Explanation: In Job 18 Bildad gives his second answer to Job. In the previous two chapters, Job complained that he was condemned to death, though innocent. In this chapter, Bildad warns Job that he is condemned to death because of his wickedness. The painting above reflects Bildad's view of Job -- a man condemned, about to die, and on the verge of losing all.

          [ THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: Job 19. ]

          [ CHRONOLOGY: General. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ]

          [ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]

     Bildad told Job to stop speaking and listen to him and his friends. He addressed Job with a plural "you," probably meaning that Job and those like him should shut up and listen to him and his friends. He asked Job why he considered him and his friends to be like vile beasts. He said that Job was tearing himself apart in his anger. And he asked Job if the earth should be forsaken for him and the rock moved out of its place. In other words, should men and nature give way to his will? (1-4). Bildad then offered a series of unfavorable comparisons between Job and the wicked, implying that Job was guilty of all the negative things of which he spoke. He said that the light of the wicked would be put out; that no light would be in his tent. He said that the strength of the wicked would fail and his own counsel would cast him down. He said he would be caught in his own snare. He said that the "firstborn of death would devour his strength; and the "king of terrors" would come upon him. He would be burned with brimstone. He would dry up, root and branch. His name would perish. He would be"driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world." He would have neither son, nor nephew, nor family (to help him, to comfort him, or to carry on his name). His contemporaries and his successors would be astonished. These are the things that happen to the wicked and those who do not know God. And by implication, therefore, Job was wicked and did not know God (5-21).

     ⁵ Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine. ⁶ The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him. ⁷ The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel shall cast him down. ⁸ For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare. ⁹ The gin shall take him by the heel, and the robber shall prevail against him. ¹⁰ The snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in the way. ¹¹ Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him to his feet. ¹² His strength shall be hungerbitten, and destruction shall be ready at his side. ¹³ It shall devour the strength of his skin: even the firstborn of death shall devour his strength. ¹⁴ His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors. ¹⁵ It shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none of his: brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation. ¹⁶ His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off. ¹⁷ His remembrance shall perish from the earth, and he shall have no name in the street. ¹⁸ He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world. ¹⁹ He shall neither have son nor nephew among his people, nor any remaining in his dwellings. ²⁰ They that come after him shall be astonied at his day, as they that went before were affrighted. ²¹ Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God.

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