Job 18:6

“The light shall the dark in his tabernacle, etc.] 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!” (<400623>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”, (<202027>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…”

“candle--the lamp which in the East is usually fastened to the ceiling. Oil abounds in those regions, and the lamp was kept burning all night, as now in Egypt, where the poorest would rather dispense with food than the night lamp (Psa 18:28). To put out the lamp was an image of utter desolation.”

“And his candle - Margin, lamp. The reference is to a lamp that was suspended from the ceiling. The Arabians are fond of this image. Thus, they say, “Bad fortune has extinguished my lamp.” Of a man whose hopes are remarkably blasted, they say, “He is like a lamp which is immediately extinguished if you let it sink in the oil.” See Schultens. The putting out of a lamp is to the Orientals an image of utter desolation. It is the universal custom to have a light burning in their houses at night. “The houses of Egypt, in modern times, are never without lights; they burn lamps all the night long, and in every occupied apartment. So requisite to the comfort of a family is this custom reckoned, and…”

“candle: or, lamp, Job 21:17; Psa 18:28; Rev 18:23 Job 18:7”