Job 24:16

14 When daylight is gone, the murderer rises to kill the poor and needy; in the night he is like a thief.

15 The eye of the adulterer watches for twilight. Thinking, ‘No eye will see me,’ he covers his face.

In the dark they dig through houses; by day they shut themselves in, never to experience the light.

17 For to them, deep darkness is their morning; surely they are friends with the terrors of darkness!

18 They are but foam on the surface of the water; their portion of the land is cursed, so that no one turns toward their vineyards.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
In the dark they dig through houses; by day they shut themselves in, never to experience the light.
KJV
In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.
WEB
In the dark they dig through houses. They shut themselves up in the daytime. They don’t know the light.
ASV
In the dark they dig through houses: They shut themselves up in the day-time; They know not the light.
DARBY
In the dark they dig through houses; by day they shut themselves in; they know not the light:
BLB
In the darkness one digs [into] houses, by day they seal themselves in; they do not know the light.
ÅB
I mørket bryter de inn i husene, om dagen lukker de seg inne; lyset vil de ikke vite av.
OTB
I mørket bryter de inn i hus,
De stenger seg inne om dagen;
De kjenner ikke lyset.
B1930
I mørket bryter de inn i husene, om dagen lukker de sig inne; lyset vil de ikke vite av.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • John 3:20

    Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

    Read in context
  • Ephesians 5:11–13

    Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

    Read in context
  • Ezekiel 12:12

    And at dusk the prince among them will lift his bags to his shoulder and go out. They will dig through the wall to bring him out. He will cover his face so he cannot see the land.

    Read in context
  • Matthew 6:19

    Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

    Read in context
  • Ezekiel 12:5–7

    As they watch, dig through the wall and carry your belongings out through it.

    Read in context
  • Matthew 24:43

    But understand this: If the homeowner had known in which watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.

    Read in context
  • Job 24:13

    Then there are those who rebel against the light, not knowing its ways or staying on its paths.

    Read in context
  • Job 38:12–13

    In your days, have you commanded the morning or assigned the dawn its place,

    Read in context