איוב, פרק ל׳, פסוק ו׳

People pushed to the absolute fringes of society often find themselves surviving in the most unforgiving environments. Stripped of their place in the community and driven from settled towns, these outcasts had no choice but to distance themselves from humanity and make the harsh, desolate wasteland their permanent home.

The primary approach among commentators is that they sought refuge in the deep crevices, cracks, and breaches carved out by rushing water along dry riverbeds, or within severely cracked, barren land. This environment is not just a physical landscape; it carries a deep psychological weight. It is a dark, threatening place that strikes fear into the heart of an ordinary person, who would normally be terrified to even venture down into it [אבן עזרא]. Yet, another perspective views this location simply as the lowest, most miserable, and inferior of all possible places to exist [אלשיך].

The isolation in these dangerous ravines was largely forced upon them, as they were entirely banned from entering the cities [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ, מצודת דוד]. Alternatively, their isolation might have been a desperate choice. Driven by severe starvation, they resorted to theft to survive and subsequently fled into the wilderness to hide, terrified of the revenge of those they had robbed [תקות אנוש].

Completely lacking any proper roof over their heads, these outcasts were reduced to living in holes, burrows, and dirt caves dug deep into the earth. Most commentators explain that they made their homes within the hard clefts of rocks. Taking a different approach, some suggest that the very nature of these rock shelters was about total concealment. They were hollow, hidden spaces specifically chosen to completely cover the inhabitants and hide them from the eyes of the world [תקות אנוש].