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Selected Verse: Job 24:13 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Job 24:13	Strong Concordance	They are of those that rebel [04775] against the light [0216]; they know [05234] not the ways [01870] thereof, nor abide [03427] in the paths [05410] thereof.
	King James	They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
So far as to openly committed sins; now, those done in the dark. Translate: "There are those among them (the wicked) who rebel," &c. light--both literal and figurative (Joh 3:19-20; Pro 2:13). paths thereof--places where the light shines.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

So far as to openly committed sins; now, those done in the dark. Translate: "There are those among them (the wicked) who rebel," &c.

light--both literal and figurative (Joh 3:19-20; Pro 2:13).

paths thereof--places where the light shines.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
They are of those that rebel against the light - That is, they hate the light: compare Joh 3:20. It is unpleasant to them, and they perform their deeds in the night. Job here commences a reference to another class of wicked persons - those who perform their deeds in the darkness of the night; and he shows that the same thing is true of them as of those who commit crimes in open day, that God does not interpose directly to punish them. They are suffered to live in prosperity. This should be rendered, "Others hate the light;" or, "There are those also who are rebellious against the light." There is great force in the declaration, that those who perform deeds of wickedness in the night are "rebels" against the light of day. They know not the ways thereof - They do not see it. They work in the night. Nor abide in the paths thereof - In the paths that the light makes. They seek out paths on which the light does not shine.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
13 Others are those that rebel against the light, They will know nothing of its ways, And abide not in its paths. 14 The murderer riseth up at dawn, He slayeth the sufferer and the poor, And in the night he acteth like a thief. 15 And the eye of the adulterer watcheth for the twilight; He thinks: "no eye shall recognise me," And he putteth a veil before his face. With המּה begins a new turn in the description of the moral confusion which has escaped God's observation; it is to be translated neither as retrospective, "since they" (Ewald), nor as distinctive, "they even" (Bttch.), i.e., the powerful in distinction from the oppressed, but "those" (for המה corresponds to our use of "those," אלּה to "these"), by which Job passes on to another class of evil-disposed and wicked men. Their general characteristic is, that they shun the light. Those who are described in Job 24:14 are described according to their general characteristic in Job 24:13; accordingly it is not to be interpreted: those belong to the enemies of the light, but: those are, according to their very nature, enemies of the light. The Beth is the so-called Beth essent.; היוּ (comp. Pro 3:26) affirms what they are become by their own inclination, or as what they are fashioned, viz., as ἀποστάται φωτός (Symm.); מרד (on the root מר, vid., on Job 23:2) signifies properly to push one's self against anything, to lean upon, to rebel; מרד therefore signifies one who strives against another, one who is obstinate (like the Arabic mârid, merı̂d, comp. mumâri, not conformable to the will of another). The improvement מרדי אור (not with Makkeph, but with Mahpach of mercha mahpach. placed between the two words, vid., Br's Psalterium, p. x.) assumes the possibility of the construction with the acc., which occurs at least once, Jos 22:19. They are hostile to the light, they have no familiarity with its ways (הכּיר, as Jos 22:17, Psa 142:5; Rut 2:19, to take knowledge of anything, to interest one's self in its favour), and do not dwell (ישׁבוּ, Jer. reversi sunt, according to the false reading ישׁבוּ) in its paths, i.e., they neither make nor feel themselves at home there, they have no peace therein. The light is the light of day, which, however, stands in deeper, closer relation to the higher light, for the vicious man hateth τὸ φῶς, Joh 3:20, in every sense; and the works which are concealed in the darkness of the night are also ἔργα τοῦ σκότους, Rom 13:12 (comp. Isa 29:15), in the sense in which light and darkness are two opposite principles of the spiritual world. It need not seem strange that the more minute description of the conduct of these enemies of the light now begins with לאור. It is impossible that this should mean: still in the darkness of the night (Stick.), prop. towards the light, when it is not yet light. Moreover, in biblical Hebrew, אור does not signify evening, in which sense it occurs in Talmudic Hebrew (Pesachim 1a, Seder olam rabba, c. 5, אור שׁביעי, vespera septima), like אורתּא (= נשׁף) in Talmudic Aramaic. The meaning, on the contrary, is that towards daybreak (comp. הבקר אור, Gen 44:3), therefore with early morning, the murderer rises up, to go about his work, which veils itself in darkness (Psa 10:8-10) by day, viz., to slay (comp. on יקטל...יקוּם, Ges. 142, 3, c) the unfortunate and the poor, who pass by defenceless and alone. One has to supply the idea of the ambush in which the waylayer lies in wait; and it is certainly inconvenient that it is not expressed. The antithesis וּבלּילה, Job 24:14, shows that nothing but primo mane is meant by לאור. He who in the day-time goes forth to murder and plunder, at night commits petty thefts, where no one whom he could attack passes by. Stickel translates: to slay the poor and wretched, and in the night to play the thief; but then the subjunctivus ויהי ought to precede (vid., e.g., Job 13:5), and in general it cannot be proved without straining it, that the voluntative form of the future everywhere has a modal signification. Moreover, here יהי does not differ from Job 18:12; Job 20:23, but is only a poetic shorter form for יהיה: in the night he is like a thief, i.e., plays the part of the thief. And the adulterer's eye observes the darkness of evening (vid., Pro 7:9), i.e., watches closely for its coming on (שׁמר, in the usual signification observare, to be on the watch, to take care, observe anxiously), since he hopes to render himself invisible; and that he may not be recognised even if seen, he puts on a mask. סתר פּנים is something by which his countenance is rendered unrecognisable (lxx ἀποκρυβὴ προσώπου), like the Arab. sitr, sitâreh, a curtain, veil, therefore a veil for the face, or, as we say in one word borrowed from the Arabic mascharat, a farce (masquerade): the mask, but not in the proper sense. (Note: The mask was perhaps never known in Palestine and Syria; סתר פנים is the mendı̂l or women's veil, which in the present day (in Hauran exclusively) is called sitr, and is worn over the face by all married women in the towns, while in the country it is worn hanging down the back, and is only drawn over the face in the presence of a stranger. If this explanation is correct the poet means to say that the adulterer, in order to remain undiscovered, wears women's clothes comp. Deu 22:5; and, in fact, in the Syrian towns (the figure is taken from town-life) women's clothing is always chosen for that kind of forbidden nocturnal undertaking, i.e., the man disguises himself in an ı̂zâr, which covers him from head to foot, takes the mendı̂l, and goes with a lantern (without which at night every person is seized by the street watchman as a suspicious person) unhindered into a strange house. - Wetzst.)

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

13 Others are those that rebel against the light,

They will know nothing of its ways,

And abide not in its paths.

14 The murderer riseth up at dawn,

He slayeth the sufferer and the poor,

And in the night he acteth like a thief.

15 And the eye of the adulterer watcheth for the twilight;

He thinks: "no eye shall recognise me,"

And he putteth a veil before his face.

With המּה begins a new turn in the description of the moral confusion which has escaped God's observation; it is to be translated neither as retrospective, "since they" (Ewald), nor as distinctive, "they even" (Bttch.), i.e., the powerful in distinction from the oppressed, but "those" (for המה corresponds to our use of "those," אלּה to "these"), by which Job passes on to another class of evil-disposed and wicked men. Their general characteristic is, that they shun the light. Those who are described in Job 24:14 are described according to their general characteristic in Job 24:13; accordingly it is not to be interpreted: those belong to the enemies of the light, but: those are, according to their very nature, enemies of the light. The Beth is the so-called Beth essent.; היוּ (comp. Pro 3:26) affirms what they are become by their own inclination, or as what they are fashioned, viz., as ἀποστάται φωτός (Symm.); מרד (on the root מר, vid., on Job 23:2) signifies properly to push one's self against anything, to lean upon, to rebel; מרד therefore signifies one who strives against another, one who is obstinate (like the Arabic mârid, merı̂d, comp. mumâri, not conformable to the will of another). The improvement מרדי אור (not with Makkeph, but with Mahpach of mercha mahpach. placed between the two words, vid., Br's Psalterium, p. x.) assumes the possibility of the construction with the acc., which occurs at least once, Jos 22:19. They are hostile to the light, they have no familiarity with its ways (הכּיר, as Jos 22:17, Psa 142:5; Rut 2:19, to take knowledge of anything, to interest one's self in its favour), and do not dwell (ישׁבוּ, Jer. reversi sunt, according to the false reading ישׁבוּ) in its paths, i.e., they neither make nor feel themselves at home there, they have no peace therein. The light is the light of day, which, however, stands in deeper, closer relation to the higher light, for the vicious man hateth τὸ φῶς, Joh 3:20, in every sense; and the works which are concealed in the darkness of the night are also ἔργα τοῦ σκότους, Rom 13:12 (comp. Isa 29:15), in the sense in which light and darkness are two opposite principles of the spiritual world. It need not seem strange that the more minute description of the conduct of these enemies of the light now begins with לאור. It is impossible that this should mean: still in the darkness of the night (Stick.), prop. towards the light, when it is not yet light. Moreover, in biblical Hebrew, אור does not signify evening, in which sense it occurs in Talmudic Hebrew (Pesachim 1a, Seder olam rabba, c. 5, אור שׁביעי, vespera septima), like אורתּא (= נשׁף) in Talmudic Aramaic. The meaning, on the contrary, is that towards daybreak (comp. הבקר אור, Gen 44:3), therefore with early morning, the murderer rises up, to go about his work, which veils itself in darkness (Psa 10:8-10) by day, viz., to slay (comp. on יקטל...יקוּם, Ges. 142, 3, c) the unfortunate and the poor, who pass by defenceless and alone. One has to supply the idea of the ambush in which the waylayer lies in wait; and it is certainly inconvenient that it is not expressed.

The antithesis וּבלּילה, Job 24:14, shows that nothing but primo mane is meant by לאור. He who in the day-time goes forth to murder and plunder, at night commits petty thefts, where no one whom he could attack passes by. Stickel translates: to slay the poor and wretched, and in the night to play the thief; but then the subjunctivus ויהי ought to precede (vid., e.g., Job 13:5), and in general it cannot be proved without straining it, that the voluntative form of the future everywhere has a modal signification. Moreover, here יהי does not differ from Job 18:12; Job 20:23, but is only a poetic shorter form for יהיה: in the night he is like a thief, i.e., plays the part of the thief. And the adulterer's eye observes the darkness of evening (vid., Pro 7:9), i.e., watches closely for its coming on (שׁמר, in the usual signification observare, to be on the watch, to take care, observe anxiously), since he hopes to render himself invisible; and that he may not be recognised even if seen, he puts on a mask. סתר פּנים is something by which his countenance is rendered unrecognisable (lxx ἀποκρυβὴ προσώπου), like the Arab. sitr, sitâreh, a curtain, veil, therefore a veil for the face, or, as we say in one word borrowed from the Arabic mascharat, a farce (masquerade): the mask, but not in the proper sense.

(Note: The mask was perhaps never known in Palestine and Syria; סתר פנים is the mendı̂l or women's veil, which in the present day (in Hauran exclusively) is called sitr, and is worn over the face by all married women in the towns, while in the country it is worn hanging down the back, and is only drawn over the face in the presence of a stranger. If this explanation is correct the poet means to say that the adulterer, in order to remain undiscovered, wears women's clothes comp. Deu 22:5; and, in fact, in the Syrian towns (the figure is taken from town-life) women's clothing is always chosen for that kind of forbidden nocturnal undertaking, i.e., the man disguises himself in an ı̂zâr, which covers him from head to foot, takes the mendı̂l, and goes with a lantern (without which at night every person is seized by the street watchman as a suspicious person) unhindered into a strange house. - Wetzst.)

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Light - As well the light of reason and conscience, as the light of Divine revelation, which was then in good measure imparted to the people of God, and shortly after committed to writing. Know not - They do not approve, nor love, or chuse them.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
They - rebel against the light - Speaking of wicked men. They rebel against the light of God in their consciences, and his light in his word. They are tyrants in grain, and care neither for God nor the poor. They know not the ways thereof - they will not learn their duty to God or man. Nor abide in the paths thereof - if brought at any time to a better mind, they speedily relapse; and are steady only in cruelty and mischief. This is the character of the oppressors of suffering humanity, and of sinners audacious and hardened. This whole verse Mr. Good translates in the following manner: - They are indignant of the light; They respect not its progress; And will not return to its paths. They hate good; they regard not its operation; they go out of the way of righteousness, and refuse to return.

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¹³ Who leave [05800] the paths [0734] of uprightness [03476], to walk [03212] in the ways [01870] of darkness [02822];

¹⁹ And [1161] this [3778] is [2076] the condemnation [2920], that [3754] light [5457] is come [2064] into [1519] the world [2889], and [2532] men [444] loved [25] darkness [4655] rather [3123] than [2228] light [5457], because [1063] their [846] deeds [2041] were [2258] evil [4190].
²⁰ For [1063] every one [3956] that doeth [4238] evil [5337] hateth [3404] the light [5457], neither [2532] [3756] cometh [2064] to [4314] the light [5457], lest [3363] his [846] deeds [2041] should be reproved [1651].

²⁰ For [1063] every one [3956] that doeth [4238] evil [5337] hateth [3404] the light [5457], neither [2532] [3756] cometh [2064] to [4314] the light [5457], lest [3363] his [846] deeds [2041] should be reproved [1651].

⁵ The woman [0802] shall not wear that which pertaineth [03627] unto a man [01397], neither shall a man [01397] put [03847] on a woman's [0802] garment [08071]: for all that do [06213] so [0428] are abomination [08441] unto the LORD [03068] thy God [0430].

⁹ In the twilight [05399], in the evening [03117] [06153], in the black [0380] and dark [0653] night [03915]:

²³ When he is about to fill [04390] his belly [0990], God shall cast [07971] the fury [02740] of his wrath [0639] upon him, and shall rain [04305] it upon him while he is eating [03894].

¹² His strength [0202] shall be hungerbitten [07457], and destruction [0343] shall be ready [03559] at his side [06763].

⁵ O that [05414] ye would altogether [02790] hold your peace [02790] ! and it should be your wisdom [02451].

¹⁴ The murderer [07523] rising [06965] with the light [0216] killeth [06991] the poor [06041] and needy [034], and in the night [03915] is as a thief [01590].

⁸ He sitteth [03427] in the lurking places [03993] of the villages [02691]: in the secret places [04565] doth he murder [02026] the innocent [05355]: his eyes [05869] are privily set [06845] against the poor [02489].
⁹ He lieth in wait [0693] secretly [04565] as a lion [0738] in his den [05520]: he lieth in wait [0693] to catch [02414] the poor [06041]: he doth catch [02414] the poor [06041], when he draweth [04900] him into his net [07568].
¹⁰ He croucheth [01794], and humbleth [07817] himself, that the poor [02426] [02489] [02489] may fall [05307] by his strong ones [06099].

³ As soon as the morning [01242] was light [0215], the men [0582] were sent away [07971], they and their asses [02543].

¹⁵ Woe [01945] unto them that seek deep [06009] to hide [05641] their counsel [06098] from the LORD [03068], and their works [04639] are in the dark [04285], and they say [0559], Who seeth [07200] us? and who knoweth [03045] us?

¹² The night [3571] is far spent [4298], [1161] the day [2250] is at hand [1448]: let us [659] therefore [3767] cast off [659] the works [2041] of darkness [4655], and [2532] let us put on [1746] the armour [3696] of light [5457].

¹⁹ And her mother in law [02545] said [0559] unto her, Where hast thou gleaned [03950] to day [03117]? and where [0375] wroughtest [06213] thou? blessed [01288] be he that did take knowledge [05234] of thee. And she shewed [05046] her mother in law [02545] with whom she had wrought [06213], and said [0559], The man's [0376] name [08034] with whom I wrought [06213] to day [03117] is Boaz [01162].

⁵ I cried [02199] unto thee, O LORD [03068]: I said [0559], Thou art my refuge [04268] and my portion [02506] in the land [0776] of the living [02416].

¹⁷ Is the iniquity [05771] of Peor [06465] too little [04592] for us, from which we are not cleansed [02891] until this day [03117], although there was a plague [05063] in the congregation [05712] of the LORD [03068],

¹⁹ Notwithstanding [0389], if the land [0776] of your possession [0272] be unclean [02931], then pass ye over [05674] unto the land [0776] of the possession [0272] of the LORD [03068], wherein the LORD'S [03068] tabernacle [04908] dwelleth [07931], and take possession [0270] among [08432] us: but rebel [04775] not against the LORD [03068], nor [0408] rebel [04775] against us, in building [01129] you an altar [04196] beside [01107] the altar [04196] of the LORD [03068] our God [0430].

² Even to day [03117] is my complaint [07879] bitter [04805]: my stroke [03027] is heavier [03513] than my groaning [0585].

²⁶ For the LORD [03068] shall be thy confidence [03689], and shall keep [08104] thy foot [07272] from being taken [03921].

¹³ They are of those that rebel [04775] against the light [0216]; they know [05234] not the ways [01870] thereof, nor abide [03427] in the paths [05410] thereof.

¹⁴ The murderer [07523] rising [06965] with the light [0216] killeth [06991] the poor [06041] and needy [034], and in the night [03915] is as a thief [01590].