Job 24:15

Verse

The eye of the adulterer watches for twilight. Thinking, ‘No eye will see me,’ he covers his face.

American Standard Version (1901)

The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, Saying, No eye shall see me: And he disguiseth his face.

And the man whose desire is for the wife of another is waiting for the evening, saying, No eye will see me; and he puts a cover on his face. And in the night the thief goes about;

Free Bible Version

The adulterer waits for dusk, saying to himself, ‘No one will see me now,’ and he covers his face.

King James (Authorized) Version

The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face.

Translation for Translators

Those who want to commit adultery wait for twilight/evening; they say ‘I do not want anyone to see me,’ so they keep their faces covered.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Also, the eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight; he says, 'No eye will see me.' He disguises his face.

Noah Webster Bible

The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face.

World English Bible

The eye also of the adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, ‘No eye will see me.’ He disguises his face.

Young's Literal Translation

And the eye of an adulterer Hath observed the twilight, Saying, 'No eye doth behold me.' And he putteth the face in secret.

Context

Job: Judgment for the Wicked

¹⁴When daylight is gone, the murderer rises to kill the poor and needy; in the night he is like a thief. ¹⁵The eye of the adulterer watches for twilight. Thinking, ‘No eye will see me,’ he covers his face. ¹⁶In the dark they dig through houses; by day they shut themselves in, never to experience the light.

Summary

In this verse, Job questions why the wicked are allowed to prosper and live out their days without facing immediate consequences for their actions. He observes the injustice in the world where the poor and needy suffer while the evildoers seem to go unpunished. Job's lament reflects the common human struggle with understanding the ways of God and the presence of suffering in the world, ultimately pointing to the need for trust and faith in God's sovereignty and justice beyond our limited understanding.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

The eye also of the adulterer - This is another sin particularly of the city. The adulterer has made his assignation; he has marked the house of her into whose good graces he has insinuated himself, called digging through the house; he waits impatiently for the dusk; and then goes forth, having muffled or disguised his face, and spends a criminal night with the faithless wife of another man. The morning dawns: but it is to him as the shadow of death, lest he should be detected before he can reach his own home. And if one know him - if he happen to be recognized in coming out of the forbidden house; the terrors of death seize upon him, being afraid that the thing shall be brought to light, or that he shall be called to account, a sanguinary account, by the injured husband. This seems to be the general sense of the very natural picture which Job draws in the Job 24:15, Job 24:16, and Job 24:17.

John Gill Bible Commentary

The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight,.... Not of the morning, which would not give him time enough to satiate his lust, but of the evening, that he may have the whole night before him to gratify his impure desires, and that these may be indulged in the most private and secret manner; and having fixed the time in the evening with his adulteress, he waits with impatience, and earnestly wishes and longs for its coming, and diligently looks out for the close of day, and takes the first opportunity of the darkness of the evening to set out on his adventure, see Pro 7:7; and the "eye" is particularly observed, not only because that is the instrument by which the twilight is discerned, and is industriously employed in looking out for it, but is full of adultery, as the Apostle Peter expresses it, Pe2 2:14; it is what is the inlet to this sin, the leader on to it, the caterer for it, and the nourisher, and cherisher of it, see Job 30:1; saying, no eye shall see me; no eye of man, which such an one is careful to guard against; and especially the eye of the husband of the adulteress, whose raging jealousy will not spare the adulterer, but take revenge on him by an immediate dispatch of him. And few care to have it known by any that they are guilty of this sin, because it brings dishonour and reproach upon them, which cannot be wiped off: the fact of Absalom going in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel, Sa2 16:21, and lying with them in the face of the sun, is the most notorious instance of this kind to be read; usually both sexes choose the utmost secrecy. Potiphar's wife took the opportunity to tempt Joseph when none of the men of the house were within, Gen 35:10; and when Amnon intended to force his sister, he ordered all the men to be had out of the room, Sa2 13:9, and moreover, the adulterer foolishly fancies that God sees him not, or at least is not concerned about that; though there is no darkness where such workers of iniquity can hide themselves from his all seeing eye, the darkness and the light are both alike to him. These men are like the ostrich, which thrusting its head into a thicket, as Tertullian (t) observes, fancies it is not seen; so children cover their faces, and, because they see none, think that nobody sees them; and as weak and childish a part do such act, who imagine that their evil deeds, done in the dark, are not seen by him, before whom every creature is made manifest, and all things are naked and open: and disguiseth his face; puts a mask upon it, that he may not be known by any he meets, when upon his amorous adventure, as harlots used to cover themselves with a vail, Gen 38:14. (t) De Virgin, Veland. c. 17.

Job 24:15

Job: Judgment for the Wicked

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

The eye of the adulterer watches for twilight. Thinking, ‘No eye will see me,’ he covers his face.

American Standard Version (1901)

The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, Saying, No eye shall see me: And he disguiseth his face.

Bible in Basic English

And the man whose desire is for the wife of another is waiting for the evening, saying, No eye will see me; and he puts a cover on his face. And in the night the thief goes about;

Free Bible Version

The adulterer waits for dusk, saying to himself, ‘No one will see me now,’ and he covers his face.

King James (Authorized) Version

The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face.

Translation for Translators

Those who want to commit adultery wait for twilight/evening; they say ‘I do not want anyone to see me,’ so they keep their faces covered.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Also, the eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight; he says, 'No eye will see me.' He disguises his face.

Noah Webster Bible

The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face.

World English Bible

The eye also of the adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, ‘No eye will see me.’ He disguises his face.

Young's Literal Translation

And the eye of an adulterer Hath observed the twilight, Saying, 'No eye doth behold me.' And he putteth the face in secret.

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Job 24:15

Verse

Context

Job: Judgment for the Wicked

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Job 24:15

Job: Judgment for the Wicked

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary