, and leave them to find a shelter from the storm, or at night, beneath a rock. This agrees exactly with what Niebuhr says of the wandering Arabs near mount Sinai: “Those who cannot afford a tent, spread out a cloth upon four or six stakes; and others spread their cloth near a tree, or endeavor to shelter themselves from the heat and the rain in the cavities of the rocks. Reisebeschreib. i. Thes s. 233.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Stones, for their bed, though they be so wet. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

They, i.e. the poor, being stripped of their raiment, and forced away from their houses.

With the showers of the mountains; with the rain water, which in great showers run down from the rocks or mountains into the caves or holes in the sides of them, to which they fled for shelter.

Embrace the rock, i.e. are glad when they can find a cavern or cleft of a rock in which they may have some protection against the injuries of the weather, and a hiding-place from the fury of their oppressors. Compare Lam 4:5.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

8. Showers — Better, Storms.

Embrace the rock — In order to cover at least some part of the body. This closely agrees with what Niebuhr says of the modern wandering Arabs near Mount Sinai: “Those who cannot afford a tent spread out a cloth upon four or six stakes; and others spread their cloth near a tree, or endeavour to shelter themselves from the heat and the rain in the cavities of the rocks.”

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter. Further unpleasant consequences of marauding, hut endured without complaint by the wild robber-tribes.

A threefold religious emblem; of the shelter of the rock.

I AN EMBLEM OF THE SINNER"S MISERABLE CONDITION.

1. Exposed to a storm. Like the unhappy victims of tyrannical oppression, men, in their unconverted state, are liable to be overtaken by the tempest of God"s righteous wrath and indignation against sin, (Psa_11:6 Rom_1:18 Col_3:6 1Th_1:10 Rev_6:16, Rev_6:17) which will not assail the body merely, but destroy both soul and body in hell, (Luk_12:5) and that for ever.

2. Destitute of shelter. Like the houseless and homeless wanderers among the mountains, unpardoned souls are without a refuge to which they can betake themselves in the day of their calamity. Driven forth from the place of safety in which they originally stood, they have now "no covering in the cold," no garment of righteousness in which they can wrap their trembling spirits. Nor can they by any wisdom, wealth, or labour of their own construct or discover for themselves a habitation and defence against the storm.

II AN EMBLEM OF THE GREAT SALVATION OFFERED IN THE GOSPEL. As the shivering outcasts crept into the rocky caves on the mountain-side, so Christ has been set forth as a Rock and a Hiding-place. (Isa_32:2)

1. Accessible by all; the approach to him being hindered by no formidable barriers, and no stupendous effort being required to reach his side, (Rom_10:6) nothing beyond a simple exercise of faith which is within the ability of even a child.

2. Sufficient for all; there being room enough in Christ for all who come to him in faith, (Luk_14:22) yea, for the entire world of mankind, (Isa_45:22Jo Isa_3:16) if only they sincerely come to him; and perfect safety and protection for all who gain its shelter, complete defence against the charges of the Law, the accusations of conscience, the penalties of sin, the terrors of death, and of the wrath to come. (Rom_5:1)

3. Free to all; every one who seeks his presence and assistance being accorded a welcome, without money and without price. "All the fitness he requireth Is to feel our need of him.

III AN EMBLEM OF THE ACT OF SAVING FAITH. As the miserable victims of the strong man"s oppression embraced the rock for a shelter, so must needy sinners embrace Christ the Rock.

1. With personal application; Christ being of no more use to a sinner without individual appropriation than the mountain rock would have been to those who did not cling to it. Faith is the hand that lays hold of and embraces Christ as he is exhibited in the gospel.

2. With fervent gratitude; giving thanks to God for his abundant mercy in providing such a shelter for the soul, as no doubt the poor creatures whom the mountain-storms drenched were grateful for even the protection of a cave.

3. With immediate action; allowing no delay to prevent the soul from fleeing from the storm of impending wrath to the hope set before it in the gospel.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Wet - With the rain-water, which runs down the rocks or mountains into the caves, to which they fled for shelter. Rock - Are glad when they can find a cleft of a rock in which they may have some protection against the weather.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Connecting Statement:

Job continues speaking.

They are wet with the showers of the mountains

"They become wet when it rains in the mountains"

orphans from their mothers' breast

Here "breast" refers to the mother. This implies that these orphans are still very young. This can be made explicit. AT: "young orphans out of their mothers' arms" or "fatherless infants from their mothers" (See: Synecdoche and Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

orphans

This generally refers to children without parents. Here, however, it is used for children who have mothers but do not have fathers.

take children as security from poor people

"take poor people's children to guarantee that the poor people will pay back money that they borrowed from the wicked people"

as security

A lender would take something from a borrower to ensure that the borrower pays him back. See how you translated this in Job 24:3.

go about

"walk around"

naked without clothing

The words "without clothing" mean the same thing as "naked." AT: "completely naked" or "naked because they have no clothing" (See: Doublet)

they carry bundles of grain belonging to other people

This means their work will provide food for others but not for themselves.

translationWords

refuge

grain

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

From the stream that flows from the mountains, these naked people became wet and damp because they have no cover. They have no refuge under which to shelter themselves.

they embrace the rocks They hide in the crevices in the rocks, and even there the stream flows down and sprays on them, soaking them. רָטוֹב is the Aramaic for לַח wet, and whoever is not dried is called לַח.

moist (moite in Old French).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.