Job 8: Bildad answers Job
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Bildad the Shuhite answers Job. He asks how long Job will speak like this, asks whether God perverts justice, and says that if Job's children sinned, God sent them into the hand of their disobedience. He says that if Job seeks God and is pure and upright, God would wake up for him. He tells Job to ask past generations, speaks of papyrus without marsh, says so are the paths of all who forget God, describes a plant with its roots round a rock pile, and says God does not cast away a blameless man.
Who is speaking?
God does not speak in this chapter, so nothing is in gold. Verse 1 is the narrator's line: Bildad the Shuhite answers. Bildad speaks in verses 2 to 22, and Job does not speak in this chapter. In verse 18 he quotes a denial, "I have not seen you", which is part of his own speech. In verses 8 to 10 he speaks of what past generations and their fathers would teach. 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,
Good to know: The three friends are first named together in : "Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite". The text gives no more about him here.
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2“How long will you speak these things? Shall the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?
In plain English: How long will you say these things? Are the words of your mouth to be a strong wind?
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3Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?
In plain English: Does God twist (or: pervert) justice? Or does the Almighty twist righteousness?
The Hebrew words: "God" here is El, and "Almighty" is Shaddai, which the dictionary gives as "the Almighty". In Job El is in 56 verses, and the WEB says "God" in 55 of them. Shaddai is in 31 verses of Job, and the WEB says "Almighty" in all 31.
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4If your children have sinned against him, he has delivered them into the hand of their disobedience.
In plain English: If your children (or: sons) have sinned against him, he has sent them into the hand of their disobedience.
Good to know: This is Bildad's charge, spoken in his own voice. He puts it as an "if": if your children have sinned.
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5If you want to seek God diligently, make your supplication to the Almighty.
In plain English: If you will seek God earnestly and ask the Almighty for favor,
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6If you were pure and upright, surely now he would awaken for you, and make the habitation of your righteousness prosperous.
In plain English: if you were pure and upright, surely now he would wake up for you and make the home where your righteousness lives prosper (or: restore it).
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7Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would greatly increase.
In plain English: Though your beginning was small, your latter end (or: your future) would increase greatly.
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8“Please inquire of past generations. Find out about the learning of their fathers.
In plain English: Please ask the past generations, and pay attention to what their fathers searched out.
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9(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow.)
In plain English: For we are of yesterday and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow.
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10Shall they not teach you, tell you, and utter words out of their heart?
In plain English: Will they not teach you and tell you, and bring out words from their heart?
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11“Can the papyrus grow up without mire? Can the rushes grow without water?
In plain English: Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh? Can reeds grow without water?
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12While it is yet in its greenness, not cut down, it withers before any other reed.
In plain English: While it is still green and not cut, it dries up before any other plant (or: reed).
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13So are the paths of all who forget God. The hope of the godless man will perish,
In plain English: So are the paths of all who forget God, and the hope of the godless person will be lost,
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14whose confidence will break apart, whose trust is a spider’s web.
In plain English: whose confidence snaps (or: breaks apart), and whose trust is a spider's house (or: web).
The Hebrew word: "Spider" is akkabish, which the dictionary gives as "a spider (as weaving a network)". It is in 2 verses of the Bible, this one and , and the WEB says "spider" in both.
What changes: The Hebrew words are "a spider's house", and the WEB prints "web". With "house" the trust is a place where the spider lives. With "web" it is the thing the spider spins. The text does not say more.
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15He will lean on his house, but it will not stand. He will cling to it, but it will not endure.
In plain English: He leans on his house, but it does not stand. He takes hold of it, but it does not endure.
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16He is green before the sun. His shoots go out along his garden.
In plain English: He is a fresh plant before the sun, and his young shoots go out over his garden.
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17His roots are wrapped around the rock pile. He sees the place of stones.
In plain English: His roots are wound around a heap of stones. He sees the place (the Hebrew says: house) of stones.
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18If he is destroyed from his place, then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’
In plain English: If someone swallows it up from its place (or: if he is destroyed from his place), then it will deny him (or: it), saying, "I have not seen you."
Good to know: The first half of the Hebrew has no named doer: it reads "if someone swallows it from its place". The WEB prints "if he is destroyed from his place". Either way the verse ends with the words "I have not seen you", which Bildad gives to what denies it.
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19Behold, this is the joy of his way. Out of the earth, others will spring.
In plain English: Look, this is the joy of his way, and from the dust another (or: others) will spring up.
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20“Behold, God will not cast away a blameless man, neither will he uphold the evildoers.
In plain English: Look, God does not reject a blameless person, and he does not take hold of the hand of evildoers.
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21He will still fill your mouth with laughter, your lips with shouting.
In plain English: He will yet fill your mouth with laughter (or: until he fills your mouth with laughter), and your lips with a shout of joy.
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22Those who hate you will be clothed with shame. The tent of the wicked will be no more.”
In plain English: Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more.
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