Matthew Poole and continuators on Job 24:1

1. WHy seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him, not see his days ?

The sense of the words according to this Translation is this, Why (how comes it to pass) seeing times, (i. e. the several times of every mans Life, how long he shall live, or the fittest seasons and opportunities (which are ost called times, as Gen. 24. 11. Psal. 31. 15. & 119. 126. Acts 1. 6, 7.) for every action, and particularly for the punishment of wicked men, about which the present controversie was) are not [illegible: 1+ letters]idden from, or unknown to the Almighty God, (i. e. 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 (i. e. who love and obey him, as that word is oft used, as Psal. 9. 10. & 36. 10. & 91. 14. or they who observe and regard his ways and works done in the world) not see (whence is it that they cannot discern) his (i. e. Gods) days? i. e. his times and seasons which he takes for the punishment, of ungodly men, which if they were constant and fixed in this Life, as you pretend they are, they would not be unknown to good men, to whom God useth to reveal his secrets, and they could not be unobserved by so many good men who make it their business to mind and study the works of God. and especially the course and Methods of his Providence towards good and bad men. The times or days of Gods executing Judgments upon sinners are frequently called the days of the Lord, as Isa 2. 12. & 13. 6. Ier. 46. 10. Compare Iob 20 28. Prov. 6. 34. Act. 2. 20. as the time of mans judging is called mans day, 1 Cor. 4. 3. But this Verse is in part, and may very agreeably to the Hebrew Text be rendred and interpreted thus, Why or how are not times (i. e. the times and seasons appointed for the punishment of evil-doers, about which the Dispute was) [illegible: 1+ letters]idden or reserved by or with God (i. e. kept as a secret in his own Breast, and concealed from the knowledge of Mankind: How can you say or think with any colour that these times are fixed and manifest to all men, and that sinners are constantly punished in this Life, and that so notoriously that all good men see it, as was said, Chap. 22. 15,—19.) seeing (as the particle vau is rendred, Chap. 19. 28. or for, as it is frequently used) they that know him (that give themselves to understand and consider his doings in the world, who of all men are most likely to know this, if it were true and certain) do not see his days, to wit of punishing the wicked in this Life, as was said before. And this he mentions as a fit Preface to usher in the following Discourse concerning the manifold wickedness of Men, and withal their present impunity.

Marginal references: Act. 1. 7.