Chapter 8

1 Bildad sheweth God’s justice in dealing with men according to their works. 8 He allegeth antiquity to prove the certain destruction of the hypocrite. 20 He applieth God’s just dealing to Job.

1. Bildad. This chapter contains Bildad’s response to Job’s speech of chs. 6 and 7. Bildad does not refer to Job’s expressions of despair (ch. 6:1–13), nor to his tirade against his friends (ch. 6:14–30). He deals, rather, with Job’s criticism of God. Where Eliphaz had supported his argument by a vision that he declared was from God (ch. 4:13), Bildad appeals for support to the wisdom of the ancients.

2. How long? The friends had doubtless hoped that the argument of Eliphaz would silence Job. They are amazed that he continued to pour out an unabated tempest of words.

A strong wind. Job had referred to his own speeches as “wind” (ch. 6:26), and Bildad seems to pick up the figure. On this point he agreed with Job!

3. Pervert judgment. Bildad attempts a defense of the justice of God. He is correct in his respect for God’s justice, but wrong in his understanding of God’s justice. He believes that justice demands specific punishment for sins in this life. He assumes that Job is the object of such justice.

4. Thy children. The severest of Job’s losses was that of his children. Bildad leveled an unkind thrust at Job by inferring that his children died because they were sinners. Year after year Job had offered sacrifices in behalf of his sons (ch. 1:5). Bildad was wrong in his assumption. Calamity does not prove guilt on the part of its victims (see Luke 13:1–5; John 9:2, 3).

5. If thou wouldest seek. Bildad seems to be saying, “Your children are dead because of their sins, but you are alive. If you will seek God and live right, God may yet remedy your condition.”

Betimes. This adverb is employed to bring out more clearly the meaning of the Hebrew verb shachar, which means “to seek diligently,” or “to seek early in the morning” (see Job 24:5; Ps. 63:1; Prov. 7:15; Prov. 8:17; Isa. 26:9; Hosea 5:15).

6. Upright. God had declared Job upright (ch. 1:8). Bildad exhibited the fallibility of human judgment when he declared Job to be otherwise. The cold and unfeeling insinuations of this critic must have tried Job’s patience severely.

7. Thy latter end. Bildad joins Eliphaz in predicting the return of prosperity for Job on the basis of repentance. It is difficult to believe that either “comforter” put much faith in the prospect. There may have been an implied sarcasm in Bildad’s words. “If you were as innocent as you claim to be,” Bildad seems to say, “you would be confident of your future. If you are not confident, you must be conscious of guilt.” Unwittingly, Bildad predicts the actual outcome of Job’s experience (see ch. 42:12).

8. The search of their fathers. Or, “the research of the fathers.” In every age men have appealed to the wisdom of their ancestors. Bildad brings to bear upon Job the traditions of their common past.

9. Of yesterday. We must, Bildad implies, depend on the philosophy of the past.

Shadow. See Ps. 102:11; 109:23.

10. Teach thee. Bildad obviously regarded Job as an unwilling pupil, but hoped that he would listen to the voices from the past. Some believe that Bildad referred to patriarchs of the ancient world, who lived very long lives, and thus had opportunity to acquire much wisdom.

11. Rush. Heb. gomeХ, generally taken to refer to the papyrus, a tall reed that grew to twice the height of a man and had a large tuft of leaves and flowers at the top. It was abundant in ancient Egypt, and was also found in the Jordan valley.

Flag. Heb.Хachu, “reeds,” “rushes.” These plants consume large quantities of water.

12. It withereth. Such plants have no self-sustaining power. They are dependent on moisture for their support. If that is withheld, they droop and die.

13. All that forget God. This verse contains the application of the parable. When God’s sustaining power is withdrawn from a man, he perishes like the once luxuriant water reed. The figure illustrates the judgment that Bildad conceives as falling on the man who was at one time righteous, and therefore prosperous, but who afterward departed from God. Job could not miss the application.

Hypocrite’s. Heb. chaneph. Literally, “godless man.” The Hebrew word does not suggest the dissimulation that is implied in the English word “hypocrite,” but rather denotes irreligion and profanity (see Job 13:16; 15:34; 17:8; 20:5; 27:8; 34:30; 36:13; Ps. 35:16; Prov. 11:9).

14. Whose hope. Some suppose that the quotation from the ancients closes with v. 13, and that v. 14 begins the comments of Bildad on the passage to which he has referred. Others continue the quotation to the close of v. 18, and still others to the close of v. 19.

Spider’s web. Literally, “A spider’s house.” A symbol of frailty.

15. Upon his house. A picture of the insecurity of the godless.

Hold it fast. Or, “take a firm hold of it.” The picture is that of the spider trying to support himself by holding on to his house. Job’s “house” has been snatched from him. His hope has been cut off. Thus Bildad appears to class Job with the godless.

16. Green. A new illustration, that of a luxuriant creeping plant full of sap and vitality, suddenly destroyed and forgotten.

17. The heap. Heb. gal. Here probably a heap of stones (see Joshua 7:26; 8:29, where the word occurs with “stones”).

Seeth the place of stones. The LXX reads, “shall live among the flints.” The picture is probably that of the creeping plant fastening its tendrils, like ivy, to the rocks and seeming to grow from the stones themselves.

18. If he destroy him. The subject seems to be impersonal, “if someone [or thing] destroy him.” A storm or some other circumstance uproots the plant and sweeps it away.

It shall deny him. The place where the plant grew is personified and is represented as denying the existence of the once thriving plant.

19. Joy of his way. An ironical statement. So ends the once joyful course of life.

Others grow. The plant is not mourned or missed. It leaves no trace. Other plants soon take its place. By the parable of the creeping plant Bildad seeks to illustrate what has happened to Job. For a time he thrived, then disaster came, and like the plant he is destroyed.

20. A perfect man. Bildad had cast doubt on Job’s uprightness (v. 6). Now he challenges another of Job’s outstanding characteristics (see ch. 1:1, 8). He asserts that if Job is blameless, God will bless him.

21. Fill thy mouth. Bildad does not conceive of Job’s case as being hopeless. Like Eliphaz, he predicts a reversal of Job’s calamity and judgment upon Job’s enemies. The friends seem to have a degree of confidence in Job’s basic integrity, even though they are convinced that he has committed some great sin that has been responsible for his calamity.

A comparison of Eliphaz’ first discourse with Bildad’s reveals that both have a censorious introduction and a conciliatory close. Both exhorted Job to go to God in penitence and in prayer for help, and held out the promise of salvation. Eliphaz reinforced his argument with an alleged divine revelation, while Bildad sought to accomplish the same results by appealing to the ancient teachers of wisdom.