Job 24:16
14 The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.
15 The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face.
In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.
17 For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death.
18 He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the 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
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Read in contextEphesians 5:11–13
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Read in contextEzekiel 12:12
And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes.
Read in contextMatthew 6:19
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Read in contextEzekiel 12:5–7
Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.
Read in contextMatthew 24:43
But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
Read in contextJob 24:13
They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.
Read in contextJob 38:12–13
Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;
Read in context