Job 24:11 Meaning and Explanation
“Which make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The oppressed press olive oil and tread the winepress for their masters yet are left thirsty amid the very abundance they produce.
What Does Job 24:11 Mean?
Job sharpens the irony of forced labor. The poor make oil within the walls of the rich and tread out the grapes in their winepresses, surrounded by streams of oil and wine, yet they themselves suffer thirst. The fruit of their toil pours out for others while their own lips stay dry.
To labor amid plenty and go without is a particular cruelty, and Job sets it before God as proof that injustice flourishes. But Scripture answers thirst with a deep promise: the Lord invites all who thirst to come to the waters without price. Jesus offered living water that never runs dry and stood at the feast crying that the thirsty should come to Him. The God of the harvest will not forget those who pressed it in want.
Job 24:11 in the Original Language
yiqavim (יְקָבִים), 'winepresses' -- the troughs where grapes were trodden to yield wine.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 24:11
What does Job 24:11 mean?
The oppressed press olive oil and tread the winepress for their masters yet are left thirsty amid the very abundance they produce.