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Selected Verse: Job 24:11 - King James

Verse	Translation	Text
Job 24:11	King James	Which make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
Which--"They," the poor, "press the oil within their wall"; namely, not only in the open fields (Job 24:10), but also in the wall-enclosed vineyards and olive gardens of the oppressor (Isa 5:5). Yet they are not allowed to quench their "thirst" with the grapes and olives. Here, thirsty; Job 24:10, hungry.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

Which--"They," the poor, "press the oil within their wall"; namely, not only in the open fields (Job 24:10), but also in the wall-enclosed vineyards and olive gardens of the oppressor (Isa 5:5). Yet they are not allowed to quench their "thirst" with the grapes and olives. Here, thirsty; Job 24:10, hungry.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Which made oil within their walls - Or rather, they compel them to express oil within their walls. The word יצהירו yatshı̂yrû, rendered "made oil," is from צחר tsachar, to shine, to give light; and hence, the derivatives of the word are used to denote light, and then oil, and thence the word comes to denote to press out oil for the purpose of light. Oil was obtained for this purpose from olives by pressing them, and the idea here is, that the poor were compelled to engage in this service for others without compensation. The expression "within their walls," means probably within the walls of the rich; that is, within the enclosures where such presses were erected. They were taken away from their homes; compelled to toil for others; and confined for this purpose within enclosures erected for the purpose of expressing oil. Some have proposed to read this passage, "Between their walls they make them toil at noonday;" as if it referred to the cruelty of causing them to labor in the sweltering heat of the sun. But the former interpretation is the most common, and best agrees with the usual meaning of the word, and with the connection. And tread their wine-presses and suffer thirst - They compel them to tread out their grapes without allowing them to slake their thirst from the wine. Such a treatment would, of course, be cruel oppression. A similar description is given by Addison in his letter from Italy: Il povreo Abitante mira indarno Il roseggiante Arancio e'l pingue grano, Crescer dolente ei mira ed oli, e vini, E de mirti odorar l' ombra ei sdegna. In mezzo alla Bonta della Natura Maledetto languisce, e deatro a cariche Di vino vigne muore per la sete. "The poor inhabitant beholds in vain The reddening orange and the swelling grain; Joyless he sees the growing oils and wines And in the myrtle's fragrant shade repines; Starves, in the midst of nature's bounty curst, And in the loaden vineyard dies for thirst." Addison's works, vol. i. pp. 51-53. Ed. Lond. 1721.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

Which made oil within their walls - Or rather, they compel them to express oil within their walls. The word יצהירו yatshı̂yrû, rendered "made oil," is from צחר tsachar, to shine, to give light; and hence, the derivatives of the word are used to denote light, and then oil, and thence the word comes to denote to press out oil for the purpose of light. Oil was obtained for this purpose from olives by pressing them, and the idea here is, that the poor were compelled to engage in this service for others without compensation. The expression "within their walls," means probably within the walls of the rich; that is, within the enclosures where such presses were erected. They were taken away from their homes; compelled to toil for others; and confined for this purpose within enclosures erected for the purpose of expressing oil. Some have proposed to read this passage, "Between their walls they make them toil at noonday;" as if it referred to the cruelty of causing them to labor in the sweltering heat of the sun. But the former interpretation is the most common, and best agrees with the usual meaning of the word, and with the connection.

And tread their wine-presses and suffer thirst - They compel them to tread out their grapes without allowing them to slake their thirst from the wine. Such a treatment would, of course, be cruel oppression. A similar description is given by Addison in his letter from Italy:

Il povreo Abitante mira indarno

Il roseggiante Arancio e'l pingue grano,

Crescer dolente ei mira ed oli, e vini,

E de mirti odorar l' ombra ei sdegna.

In mezzo alla Bonta della Natura

Maledetto languisce, e deatro a cariche

Di vino vigne muore per la sete.

"The poor inhabitant beholds in vain

The reddening orange and the swelling grain;

Joyless he sees the growing oils and wines

And in the myrtle's fragrant shade repines;

Starves, in the midst of nature's bounty curst,

And in the loaden vineyard dies for thirst."

Addison's works, vol. i. pp. 51-53. Ed. Lond. 1721.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Walls - Within the walls of the oppressors for their use. Suffer - Because they are not permitted to quench their thirst out of the wine which they make.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]

Walls - Within the walls of the oppressors for their use. Suffer - Because they are not permitted to quench their thirst out of the wine which they make.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Make oil within their walls - Thus stripped of all that on which they depended for clothing and food, they are obliged to become vassals to their lord, labor in the fields on scanty fare, or tread their wine-presses, from the produce of which they are not permitted to quench their thirst.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

Make oil within their walls - Thus stripped of all that on which they depended for clothing and food, they are obliged to become vassals to their lord, labor in the fields on scanty fare, or tread their wine-presses, from the produce of which they are not permitted to quench their thirst.

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