16 In the dark H2822 they dig through H2864 houses, H1004 which they had marked H2856 for themselves in the daytime: H3119 they know H3045 not the light. H216
If a thief H1590 be found H4672 breaking up, H4290 and be smitten H5221 that he die, H4191 there shall no blood H1818 be shed for him. If the sun H8121 be risen H2224 upon him, there shall be blood H1818 shed for him; for he should make full H7999 restitution; H7999 if he have nothing, then he shall be sold H4376 for his theft. H1591
Hast thou commanded H6680 the morning H1242 since thy days; H3117 and caused the dayspring H7837 to know H3045 his place; H4725 That it might take hold H270 of the ends H3671 of the earth, H776 that the wicked H7563 might be shaken out H5287 of it?
Dig H2864 thou through the wall H7023 in their sight, H5869 and carry out H3318 thereby. In their sight H5869 shalt thou bear H5375 it upon thy shoulders, H3802 and carry it forth H3318 in the twilight: H5939 thou shalt cover H3680 thy face, H6440 that thou see H7200 not the ground: H776 for I have set H5414 thee for a sign H4159 unto the house H1004 of Israel. H3478 And I did H6213 so as I was commanded: H6680 I brought forth H3318 my stuff H3627 by day, H3119 as stuff H3627 for captivity, H1473 and in the even H6153 I digged H2864 through the wall H7023 with mine hand; H3027 I brought it forth H3318 in the twilight, H5939 and I bare H5375 it upon my shoulder H3802 in their sight. H5869
And G2532 have G4790 no G3361 fellowship G4790 with the unfruitful G175 works G2041 of darkness, G4655 but G1161 rather G3123 G2532 reprove G1651 them. For G1063 it is G2076 a shame G149 even G2532 to speak G3004 of those things G2931 which are done G1096 of G5259 them G846 in secret. G2931 But G1161 all things G3956 that are reproved G1651 are made manifest G5319 by G5259 the light: G5457 for G1063 whatsoever G3956 doth make manifest G5319 is G2076 light. G5457
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Job 24
Commentary on Job 24 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 24
Job having by his complaints in the foregoing chapter given vent to his passion, and thereby gained some ease, breaks them off abruptly, and now applies himself to a further discussion of the doctrinal controversy between him and his friends concerning the prosperity of wicked people. That many live at ease who yet are ungodly and profane, and despise all the exercises of devotion, he had shown, ch. 21. Now here he goes further, and shows that many who are mischievous to mankind, and live in open defiance to all the laws of justice and common honesty, yet thrive and succeed in their unrighteous practices; and we do not see them reckoned with in this world. What he had said before (ch. 12:6), "The tabernacles of robbers prosper,' he here enlarges upon. He lays down his general proposition (v. 1), that the punishment of wicked people is not so visible and apparent as his friends supposed, and then proves it by an induction of particulars.
Job 24:1-12
Job's friends had been very positive in it that they should soon see the fall of wicked people, how much soever they might prosper for a while. By no means, says Job; though times are not hidden from the Almighty, yet those that know him do not presently see his day, v. 1.
For the proof of this, that wicked people prosper, Job specifies two sorts of unrighteous ones, whom all the world saw thriving in their iniquity:-
Job 24:13-17
These verses describe another sort of sinners who therefore go unpunished, because they go undiscovered. They rebel against the light, v. 13. Some understand it figuratively: they sin against the light of nature, the light of God's law, and that of their own consciences; they profess to know God, but they rebel against the knowledge they have of him, and will not be guided and governed, commanded and controlled, by it. Others understand it literally: they have the day-light and choose the night as the most advantageous season for their wickedness. Sinful works are therefore called works of darkness, because he that does evil hates the light (Jn. 3:20), knows not the ways thereof, that is, keeps out of the way of it, or, if he happen to be seen, abides not where he thinks he is known. So that he here describes the worst of sinners,-those that sin wilfully, and against the convictions of their own consciences, whereby they add rebellion to their sin,-those that sin deliberately, and with a great deal of plot and contrivance, using a thousand arts to conceal their villanies, fondly imagining that, if they can but hide them from the eye of men, they are safe, but forgetting that there is no darkness or shadow of death in which the workers of iniquity can hide themselves from God's eye, ch. 34:22. In this paragraph Job specifies three sorts of sinners that shun the light:-
Job 24:18-25
Job here, in the conclusion of his discourse,