Job 8

8:1 Like Eliphaz, Bildad the Shuhite (see study note on 2:11) believed that Job’s sufferings were God’s retribution (8:3-6, 13; cp. 4:7-8; 5:2-3). This counselor revered the wisdom of the past (8:8-10; cp. 4:7) and addressed Job with a mixture of instruction (8:3-6, 8-10; cp. 4:12-21; 5:9-16) and encouragement (8:5-7, 20-22; cp. 4:6; 5:19-26). His point was that Job should quit blustering. He advised Job to repent and allow God’s justice to bring about restoration (8:1-7).

8:2 How long? Bildad’s question might be an ironic parody of Job’s question in 7:19.

8:3-4 According to Bildad, God does not twist justice, so the death of Job’s children proved that they had sinned against God. Bildad divided people into the blameless (Hebrew tam, 8:20a; see 1:1) and the secretly wicked (Hebrew khanep, 8:13b). He believed that they could be differentiated by watching what God did to them.

8:7 you will end with much: Bildad’s words were more true than he realized (42:12; cp. 5:19-26).

8:8-10 Bildad made the case for traditional wisdom by appealing to ancient tradition and history (Deut 4:32; Jer 18:13).

8:9 born but yesterday and know nothing: Bildad suggested that Job’s generation was either born too late to be acquainted with ancient wisdom or was too young to have accumulated it.

8:11 Papyrus reeds grow as high as ten to fifteen feet.

8:12-13 To forget God does not mean to have a lapse of memory but to act as if God did not exist (see Pss 10:4; 14:1; Zeph 1:12) or cannot see (see Job 22:13-17; Ps 94:7).

8:16-17 In this parable, a plant with roots that grow down through a pile of stones gains stability by becoming entwined with the rocks.