Job 9:24
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he? The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?
The verse stands in the extended debate in chapters 4 to 31 between Job and his three friends about his afflictions and the cause and purpose of human suffering, arranged as three rounds or circles of speeches on each side and distinct from the prose prologue in chapters 1 and 2, the speeches of Elihu in chapters 32 to 37, the speeches of the Lord from the storm-cloud, and the prose epilogue in chapter 42:7-17. The book containing it is the oldest book of the Bible and the oldest of the poetical books, written by Moses in the land of Midian. Statements by the friends like this one are generally true in themselves but were misapplied to Job, showing that suffering does not prove that a sufferer is under God's displeasure.
The wicked denotes primarily Satan as the root of wickedness, and also wicked people as his servants and offspring in character. The earth being given into the hand of the wicked means humanity's God-given dominion was lost and passed under Satan's control when humanity turned from God and yielded to Satan. That sway began when Eden was lost and the curse fell on the world and continues over the present earth under conditions of sin. Covering the faces of the judges means Satan's rule brings shame and grief to righteous judges and obscures or corrupts judgeship.
The earth's subjection appears in human life marked by evil habits, vice, ruin, and destruction through war. It appears also in Satan governing the world so that most people follow him in breaking God's law, illustrated by injustices such as slavery and neglect of the suffering. This condition of the world is why Christians pray for God's kingdom to come.