Men move boundary stones; they pasture stolen flocks.
Parallel translations
- WEB There are people who remove the landmarks. They violently take away flocks, and feed them.
- KJV Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof.
- NKJV “Some remove landmarks; They seize flocks violently and feed on them;
- NASB “People remove landmarks; They seize and devour flocks.
- NLT Evil people steal land by moving the boundary markers. They steal livestock and put them in their own pastures.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Job describes wicked men who move boundary stones and steal flocks. It matters as evidence that the unjust often prosper unpunished.
Overview
Job catalogs the oppression of the wicked, beginning with those who remove landmarks and seize others' livestock by force. Moving boundary markers was condemned in the Law as theft (Deut. 19:14). Job's complaint exposes the brokenness of a world awaiting the just King who will set all wrongs right.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Deut 27:17‘Cursed is he who moves his neighbor’s boundary stone.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
- Deut 19:14You must not move your neighbor’s boundary marker, which was set up by your ancestors to mark the inheritance you shall receive in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.
- Prov 23:10Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
- Prov 22:28Do not move an ancient boundary stone which your fathers have placed.
- Hos 5:10The princes of Judah are like those who move boundary stones; I will pour out My fury upon them like water.
- Job 1:15the Sabeans swooped down and took them away. They put the servants to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
- Job 1:17While he was still speaking, another messenger came and reported: “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels, and took them away. They put the servants to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
- Job 5:5The hungry consume his harvest, taking it even from the thorns, and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.
How Job 24:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.