Job Chapter 8

8:1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,

8:2 "How long will you speak these things? Shall the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?

(a) He declares that their words which would diminish anything from the justice of God, are but as a puff of wind that vanishes away.

8:3 Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?

8:4 If your children have sinned against him, He has delivered them into the hand of their disobedience.

(b) That is, has rewarded them according to their iniquity, meaning that Job should be warned by the example of his children, that he not offend God.

8:5 If you want to seek God diligently, make your supplication to the Almighty.

8:6 If you were pure and upright, surely now he would awaken for you, and make the habitation of your righteousness prosperous.

8:7 Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would greatly increase.

(d) Though the beginning is not as pleasant as you would like, yet in the end you will have sufficient opportunity to please yourself.

8:8 "Please inquire of past generations. Find out about the learning of their fathers.

(e) He wills Job to examine all antiquity and he will find it true which he here says.

8:9 (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days on earth are a shadow.)

(f) Meaning, that it is not enough to have the experience of ourselves, but to be confirmed by the examples of those who went before us.

8:10 Shall they not teach you, tell you, and utter words out of their heart?

8:11 "Can the papyrus grow up without mire? Can the rushes grow without water?

(g) As a rush cannot grow without moisture, so the hypocrite because he does not have faith which is watered with God’s Spirit.

8:12 While it is yet in its greenness, not cut down, it withers before any other reed.

8:13 So are the paths of all who forget God. The hope of the godless man shall perish,

8:14 Whose confidence shall break apart, Whose trust is a spider's web.

8:15 He shall lean on his house, but it shall not stand. He shall cling to it, but it shall not endure.

8:16 He is green before the sun. His shoots go forth over his garden.

(i) He compares the just to a tree, which although it is moved from one place to another, yet flourishes: so the affliction of the godly turns to their profit.

8:17 His roots are wrapped around the rock pile. He sees the place of stones.

8:18 If he is destroyed from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, 'I have not seen you.'

(k) That is, so that there remains nothing there to prove whether the tree had grown there or not.

8:19 Behold, this is the joy of his way: out of the earth, others shall spring.

8:20 "Behold, God will not cast away a blameless man, neither will he uphold the evildoers.

8:21 He will still fill your mouth with laughter, your lips with shouting.

(m) If you are godly, he will give you opportunity to rejoice and if not your affliction will increase.

8:22 Those who hate you shall be clothed with shame. The tent of the wicked shall be no more."