Job 24 12

Job 24:12 kjv

Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them.

Job 24:12 nkjv

The dying groan in the city, And the souls of the wounded cry out; Yet God does not charge them with wrong.

Job 24:12 niv

The groans of the dying rise from the city, and the souls of the wounded cry out for help. But God charges no one with wrongdoing.

Job 24:12 esv

From out of the city the dying groan, and the soul of the wounded cries for help; yet God charges no one with wrong.

Job 24:12 nlt

The groans of the dying rise from the city,
and the wounded cry for help,
yet God ignores their moaning.

Job 24 verses

Job 24 12 Meaning

Job 24:12 presents a lamentation from Job, highlighting the observable suffering and injustice in the world that appears to go unaddressed by God. He describes the dying groaning and the wounded crying out for help from within the city, a place often associated with civilization and order, yet also where exploitation can run rampant. Job's core complaint in this verse is captured by the stark observation: "yet God charges no one with wrong" or "God does not impute folly." This implies that despite evident wickedness and the resulting anguish, divine justice seems absent or delayed, as God apparently does not bring immediate retribution or even official recognition to the "folly" or "evil" perpetrated. It encapsulates Job's profound moral perplexity regarding the disparity between a righteous God and the world's perceived unpunished evil.

Job 24 12 Context

Job 24:12 is part of Job's fifth speech (chapters 23-24), delivered after his friends have largely given up on convincing him. This particular speech shifts Job's focus from his own suffering to the broader issue of universal justice. In chapter 24, Job details numerous examples of wicked people who exploit the vulnerable – robbing, displacing the poor, abusing widows and orphans (vv. 1-11). He meticulously observes their crimes and their victims' plights, leading directly to verse 12. Job challenges the prevailing wisdom of his day, which asserted that God immediately punishes the wicked and blesses the righteous. His personal experience of immense suffering despite his righteousness, combined with his observation that many wicked people seemingly escape judgment in this life, forces him to conclude that God appears to "charge no one with wrong," at least not visibly or immediately. This passage functions as a stark counter-argument to his friends' rigid retribution theology, showcasing the painful tension between theological dogma and the reality of an imperfect world where justice often seems to elude the suffering. It's a profound questioning of God's ways by one who deeply trusts God, yet cannot reconcile his observations with divine righteousness.

Job 24 12 Word analysis

• From out of the city: This phrase depicts the geographical setting of the suffering. "City" (עִיר, ‘iyr) often implies a place of communal living, civilization, and law, yet ironically, it's also where pervasive injustice and oppression occur, hidden from the broad public view, indicating a societal moral decay rather than isolated incidents.
• the dying: (מֵתִים, metim): Refers to those in the process of dying, experiencing severe anguish or near death due to violence, poverty, or exploitation. It conveys acute, prolonged suffering and a cry of ultimate desperation.
• groan: (יְנַאֲק֗וּ, yena'aqū): The verb signifies a deep, pained sigh or wail, expressing agony and helplessness. It's a primal, visceral sound of suffering from deep within.
• and the soul of the wounded: (וְנֶ֤פֶשׁ חֲלָלִֽים, vənefeš ḥalalim):
  • soul (נֶפֶשׁ, nefeš): Refers to the whole being, the inner life, the very breath. It's not just the physical body, but the core essence of a person that is affected and cries out.
  • wounded (חֲלָלִים, ḥalalim): Specifically refers to those slain or pierced through, suggesting victims of violence or brutal injustice. Their inner essence cries out from deep hurt.
• cries for help: (תְּשַׁוֵּֽעַ, təšawweaʿ): To cry aloud, often specifically for deliverance, assistance, or vindication. It is a plea directed towards anyone who might hear and intervene.
• yet God charges no one with wrong: (וְאֱלוֹהַ לֹא יָשִׂים תִּפְלָֽה׃, wə’Eloah lo’ yasim tiflah) - This is the central, poignant observation of the verse, conveying Job’s deepest struggle.
  • yet God (וְאֱלוֹהַ, wə’Eloah): "Eloah" is a strong, archaic, and elevated name for God, frequently used in the Book of Job. Its use here intensifies the irony – despite a powerful, all-knowing deity, this injustice persists.
  • charges...with wrong / does not impute folly / does not regard their iniquity: This translates the Hebrew "לֹא יָשִׂים תִּפְלָה" (lo’ yasim tiflah).
    • lo’ yasim: "does not place/put/appoint/impute/ascribe/regard." It suggests a lack of divine judgment or punitive action. God does not seem to 'set down' or 'take account of' these wrongs in a judicial sense.
    • tiflah (תִּפְלָה): A significant Hebrew term, it denotes foolishness, absurdity, tastelessness, and ethically, something disgraceful, ungodly, or perverse. It represents the inherent evil and perversion of justice witnessed. Job isn't saying God is ignorant of the actions; rather, he laments that God does not attribute or consider this evident wickedness for immediate divine intervention or punishment, defying the traditional understanding of immediate divine justice. This implies either divine indifference (from Job's perspective) or an incomprehensible delay in justice.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "From out of the city the dying groan, and the soul of the wounded cries for help;": This section vividly portrays the direct consequence of human wickedness – profound suffering and cries for divine intervention. It emphasizes the reality of human misery caused by injustice, which is Job's empirical evidence. This is a common scene throughout biblical wisdom literature, reflecting a broken world (e.g., Ecc 4:1). The use of "city" highlights organized human society where these evils are pervasive, not isolated.
• "yet God charges no one with wrong.": This concluding clause is Job's critical theological assertion. It directly challenges the core belief of his friends (and common retribution theology) that God actively and immediately intervenes to punish wickedness. Job observes a world where horrific wrongs elicit pained cries, yet from his limited viewpoint, God appears to overlook, tolerate, or delay retribution for these actions ("tiflah" – these perversions/follies). This is the crux of Job’s agony: the chasm between perceived divine righteousness and observable worldly injustice. This apparent divine inaction forms the foundation of Job’s intellectual and spiritual crisis, not just for his own suffering but for all humanity's.

Job 24 12 Bonus section

The lament in Job 24:12 highlights a core tension within biblical theology: the problem of delayed justice versus immediate divine retribution. While Old Testament wisdom often ties suffering directly to sin (as Job's friends argued), books like Job and Psalms (e.g., Psalm 73) rigorously explore instances where this connection seems broken from a human perspective. Job's statement is not an accusation that God is unjust or nonexistent, but rather a confession of profound perplexity. He understands that justice should be done, based on God's character, yet observes that it appears not to be happening in the tangible world around him. This raises crucial questions about God's patience, His timing, and the hidden workings of His sovereign plan, which are far beyond human comprehension (Isa 55:8-9; Rom 11:33). The book of Job ultimately suggests that divine justice operates on a scale and within a timeline far grander than human perception, and that faith in God’s goodness must persist even when His actions are inexplicable to human reason. This challenge of understanding God's silence in suffering finds resonance throughout the Bible, leading ultimately to the cross, where divine justice and love intersect in the greatest mystery.

Job 24 12 Commentary

Job 24:12 stands as a raw and challenging statement within the book, encapsulating Job's intellectual and emotional turmoil. He presents an undeniable reality: pervasive suffering caused by wickedness (the dying, the wounded crying out) yet God appears not to hold anyone accountable in the moment. The "groaning" and "cries for help" are poignant expressions of suffering, underscoring the severity of the injustice that has led people to this state. The critical phrase, "God charges no one with wrong," reveals Job's profound crisis of faith concerning divine justice. It is not that Job denies God's power or existence; rather, he struggles with God's perceived inaction in the face of blatant moral perversion and suffering.

This verse serves as a powerful polemic against the simplistic theology prevalent in Job's time, where every instance of suffering was immediately attributed to personal sin, and prosperity to righteousness. Job's keen observation of the world contradicted this: the wicked seemed to prosper, and the righteous suffered. The suffering Job describes is not from natural calamity, but from human oppression, making God's seeming silence even more perplexing. The word "tiflah" ("wrong" or "folly") goes beyond a simple mistake; it signifies moral perversion and ungodliness. Job isn't suggesting God is unaware, but that He doesn't appear to "impute" or act judicially against this specific, pervasive evil, leaving the victims without visible divine recourse. This verse foreshadows later prophetic laments and tests the very nature of God's providence, sovereignty, and justice, raising questions that transcend Job's individual suffering and extend to the universal problem of evil and divine response. The full answer to Job’s profound question lies beyond this chapter, found eventually in God's own discourse, which refocuses Job on God's sovereignty and incomprehensible wisdom, rather than offering a direct explanation for the problem of evil.