They gather fodder in the fieldsThis phrase highlights the plight of the poor and oppressed who must gather fodder, or animal feed, from the fields. In ancient times, this task was often left to those who had no land of their own, reflecting their marginalized status. The Mosaic Law provided for the poor by allowing them to glean from the fields (
Leviticus 19:9-10), but here, the implication is that they are forced to do so out of necessity rather than as a provision. This reflects the broader theme in Job of the righteous suffering while the wicked prosper.
and glean the vineyards of the wicked.
Gleaning was a practice commanded by God to ensure that the poor and the foreigner could gather leftover crops after the harvest (Deuteronomy 24:21). However, in this context, the vineyards belong to the wicked, suggesting an inversion of justice where the wicked have control over resources that should be available to the needy. This phrase underscores the social injustice and moral disorder that Job laments throughout the book. The wicked, who should be punished, instead have abundance, while the righteous suffer. This can be seen as a type of Christ, who, though righteous, suffered and was oppressed, highlighting the ultimate reversal of justice that will be fulfilled in Him.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
JobThe central figure in the Book of Job, a man of great faith and patience who endures immense suffering and questions the justice of God.
2.
The WickedThose who oppress and exploit others, often referenced in Job as those who prosper despite their unrighteousness.
3.
Fields and VineyardsSymbolic of agricultural life in ancient times, representing sustenance and livelihood.
4.
GleaningThe act of collecting leftover crops from farmers' fields after they have been commercially harvested, often associated with the poor and needy.
5.
The OppressedImplicit in this verse are the poor and marginalized who are forced to gather what they can from the fields of the wicked.
Teaching Points
Understanding InjusticeRecognize that injustice and exploitation are prevalent in the world, as seen in Job's time and today. Reflect on how we can be agents of change.
God's Provision for the NeedyThe practice of gleaning reflects God's heart for the poor. Consider how we can support and provide for those in need in our communities.
The Prosperity of the WickedAcknowledge the reality that sometimes the wicked prosper, but trust in God's ultimate justice and sovereignty.
Compassion and GenerosityEmulate the biblical principle of leaving "gleanings" for others by being generous with our resources and time.
Faith in AdversityLike Job, maintain faith and integrity even when faced with the apparent success of the wicked and personal hardship.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of Job 24:6?
2. How does Job 24:6 illustrate the plight of the poor and oppressed?
3. What does "gather fodder in the fields" reveal about societal injustice?
4. How can we support those facing similar struggles as described in Job 24:6?
5. Which other scriptures address God's concern for the marginalized and oppressed?
6. How can understanding Job 24:6 influence our actions towards social justice today?
7. What does Job 24:6 reveal about God's justice in the world?
8. How does Job 24:6 challenge our understanding of divine providence?
9. Why does God allow the poor to suffer as described in Job 24:6?
10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Job 24?
11. Why does Deuteronomy 28 emphasize material prosperity or catastrophe as divine favor or curse, while other passages (e.g., Job) depict suffering as potentially unrelated to personal obedience?
12. In Job 24:5–6, how do these descriptions of famine and survival harmonize with archeological evidence for agricultural practices of the period?
13. Micah 1:6 - Is there historical or archaeological evidence to confirm Samaria's predicted destruction as precisely described here?
14. In Job 24:12, why does it seem like God remains silent in the face of rampant oppression, clashing with other biblical passages where God intervenes?What Does Job 24:6 Mean
They gather fodder in the fieldsJob pictures poverty-stricken laborers forced to forage for the most basic animal feed—“They gather fodder in the fields.”
• In the broader chapter, Job is protesting that God seems to allow injustice to go unchecked (Job 24:1-12). Here he shows how the poor must scrape together grass and stalks just to survive.
• Scripture elsewhere assumes landowners will leave some growth for the needy (Leviticus 19:9-10; Deuteronomy 24:19), yet these victims receive no such mercy.
• The picture echoes Proverbs 13:23, “Abundant food is in the fallow ground of the poor, but injustice sweeps it away,” underscoring how greed robs them of what God intended as provision.
• Job’s literal description reminds us that material deprivation is real, and God’s people are called to notice and act (Isaiah 58:7).
and glean the vineyards of the wickedThe same destitute people must “glean the vineyards of the wicked.”
• Gleaning—picking up leftover grapes—was meant as a dignified safety net (Ruth 2:2-3). In Job’s lament, however, the harvest belongs to “the wicked,” a term signaling landowners who oppress rather than bless (Isaiah 5:8; Micah 2:1-2).
• Their fields flourish, yet they force others to work without fair share. Ecclesiastes 4:1 observes similar tears of the oppressed with “no comforter,” matching Job’s complaint.
• The verse hints that the wicked profit even from the poor’s gleaning; desperate workers must labor on property that enriches their oppressors—contrasting God’s ideal where fruitfulness benefits all (Psalm 72:12-14).
• By pairing fodder-gathering with vineyard-gleaning, Job shows oppression spans the agricultural spectrum—from lowly animal feed to luxury produce—revealing systemic injustice.
summaryJob 24:6 paints a vivid, literal scene: the poor scour open fields for mere fodder and scavenge vineyards owned by heartless landlords. The verse serves as evidence in Job’s case that unrighteous people thrive while the helpless suffer, apparently without immediate divine intervention. Yet the rest of Scripture affirms God’s concern for justice and promises ultimate reckoning. Until then, the passage challenges believers to reflect God’s heart by defending and providing for those forced to live off society’s leftovers.
(6)
They reap every one his corn.--Or, probably,
the corn, that is,
of the wicked tyrant. While they reap his corn and cut his provender, they have to go without themselves.
Verse 6. -
They reap every one his corn in the field. When they have scoured the desert, the marauders approach the cultivated ground bordering on it, and thence carry off, each of them. a quantity of "fodder," or "provender" (Revised Version), for the sustentation of their horses
. And they gather the vintage of the wicked; rather, as in the margin,
and the wicked gather the vintage. (So Rosenmuller and Professor Lee.) Sometimes they burst into the vineyards, and rob them, carrying off the ripe grapes.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
They gatherיִקְצ֑וֹרוּ (yiq·ṣō·w·rū)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7114: To dock off, curtail, to harvestfodderבְּלִיל֣וֹ (bə·lî·lōw)Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1098: Mixed, feedin the fieldsבַּ֭שָּׂדֶה (baś·śā·ḏeh)Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7704: Field, landand gleanיְלַקֵּֽשׁוּ׃ (yə·laq·qê·šū)Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3953: To take the second crop, to take everythingthe vineyardsוְכֶ֖רֶם (wə·ḵe·rem)Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3754: A garden, vineyardof the wicked.רָשָׁ֣ע (rā·šā‘)Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7563: Wrong, an, bad person
Links
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OT Poetry: Job 24:6 They cut their provender in the field (Jb) 
