Job 24:16
Job 24:16 in Multiple Translations
In the dark they dig through houses; by day they shut themselves in, never to experience the light.
In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.
In the dark they dig through houses: They shut themselves up in the day-time; They know not the light.
In the dark he makes holes in the walls of houses: in the daytime they are shutting themselves up, they have no knowledge of the light.
Thieves break into houses during the night and they sleep during the day. They don't even know what the light is like!
They digge through houses in the darke, which they marked for themselues in the daye: they knowe not the light.
He hath dug in the darkness — houses; By day they shut themselves up, They have not known light.
In the dark they dig through houses. They shut themselves up in the daytime. They don’t know the light.
In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the day-time: they know not the light.
He diggeth through houses in the dark, as in the day they had appointed for themselves, and they have not known the light.
It is during the night that robbers break into houses to steal things, but during the day they hide because they want to avoid being seen in the light.
Berean Amplified Bible — Job 24:16
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Job 24:16 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
חָתַ֥ר
בַּ/חֹ֗שֶׁךְ
בָּ֫תִּ֥ים
יוֹמָ֥ם
חִתְּמוּ
לָ֗/מוֹ
לֹא
יָ֥דְעוּ
אֽוֹר
חָתַ֥ר
châthar
H2864
to dig
V-Qal-Perf-3ms
בַּ/חֹ֗שֶׁךְ
chôshek
H2822
darkness
Prep | N-ms
בָּ֫תִּ֥ים
bayith
H1004
place
N-mp
יוֹמָ֥ם
yôwmâm
H3119
by day
Adv
חִתְּמוּ
châtham
H2856
to seal
V-Piel-Perf-3cp
לָ֗/מוֹ
Prep | Suff
לֹא
lôʼ
H3808
not
Part
יָ֥דְעוּ
yâdaʻ
H3045
to know
V-Qal-Perf-3cp
אֽוֹר
ʼôwr
H216
light
N-cs
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Job 24:16
חָתַ֥ר
châthar
H2864
"to dig"
V-Qal-Perf-3ms
To dig or force a passage, like a burglar breaking in, or to row a boat with oars, as seen in the KJV translation of Exodus.
Definition: 1) to dig, row 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to dig (into houses-of burglary) 1a2) to row (in water)
Usage: Occurs in 7 OT verses. KJV: dig (through), row. See also: Job 24:16; Ezekiel 12:7; Jonah 1:13.
בַּ/חֹ֗שֶׁךְ
chôshek
H2822
"darkness"
Prep | N-ms
This word refers to darkness, both physical and spiritual. It can also mean misery, destruction, or wickedness. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a state of being without light or hope.
Definition: 1) darkness, obscurity 1a) darkness 1b) secret place
Usage: Occurs in 77 OT verses. KJV: dark(-ness), night, obscurity. See also: Genesis 1:2; Psalms 35:6; Psalms 18:12.
בָּ֫תִּ֥ים
bayith
H1004
"place"
N-mp
The Hebrew word for house refers to a dwelling place, including a family home, temple, or even the human body. It appears in various contexts, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the household of a family. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a place of worship or a family's living space.
Definition: nm place, origin, between
Usage: Occurs in 1712 OT verses. KJV: court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web, [phrase] within(-out). See also: Genesis 6:14; Exodus 8:5; Numbers 1:45.
יוֹמָ֥ם
yôwmâm
H3119
"by day"
Adv
The word 'yomam' means 'by day' or 'daily', and is used in the Bible to describe actions or events that happen during the daytime. It can also refer to the daytime itself, as opposed to the nighttime. This word is used to emphasize the daily nature of certain activities or routines.
Definition: adv 1) by day, in the daytime subst 2) daytime
Usage: Occurs in 50 OT verses. KJV: daily, (by, in the) day(-time). See also: Exodus 13:21; Psalms 32:4; Psalms 1:2.
חִתְּמוּ
châtham
H2856
"to seal"
V-Piel-Perf-3cp
To seal means to close or lock something, like a document or container. This word is used in the Bible to describe marking or sealing something, often with a signet ring.
Definition: 1) to seal, seal up, affix a seal 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to seal, affix one's seal 1a2) to seal up, fasten up by sealing 1b) (Niphal) to seal 1c) (Piel) to lock up 1d) (Hiphil) to be stopped Aramaic equivalent: cha.tam (חֲתַם "to seal" H2857)
Usage: Occurs in 24 OT verses. KJV: make an end, mark, seal (up), stop. See also: Leviticus 15:3; Job 37:7; Isaiah 8:16.
לָ֗/מוֹ
""
Prep | Suff
לֹא
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
יָ֥דְעוּ
yâdaʻ
H3045
"to know"
V-Qal-Perf-3cp
The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.
Definition: 1) to know 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to know 1a1a) to know, learn to know 1a1b) to perceive 1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern 1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish 1a1e) to know by experience 1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess 1a1g) to consider 1a2) to know, be acquainted with 1a3) to know (a person carnally) 1a4) to know how, be skilful in 1a5) to have knowledge, be wise 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed 1b2) to make oneself known 1b3) to be perceived 1b4) to be instructed 1c) (Piel) to cause to know 1d) (Poal) to cause to know 1e) (Pual) 1e1) to be known 1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle) 1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare 1g) (Hophal) to be made known 1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)
Usage: Occurs in 874 OT verses. KJV: acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-) norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, [phrase] be learned, [phrase] lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, [idiom] prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), [idiom] will be, wist, wit, wot. See also: Genesis 3:5; Leviticus 5:4; Judges 21:12.
אֽוֹר
ʼôwr
H216
"light"
N-cs
Light, including natural light from the sun or stars, and also spiritual light from God. It can refer to happiness, prosperity, or understanding. In the Bible, God is often described as the source of light and life.
Definition: 1) light 1a) light of day 1b) light of heavenly luminaries (moon, sun, stars) 1c) day-break, dawn, morning light 1d) daylight 1e) lightning 1f) light of lamp 1g) light of life 1h) light of prosperity 1i) light of instruction 1j) light of face (fig.) 1k) Jehovah as Israel's light
Usage: Occurs in 110 OT verses. KJV: bright, clear, [phrase] day, light (-ning), morning, sun. See also: Genesis 1:3; Psalms 78:14; Psalms 4:7.
Study Notes — Job 24:16
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Job 24:16 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Job 24:16
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 24:16
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 24:16
- Trapp's Commentary on Job 24:16
- Ellicott's Commentary on Job 24:16
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 24:16
- Cambridge Bible on Job 24:16
- Barnes' Notes on Job 24:16
- Whedon's Commentary on Job 24:16
- Sermons on Job 24:16
Context — Job: Judgment for the Wicked
14When daylight is gone, the murderer rises to kill the poor and needy; in the night he is like a thief.
15The eye of the adulterer watches for twilight. Thinking, ‘No eye will see me,’ he covers his face.
16In the dark they dig through houses; by day they shut themselves in, never to experience the light.
17For to them, deep darkness is their morning; surely they are friends with the terrors of darkness! 18They are but foam on the surface of the water; their portion of the land is cursed, so that no one turns toward their vineyards.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 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. |
| 2 | Ephesians 5:11–13 | Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that is illuminated becomes a light itself. |
| 3 | 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. |
| 4 | Exodus 22:2–3 | If a thief is caught breaking in and is beaten to death, no one shall be guilty of bloodshed. But if it happens after sunrise, there is guilt for his bloodshed. A thief must make full restitution; if he has nothing, he himself shall be sold for his theft. |
| 5 | Matthew 6:19 | Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. |
| 6 | Job 38:12–13 | In your days, have you commanded the morning or assigned the dawn its place, that it might spread to the ends of the earth and shake the wicked out of it? |
| 7 | Ezekiel 12:5–7 | As they watch, dig through the wall and carry your belongings out through it. And as they watch, lift your bags to your shoulder and take them out at dusk; cover your face so that you cannot see the land. For I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.” So I did as I was commanded. I brought out my bags for exile by day, and in the evening I dug through the wall by hand. I took my belongings out at dusk, carrying them on my shoulder as they watched. |
| 8 | 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. |
| 9 | Job 24:13 | Then there are those who rebel against the light, not knowing its ways or staying on its paths. |
Job 24:16 Summary
[This verse is talking about people who do bad things at night and then hide during the day so they won't get caught. They like to stay in the dark because it helps them keep their evil deeds secret, similar to what is described in Job 24:14. Just like how our eyes need light to see, our hearts need the light of God's truth to be righteous, as mentioned in Psalms 119:105. By following God's ways, we can walk in the light and not in darkness, as encouraged in Ephesians 5:8-14.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of activities are being described in Job 24:16?
The verse is talking about the actions of wicked people who break into houses at night and hide during the day, as also seen in Job 24:14, where it mentions the murderer rising to kill the poor and needy in the night.
Why do the wicked shut themselves in during the day?
They hide during the day to avoid being caught and to conceal their evil deeds, much like the adulterer in Job 24:15 who covers his face, thinking no one will see him, illustrating the concept of darkness and secrecy found in John 3:19-20.
What is the significance of 'never to experience the light' in this verse?
This phrase suggests that these wicked individuals are not only physically hiding from the light, but also spiritually, as they reject the light of God's truth and righteousness, similar to what is described in Ephesians 5:8-14, where believers are called to walk in the light.
How does this verse relate to the broader theme of the book of Job?
This verse contributes to the book's exploration of the nature of evil, suffering, and God's justice, highlighting the contrast between the wicked who operate in darkness and the righteous who walk in the light, a theme also found in Psalms 119:105 and Proverbs 4:18-19.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways that I might be hiding in darkness, either physically or spiritually, and how can I step into the light of God's presence?
- How does the desire for secrecy and concealment reveal the heart's condition, and what does this say about my own heart?
- In what ways can I, as a believer, be a light in the darkness, reflecting the character of God to those around me, as encouraged in Matthew 5:14-16?
- What are some practical steps I can take to ensure that I am walking in the light, as described in 1 John 1:5-7, and not hiding in darkness?
Gill's Exposition on Job 24:16
In the dark they dig through houses, [which] they had marked for themselves in the daytime,.... Which some understand of adulterers last mentioned, who, having observed where beautiful women dwell,
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 24:16
In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light. Dig through.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 24:16
They dig; either, 1. The adulterer last mentioned; although such persons do not use nor need these violent courses to get into the house of the adulteress, but are commonly admitted upon milder and easier terms. Or, 2. The thief or robber, whose common practice this is, of whom he spoke ; and having on that occasion inserted the mention of the adulterer as one who acted his sin in the same manner as the night-thief did, he now returns to him again. Which they had marked for themselves; the thief and his accomplices, designing by some secret mark the house of some rich man which they intended to rob, and the part of the house where they resolved to enter into it. They know not the light, i.e. do not love nor like it, as ; but abhor it, as it follows.
Trapp's Commentary on Job 24:16
Job 24:16 In the dark they dig through houses, [which] they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.Ver. 16. In the dark they dig through the earth, &c.] Heb. He digs through houses; i.e. the adulterer doth, to come at his strumpet, with whom he had agreed upon a place of meeting for that evil purpose, and in whose bosom by night (the dark and black night, as Solomon calleth it, Proverbs 7:9) he spareth not to bury his name, substance, soul, and carcass, while they glut their unclean desires by the favour of the darkness. This is a bitterness beyond that of death, Ecclesiastes 7:26. But the devil presenteth his butter in so lordly a dish, that the soul spies not the hammer and nail in his hand till he have driven it into the temples. Roger Mortimer, who dug that hole at Nottingham castle, and was afterwards hanged at Tyburn (a just reward of his ambition and uncleanness), had the experience of this. They know not the light] i.e. They brook it not, but run full butt against it, because it discovereth and disquieteth them. See Job 24:13.
Ellicott's Commentary on Job 24:16
(16) Which they had marked for themselves in the daytime.—Or, as some understand, they seal (i.e., shut) themselves up in the daytime. It is said that it is still the custom in Eastern cities for such persons to endeavour to obtain access to the harem in female attire. They know not the light.—Compared with Job 24:13, shows strongly the different usage of the expression in the two cases.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 24:16
Verse 16. In the dark they dig through houses] Thieves in Bengal very frequently dig through the mud wall and under the clay floors of houses, and, entering unperceived, plunder them while the inhabitants are asleep. Mr. Good's version of this paragraph I shall lay before the reader: - Ver. 15. For the dark too watcheth the eye of the adulterer; Exclaiming, No eye shall behold me. Then putteth he the muffler on his face; Ver. 16. He wormeth into houses amidst the darkness. In the daytime they seal themselves up, They know not the light: Ver. 17. For, the dawn they reckon to themselves as the death-shade; The horrors of the death-shade as it returneth.
Cambridge Bible on Job 24:16
16. which they had marked] Rather, they shut (lit. seal) themselves up in the daytime. In the dark the housebreaker digs through the wall, which in many Eastern houses is of clay or soft brick; in the daytime he abides close in his own retreat; he is unacquainted with the light.
Barnes' Notes on Job 24:16
In the dark they dig through houses - This refers, probably, to another class of wicked persons. The adulterer steals forth in the night, but it is not his way to “dig” into houses.
Whedon's Commentary on Job 24:16
16. They — Literally, he, used collectively for house-breakers.
Sermons on Job 24:16
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
God Is Light by Bob Jennings | This sermon emphasizes the importance of walking in the light of God's truth, highlighting the blessings of fellowship with God and other believers, the cleansing power of Jesus' b |
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Your Conscience, the Cross, True Faith, False Religion by David Cooper | In this sermon, the preacher reflects on the profound significance of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the hill of Calvary. The preacher emphasizes the selfless love and grace of |
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Spiritual Insights 03 Rom 13:8 by William MacDonald | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of wisdom and obedience to God's word. He contrasts the actions of wise individuals who seek to please the Lord with the fool |
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The Seal of God's Firm Foundation by Erlo Stegen | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the power of the gospel in raising people up. He shares a personal anecdote about being asked to remove his shoes in a hotel room, which lea |
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When a Pastor Lives a Double Life by Eric Ludy | This sermon emphasizes the need for the body of Christ to yield to the Spirit of God, be stirred, convicted, and driven to the foot of the cross for purification. It calls for alig |
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The Accepted Man by John Nelson Darby | John Nelson Darby emphasizes the distinction between the accepted man, Jesus Christ, and the natural man, who is blind to his own condition and lacks the moral motives of Christ. H |
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Hated Without a Cause by David Wilkerson | David Wilkerson preaches about the profound love and compassion of Jesus, who came to seek and save the lost while humbly serving others. Despite performing miraculous acts of heal |