It's not just that the wicked lie naked and cold; they cause others to be so by stripping them of everything, even the coverings needed to survive the night. This isn't merely poverty; it's active, cruel deprivation inflicted by those who should show mercy.
They lie all night naked, without clothing, and have no covering in the cold. They are wet with the rain of the mountains and cling to the rock for lack of shelter. (There are those who snatch the fatherless child from the breast, and they take a pledge against the poor.) They go about naked, without clothing; hungry, they carry the sheaves;
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job is responding to his friends' relentless arguments that his suffering must be due to his hidden sins, a claim Job vehemently denies. In this chapter, Job paints a stark picture of the wicked, detailing their cruelty and injustice, particularly how they prey on the vulnerable. This specific verse highlights how the oppressors leave their victims so destitute that they have no protection from the cold night, emphasizing the depth of their suffering and the wickedness of those who cause it.
Imagine the biting cold of night with nothing but the clothes on your back... or worse, nothing at all. This verse paints a stark picture of human cruelty.
Job is describing the actions of the wicked, specifically those who prey on the vulnerable. The phrase 'they cause the naked to lodge without clothing' isn't just about people who are already poor. It refers to those who are made naked – stripped of their possessions, their garments, and their security by the actions of oppressors. This isn't accidental; it's a direct result of the wicked's greed and ruthlessness. They leave their victims with absolutely nothing, not even the basic necessities to survive the harshness of the night.
This highlights a profound injustice: the wicked don't just fail to help the needy, they actively create the need through their exploitation. They hoard wealth and resources, leaving others exposed and vulnerable.
The cold of the night isn't just uncomfortable; it can be deadly. This verse forces us to confront the brutal reality of extreme vulnerability.
The verse doesn't just state the condition of being naked; it connects it directly to the environmental threat: 'and have no covering in the cold.' This detail is crucial. In many desert regions, as commentators note, the days can be scorching, but the nights plunge to freezing temperatures. The lack of clothing isn't merely a sign of poverty; it's a direct threat to life.
The wicked, in their oppression, deny people even this basic protection. They push victims into a situation where they are exposed to the raw, unforgiving elements. It's a picture of utter helplessness and suffering, inflicted by those who have chosen to disregard basic human dignity and compassion.
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Understand the original words
arom · Hebrew Adjective
A state of being uncovered, often symbolizing vulnerability, shame, destitution, or lack of protection. In a spiritual sense, it can represent being exposed before God or lacking the covering of His provision/righteousness.
yatom · Hebrew Noun
A term referring to one who has lost their father, often used in Scripture to represent the most vulnerable members of society. God identifies Himself as the special protector of these individuals and condemns those who oppress them.
chabolah · Hebrew Noun
An object, item, or security held by a creditor to ensure the repayment of a debt. The Law of Moses placed strict limitations on taking pledges, particularly from the poor, to prevent exploitation.
ani · Hebrew Noun/Adjective
Those lacking material wealth or resources. Scripture frequently highlights God's concern for the poor and issues severe warnings against those who abuse or ignore their plight.
omer · Hebrew Noun
Bundles of grain tied together after harvesting. In biblical imagery, sheaves can represent the result of labor or harvest, but in this context, they underscore the irony of the hungry laborers producing food they cannot enjoy.
This passage directly echoes the injustice described in Job, stating that if you take a poor person's garment as collateral, you must return it by nightfall because they need it to stay warm, highlighting the severe cruelty of leaving someone naked in the cold.
Deuteronomy 24:13This verse also speaks to the plight of the poor, specifically regarding a hired servant's wages and lodging, contrasting the ideal of providing for the vulnerable with the wicked actions described in Job 24.
Isaiah 58:7This prophetic passage describes the true fast as sharing food with the hungry and clothing the naked, offering a divine ideal of compassion that stands in stark opposition to the wicked's cruelty in Job 24.
Matthew 25:36Jesus' parable of the sheep and the goats includes 'I was naked and you clothed me,' which directly contrasts the compassionate actions God desires with the heartless stripping of the poor seen in Job's description.
clarkeJob 24:7: "They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold."
They cause the naked to lodge without clothing - Or rather, They spend the night naked, without clothing; and without a covering from the cold: another characteristic of the wandering Arabs. They are ill-fed, ill-clothed. and often miserable off, even for tents. They can have little household stuff: as they are plunderers, they are often obliged to fly for their lives, and cannot encumber themsel…
wesleyJob 24:7: "They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold."
24:7 Naked - Those whom they stripped of their garments and coverings.
It's not just that the wicked lie naked and cold; they cause others to be so by stripping them of everything, even the coverings needed to survive the night. This isn't merely poverty; it's active, cruel deprivation inflicted by those who should show mercy.
Job is responding to his friends' relentless arguments that his suffering must be due to his hidden sins, a claim Job vehemently denies. In this chapter, Job paints a stark picture of the wicked, detailing their cruelty and injustice, particularly how they prey on the vulnerable. This specific verse highlights how the oppressors leave their victims so destitute that they have no protection from the cold night, emphasizing the depth of their suffering and the wickedness of those who cause it.
Job is responding to his friends' relentless arguments that his suffering must be due to his hidden sins, a claim Job vehemently denies. In this chapter, Job paints a stark picture of the wicked, detailing their cruelty and injustice, particularly how they prey on the vulnerable. This specific verse highlights how the oppressors leave their victims so destitute that they have no protection from the cold night, emphasizing the depth of their suffering and the wickedness of those who cause it.
"They lie all night naked, without clothing, and have no covering in the cold. They are wet with the rain of the mountains and cling to the rock for lack of shelter. (There are those who snatch the fatherless child from the…" — It's not just that the wicked lie naked and cold; they cause others to be so by stripping them of everything, even the coverings needed to survive the night. This isn't merely poverty; it's active,…
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Last reviewed October 2026
