Job 18:6

6 "The light in his tent is ¹darkened, And his lamp goes out above him.

Job 18:6 Meaning and Commentary

Job 18:6

The light shall the dark in his tabernacle
Not the light of the eye, in the tabernacle of his body, rather the light of nature and reason in him; and when that "light [that is] in [a man becomes] darkness", as our Lord says, "how great [is] that darkness!" ( Matthew 6:23 ) ; but best of all it designs the light of prosperity in his house and family, which should be quite obscured:

and his candle shall be put out with him;
which sometimes signifies the spirit of man, his rational soul, called "the candle of the Lord", ( Proverbs 20:27 ) ; which, though it dies not when man dies, yet its light is extinct with respect to the things of this life, and all its thoughts and reasonings are no more about civil matters, and the affairs of this world; in that sense this light is put out, and those thoughts perish with him, ( Psalms 146:4 ) ; but more frequently it is used for outward prosperity, which if it continues with a man as long as he lives, as it often does, yet, when he dies, it ceases and is no more; it does not descend with him into the grave, and he cannot carry it into another world, but it is put out in "obscure darkness"; see ( Job 21:17 ) ( Proverbs 20:20 ) .

Job 18:6 In-Context

4 "O you who tear yourself in your anger - For your sake is the earth to be abandoned, Or the rock to be moved from its place?

5 "Indeed, the light of the wicked goes out, And the flame of his fire gives no light.

6 "The light in his tent is darkened, And his lamp goes out above him.

7 "His vigorous stride is shortened, And his own scheme brings him down.

8 "For he is thrown into the net by his own feet, And he steps on the webbing.

Cross References

• 1. Job 12:25