Job 18: Bildad the Shuhite: the light of the wicked is put out
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What happens?
Bildad the Shuhite answers. He asks how long "you" will hunt for words, and why "we" are counted as animals. He then speaks of the wicked: his light is put out, he is caught in a net, a snare and a trap, terrors chase him, and he is brought to the king of terrors. His memory perishes, he has no son or grandson, and those who come after are astonished at his day.
Who is speaking?
God does not speak in this chapter, so nothing is in gold. Bildad the Shuhite speaks the whole chapter: verse 1 says "Then Bildad the Shuhite answered". In verses 2 to 4 he speaks to "you" and says "we", and in verses 5 to 21 he speaks about "the wicked" and "him", and names no one. Job does not speak in this chapter, and nobody is quoted inside Bildad's words. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,
In plain English: Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,
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2“How long will you hunt for words? Consider, and afterwards we will speak.
In plain English: How long will you hunt for words (or: set ends to words; the Hebrew word is rare: see the note)? Consider, and afterward we will speak.
The Hebrew word: "Hunt for" is the WEB's reading of qenets, a rare word found in this verse only in the whole Bible. The dictionary gives the word as "perversion", and the word cards give "ends", so word by word the line is "How long will you set ends of words?". In the Hebrew the "you" is several people, not one.
What changes: "Hunt for words" and "set ends of words" are two readings of one rare word. The text does not say which is meant.
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3Why are we counted as animals, which have become unclean in your sight?
In plain English: Why are we counted as animals, and unclean (or: stupid) in your sight?
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4You who tear yourself in your anger, will the earth be forsaken for you? Or will the rock be removed out of its place?
In plain English: You who tear yourself in your anger, will the earth be forsaken for you (or: for your sake)? Or will the rock be removed out of its place?
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5“Yes, the light of the wicked will be put out. The spark of his fire won’t shine.
In plain English: Yes, the light of the wicked will be put out, and the spark (or: flame) of his fire will not shine.
Good to know: The Hebrew verbs in verses 5 to 21 can be read as what happens ("the light of the wicked is put out") or as what will happen ("will be put out"). The WEB reads most of them as "will". The text does not rule between the two.
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6The light will be dark in his tent. His lamp above him will be put out.
In plain English: The light will be dark in his tent, and his lamp above him will be put out.
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7The steps of his strength will be shortened. His own counsel will cast him down.
In plain English: The steps of his strength will be shortened, and his own counsel will cast him down.
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8For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he wanders into its mesh.
In plain English: For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he wanders into its mesh (the Hebrew says: walks about on a network).
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9A snare will take him by the heel. A trap will catch him.
In plain English: A snare will take him by the heel. A trap will catch him.
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10A noose is hidden for him in the ground, a trap for him on the path.
In plain English: A noose is hidden for him in the ground, and a trap for him on the path.
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11Terrors will make him afraid on every side, and will chase him at his heels.
In plain English: Terrors will make him afraid on every side and will chase him at his heels (the Hebrew says: scatter him at his feet).
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12His strength will be famished. Calamity will be ready at his side.
In plain English: His strength will be famished, and calamity will be ready at his side (or: for his stumbling).
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13The members of his body will be devoured. The firstborn of death will devour his members.
In plain English: The members of his body (the Hebrew says: the parts of his skin) will be devoured. The firstborn of death will devour his members.
The Hebrew words: "Firstborn of death" is bekor mavet. "Firstborn" is bekor, which the dictionary gives as "firstborn; hence, chief". "Members" is bad, the word the WEB prints "gates" in ; word by word this line is "the parts of his skin".
How it is translated: Bekor is in 96 verses of the Bible, and the WEB says "firstborn" in 93 of them. This is the only verse in the Bible that has "firstborn" and "death" together in the Hebrew.
What changes: The text does not say what the firstborn of death is. With "chief" the phrase can read "the chief of death".
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14He will be rooted out of the security of his tent. He will be brought to the king of terrors.
In plain English: He will be rooted out of the security of his tent, and brought to the king of terrors.
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15There will dwell in his tent that which is none of his. Sulfur will be scattered on his habitation.
In plain English: That which is none of his will dwell in his tent (the Hebrew is short and can be read more than one way: see the note). Sulfur will be scattered over his home.
The Hebrew words: Word by word the first half reads "it dwells in his tent because not belonging to him". The WEB takes it as "that which is none of his" dwelling there. "Sulfur" is gophrit, which the dictionary gives as "properly, cypress-resin; by analogy, sulphur (as equally inflammable)".
How it is translated: Gophrit is in 7 verses of the Bible, and the WEB says "sulfur" in all 7. In Job it is in this verse only. It is also what Yahweh rained on Sodom and on Gomorrah in .
What changes: The first half is short and can be read more than one way. The text does not say what dwells in his tent.
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16His roots will be dried up beneath. His branch will be cut off above.
In plain English: His roots will be dried up beneath, and his branch will be cut off (or: will wither) above.
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17His memory will perish from the earth. He will have no name in the street.
In plain English: His memory will perish from the earth, and he will have no name in the street.
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18He will be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world.
In plain English: He will be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world.
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19He will have neither son nor grandson among his people, nor any remaining where he lived.
In plain English: He will have no son and no grandson (or: no offspring) among his people, and no survivor remaining where he lived.
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20Those who come after will be astonished at his day, as those who went before were frightened.
In plain English: Those who come after will be astonished at his day, as those who went before were frightened (or: those in the west will be astonished, and those in the east seized by a shudder: see the note).
The Hebrew words: "Those who come after" is acharon, which the dictionary gives as "hinder; generally, late or last; specifically (as facing the east) western". "Those who went before" is qadmoni, which the dictionary gives as "(of time) anterior or (of place) oriental".
How it is translated: Acharon is in 48 verses of the Bible, and in Job in this verse and only. Qadmoni is in 10 verses of the Bible, and the WEB says "east" in 5 of them. In Job it is in this verse only.
What changes: With the time meaning, later people are astonished at his day and earlier people were frightened. With the place meaning, the verse reads "those in the west" and "those in the east". The text does not say which.
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21Surely such are the dwellings of the unrighteous. This is the place of him who doesn’t know God.”
In plain English: Surely such are the dwellings of the unrighteous. This is the place of the one who does not know God.
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