Job 24:9 Meaning and Explanation
“They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The wicked tear the orphaned child from its mother and seize the poor man's belongings as a pledge for debt.
What Does Job 24:9 Mean?
Job returns to the oppressors and their cruelty toward the helpless. They snatch the fatherless infant from the breast, perhaps seizing the child against a debt, and take from the poor the very garments and goods that are their last security. Nothing is too sacred for them to grasp.
To tear a nursing child from its mother is the height of heartlessness, a violation of the most tender bond God made. The Law and the Prophets thunder against those who oppress the orphan and exploit the poor. Job is right to be appalled, and so is heaven. The Lord defends the cause of the fatherless, and Jesus drew the little ones to Himself and warned all who would harm them. God hears the cry of the smallest and the poorest.
Job 24:9 in the Original Language
yatom (יָתוֹם), 'fatherless' -- an orphan, one whom God repeatedly names as under His special protection.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 24:9
What does Job 24:9 mean?
The wicked tear the orphaned child from its mother and seize the poor man's belongings as a pledge for debt.