For want and famine they were solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste.
Because of poverty and hunger, they lived alone, running away to the wilderness that had long been empty and ruined.
Job is describing how desperate, hungry people were forced to flee to desolate places just to survive.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Job, Job is lamenting his own suffering and describing outcasts who have been forced into isolation due to extreme hunger and famine, leading them to flee into barren and uninhabited wilderness areas. This verse fits into Job's broader speech where he contrasts his former prosperity with his current misery, highlighting the social and economic hardships faced by the vulnerable in ancient Near Eastern societies. Such depictions underscore the realities of patriarchal life, where famine could strip people of community and resources, emphasizing themes of human frailty and dependence on God.
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