1Bildad reproveth Job of presumption and impatience: 5he enlargeth on the inevitable calamities of the wicked.
1THEN answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
21How long will it be ere 2ye 3make an end of words? 4mark, and afterwards we will speak.
1 That is, how long shall it be yet, before you make an end of your discourses?
2 Bildad, as is perceived by many, addresses Job here in the plural number, comprehending together with him some of the bystanders who were of his mind and maintained his defense. Others are of the opinion that he addresses his speech to Job and his own companions Eliphaz and Zophar together, admonishing them jointly of two things: 1. that they were too long in their disputes; 2. that they did not duly weigh one another’s arguments before they answered the same. Others think, that he only charges his two friends here, for making too many words, and had not sufficiently refuted Job.
3 Hebr. put ends to words?
4 Or, give heed, namely, to the entire matter. So the Hebrew word is likewise taken Ezra 8:15; Neh. 13:7; Prov. 7:7. Other, make us to understand.
3Wherefore are 5we counted 6as beasts, and reputed 7vile 8in your sight?
5 Namely, I and my two companions.
6 That is, as dull, blunt, without understanding. He seems to reflect upon what Job had said Job 12:7; 17:4, 10.
7 That is, as convinced of ignorance and perverseness. He seems to have a regard to what Job had said Job 17:4, 10.
8 That is, in Job’s judgment and those who were of the same opinion. To be in a man’s eyes is to be accounted or held for such and such in his judgment; also Job 19:15; 32:1; Prov. 3:7; Isa. 5:21, etc. Compare Lev. 13:5, and the annotation.
4Hea teareth 9himself in his anger: shall the earth be 10forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place?
a Job 13:14.
9 He speaks of Job in the third person, to whom he addresses thereafter in the second person. See similar interchange of the person Job 12:4; 16:7; 30:19, 20; Obadiah verse 3. He wants to say, that Job, through impatience, extremely weakened, wronged and destroyed himself.
10 The sense is: that God would surely not alter his order for Job’s sake, which He always maintained in His government and judgments, by punishing the wicked and blessing the godly, which could no more cease than the world would be forsaken and the rocks be removed.
511Yea, 12the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the 13spark 14of his fire shall not shine.
11 As if he said: however much you contradict us, it is nevertheless as such that the wicked are punished; and consequently, while you are punished being fearfully deprived and turned out of all your prosperity, you must be a wicked man.
12 Understands the prosperity in this life, consisting in honor, power, wealth, health, joy and pleasure, which many of them do enjoy here on earth. The word light is taken for all manner of prosperity and joy. See Esther 8:16; Job 22:28, 30:26; 38:15; Psalm 97:11; Prov. 13:9; Isa. 59:9, etc. Compare here the annotation at Job 11 on verse 17.
13 That is, he shall not enjoy the least of his well-being or prosperity. The word fire signifies here the same thing, which light does, that is, prosperity and well-being. Compare Gen. 15 on verse 17.
14 Namely, of the wicked, or, of every one of them.
615The light shall be dark in his 16tabernacle, and his 17candle shall be put out with him.
15 See the previous verse.
16 That is, dwelling place. Also in the sequel. See 2 Kings 13 on verse 5.
17 Understand the same thing of which is said of the light in the previous verse. Also Psalm 18:28; Prov. 13:9; 20:20.
718The steps of his strength shall be straitened,b and 19his own counsel shall cast him down.
18 That is, the strong continuance of his wealth and temporal prosperity shall be curbed and weakened, in order that he shall not be able to mount so high or spread so far, as to enlarge and extend his power according to his haughty presumption.
b limited, restricted*
19 That is, he shall perish by his own devices, plots and practices.
8For he is cast into a net 20by his own feet, and he walketh upon 21a snare.
20 Other, with his feet, that is, he shall entangle himself by his own ways and wiles into dangers, as shall be prepared by the just judgment of God for him.
21 That is, he shall be continually in thousands dangers.
9The ginc22shall take him by the heel, and thed23robber shall prevail against him.
c snare, trap*
22 Other, He shall apprehend the snare with his heel, that is, by his own imprudence shall he put and entangle his foot into the snare.
d Job 5:5.
23 See Job 5 on verse 5.
10The snare is 24laid for him in the ground, and a 25trap for him in the way.
24 That is, disposed by God’s secret and righteous judgment that he must be imprisoned by, and perish in it.
25 It is perceived that the word signifies an instrument, which was placed on the way to catch birds therewith.
1126Terrorse shall make him afraid on every side, and shall 27drive him to his feet.
26 Namely, of the conscience and other outward ones, which God makes use of to torment the wicked therewith.
e Job 15:21; Jer. 6:25; 46:5; 49:29.
27 That is, to set him on his legs, chasing him up and down through the multitude of his many thoughts, which shall pierce his heart through from within. See Isa. 57:20, 21.
12His 28strength shallf be 29hungerbitten, and destruction shall be ready 30at his side.
28 Understand all that whereby he has any power and authority among men.
f Job 15:23.
29 That is, grow very faint and impotent, decay and come to nothing. Hungry or hungerbitten such are called who are in any want, distress or inability. Compare 1 Sam. 2:5; Psalm 107:9, 36; Isa. 32:6; Luke 1:53.
30 That is, very near, or round about him.
13It shall devour the 31strength of his skin: even the 32firstborn of death shall devour his strength.
31 Understand the bones, wherewith the skin is fastened and the entire frame of the body fitly sustained and supported. Other, members, or the branches, that is, the veins and sinews which are spread all over the body like twigs and branches. The Hebrew word has various significations.
32 That is, a fierce, violent and fearful death; for, as the firstborn was the ruler among his brethren, and had most authority among them, so the firstborn of death is called that kind of death which of all others is the most violent and terrible. So Isaiah calls the firstborn of the poor those who were the poorest of all, Isa. 14:30. Or, the devil, having the power of death, Heb. 2:14.
14Hisg33confidence shall be 34rooted out of his tabernacle, and 35it shall bring him to 36the king of terrors.
g Job 8:13, 14; 11:20; Prov. 10:28.
33 That is, whatsoever he relies upon. So the word confidence is taken Job 8:14; 31:24; Prov. 25:19.
34 Compare Job 8:13, 14, 15.
35 Or, thou shalt bring him, speaking to God.
36 Thus death is called, because nothing more terrifies the wicked. Or, understand the greatest and most fearful terror, as in the previous verse by the firstborn of death is understood a most fearful and terrible death. Also may be understood hereby the devil, whose dominion is full of terror, frights and slavery, Heb. 2:15.
1537It shall dwell in his tabernacle, 38because it is none of his: 39brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.
37 Namely, the terror, or each one of these terrors.
38 Hebr. without being his, that is, where it does not properly belong unto him, namely, for he had not made it by his own honest means, but with the substance which he took from others.
39 This seems to be a threat of drought and barrenness of the land, Deut. 29:23; Isa. 34:9. It may also refer to the judgment which fell upon Sodom and Gomorrah, Gen. 19:24, and to put it the nearer home to Job, he seems to point at that, which had befallen his own servants and sheep, they being devoured by fire from heaven, Job 1:16.
1640His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his 41branch be cut off.
40 That is, he shall perish utterly and altogether, like a tree whose root withers, and branches are cut off.
41 The Hebrew word is likewise used in that signification, Job 14:9; 29:19; Isa. 27:10.
17Hish remembrance shall perish from the earth, and he shall have no name 42in the street.
h Psalm 109:13; Prov. 10:7.
42 Hebr. upon the face of the streets, that is, he shall not have the repute or renown of a godly and honest man, among others in public and in common meetings or assemblies.
1843He shall be driven from 44light into 45darkness, and chased out of the world.
43 Hebr. they shall expel him, that is, he shall be driven out, or, One shall drive him out. See Job 4 on verse 19.
44 Namely, of this life, or, out of all his dignities, prosperity, wealth and wellbeing. See on verse 5.
45 Namely, of death and hell, as the following words seem to import. See the like example in the rich glutton, Luke 16:23. Otherwise the word darkness may be taken here for adversity and misery. See Gen. 15 on verse 12.
19Hei shall neither have son nor 46nephew among his people, nor any remaining in his dwellings.
i Isa. 14:22; Jer. 22:30.
46 Or, grandchild.
20They 47that come after him shall be astonied at 48his day, as they 49that went before were 50affrighted.
47 Understand they who shall live after him.
48 That is, the day of his ruin and destruction, wherein God appointed to execute His just judgment against him. Also Ezek. 21:25, and thus by a human day there is to be understood a human judgment, 1 Cor. 4:3. Compare Job 15:32, and the annotation.
49 Or, the ancient, that is, those who were before the descendants, and who did not only live when he was in the height of his prosperity, but also afterwards when he came to his fearful end.
50 The Hebrew word signifies such a kind of horror, which makes a man’s hair stand on edge. Also Ezek. 27:35; 32:10. The sense is expressed in Job 4:15.
21Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is 51the place of him 52that knoweth not God.
51 That is, the state and condition. Compare the annotation at Job 8 on verse 18.
52 That is, does not ask for God to have a right knowledge of His being, will and works, to the end that he may please and serve Him. Compare Exod. 5:2; Judges 2:10; Psalm 79:6; 2 Thes. 1:8.