“Why are not times of judgment kept by the Almighty, and why do those who know him never see his days?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job isn't just asking why the wicked prosper; he's highlighting the disturbing silence of divine judgment that even those who know God intimately can't discern. This isn't a lack of God's knowledge, but a perplexing absence of visible, timely retribution that leaves His faithful followers baffled.
“Why are not times of judgment kept by the Almighty, and why do those who know him never see his days?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job is grappling with a profound question: why doesn't God's justice seem to be consistently and visibly displayed in this world? He's observed that wicked people often prosper, and he wonders why there aren't clearer, appointed times of judgment that even those who seek God can discern. This perplexity sets the stage for him to describe the various ways evil flourishes and the suffering of the righteous.
Job grapples with a profound question: If God is all-knowing and all-powerful, why doesn't He seem to act at predictable, visible times to punish the wicked?
Job isn't questioning if God will judge, but when and how we see it. He's looking for clear, observable 'days of retribution' that align with his friends' teachings.
The Expectation of Visible Justice
Job's friends have argued for a direct, observable link between wickedness and immediate punishment. They believe God's justice is always apparent in this life. Job, however, sees so many exceptions that he questions this framework.
God's Sovereignty Over Time
Job acknowledges that God knows all times – 'times' for every action, especially for punishing the wicked. The dilemma isn't God's ignorance, but His apparent timing, which seems hidden from those who 'know Him.' This suggests God's timing and methods of justice operate on a different plane than human expectation.
Job poses his question not to the ignorant, but to 'those who know Him.' Who are these people, and why does their perspective matter so much?
The phrase 'those who know Him' refers to people who genuinely believe in, love, and seek to obey God. These aren't casual observers; they are actively engaged in a relationship with the Almighty.
A Discerning, Yet Perplexed, Community
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Job includes himself and his friends in this category. They are the ones who should be able to discern God's hand of justice in the world, based on their faith and understanding of God's character. Their confusion, therefore, is particularly significant.
The Limits of Human Perception
Even for those deeply devoted to God, His ways and timing can be mysterious. Job isn't suggesting these people are wrong to seek understanding, but he is highlighting that their ability to 'see' God's 'days' of judgment is limited within their earthly experience.
Understand the original words
Shadday · Hebrew Noun
A term often translated as 'the Almighty' or 'God Almighty', emphasizing His absolute power, sovereignty, and sufficiency to fulfill His promises to His people. It frequently denotes God as the One who is all-powerful and sustains the universe.
This psalm expresses a similar bewilderment to Job's, questioning why the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer, causing the psalmist to almost stumble in his faith. It highlights the shared human struggle to reconcile God's justice with observable reality.
Jeremiah 12:1-4Jeremiah also confronts God with the same perplexing question: why do the wicked succeed and prosper so blatantly? This passage echoes Job's lament, showing that this theological struggle was not isolated to Job's experience but was a recurring challenge for prophets as well.
Ecclesiastes 8:10-13This passage in Ecclesiastes directly addresses the issue of justice not being immediately executed, noting that a sinner can do evil a hundred times and still live. It offers a perspective that God's patience allows for extended wickedness, which can seem unjust to human eyes, resonating with Job's confusion.
Luke 13:1-5Jesus addresses a similar confusion when people bring up instances of suffering and ask if those who suffered were worse sinners. He redirects the focus, implying that judgment is not always immediate or obvious, and that such events shouldn't be interpreted solely as God's direct retribution in this life.
wesleyJob 24:1: "Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?"
24:1 Why - Why (how comes it to pass) seeing times, (the fittest seasons for every, action, and particularly for the punishment of wicked men,) are not hidden from, or unknown to the Almighty God, (seeing all times, and men that live, and things that are done, or to be done in their times and seasons, are exactly known to God) do they that know him, (who love and obey him) not see (whence is…
ellicottJob 24:1: "Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?"
XXIV. (1) Why, seeing times are not hidden.—Job, in this chapter, gives utterance to this perplexity, as it arises, not from his own case only, but from a survey of God’s dealings with the world generally. “Why is it,” he asks, “since times and events are not hidden from the Almighty, that they who know Him—that is, believe in and love Him—do not see His days?”—that is, His days of retributio…
Job isn't just asking why the wicked prosper; he's highlighting the disturbing silence of divine judgment that even those who know God intimately can't discern. This isn't a lack of God's knowledge, but a perplexing absence of visible, timely retribution that leaves His faithful followers baffled.
Job is grappling with a profound question: why doesn't God's justice seem to be consistently and visibly displayed in this world? He's observed that wicked people often prosper, and he wonders why there aren't clearer, appointed times of judgment that even those who seek God can discern. This perplexity sets the stage for him to describe the various ways evil flourishes and the suffering of the righteous.
Job is grappling with a profound question: why doesn't God's justice seem to be consistently and visibly displayed in this world? He's observed that wicked people often prosper, and he wonders why there aren't clearer, appointed times of judgment that even those who seek God can discern. This perplexity sets the stage for him to describe the various ways evil flourishes and the suffering of the righteous.
"“Why are not times of judgment kept by the Almighty, and why do those who know him never see his days?" — Job isn't just asking why the wicked prosper; he's highlighting the disturbing silence of divine judgment that even those who know God intimately can't discern. This isn't a lack of God's knowledge…
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Last reviewed October 2026