Bildad's speech, delivered in response to Job's accusations, is the best...
Bildad's speech, delivered in response to Job's accusations, is the best proof that he, like the other two friends taking part in the sufferer's conversation, completely fails to understand what is happening. It is devoted entirely to the same theme of the fate of the wicked (vv. 5-21), which Eliphaz and Zophar have already touched on more than once in the conversation. But Bildad begins his speech with a call to speak thoughtfully and not to become like animals, humiliating one another in their own eyes (vv. 2-3). He is plainly quite sure that Job speaks bitter words only because his sufferings are too great and he cannot restrain himself. He attributes Job's words to anger (v. 4). As we can see, Job was not very mistaken when he accused his friends of hypocrisy.
Of course, in this case we are not dealing with ordinary hypocrisy, when people act hypocritically on purpose. In the situation of Job's friends, it would be more accurate to speak of fear, which keeps a person from seeing what he does not want to see. Job's friends are afraid to admit to themselves that Job may be right, both in his appeals to God and in the harsh words he addresses to them, his friends. The issue is not that they are afraid of being wrong. The issue is that if Job is right, then all their arguments are truly worthless. And then all their religiosity is worthless too, along with the tradition they defend, and indeed their whole life, founded on that religiosity and that tradition. Meanwhile, Job's friends appear to be beginning to understand that all their arguments miss the point.
They already sense that Job may be right about the seriousness of his situation and the light-mindedness of their attitude toward him. And then the last argument comes into play: Job's friends begin to say about him that what he said was spoken in the heat of the moment and without thought, now comforting not so much their suffering friend as themselves. Indeed, is it worth paying attention to words spoken in the heat of pain, offense, or anger? God will not pay attention to such words either; He will not count them against a righteous man. Bildad, as we can see, offers an elegant solution that offends no one: let us consider everything Job said to have been said rashly, out of anger caused by pain and grief, and let us end this pointless argument. Everything is fine. The wicked really will receive from God what they deserve, but Job will not be among them, because he will no longer utter thoughtless speeches or ask God bold questions. Job is righteous, and everything will be fine.
18 Bildad sharply reproves Job, as proud and impatient, Job 18:1-4.
And enlarges on the misery of the wicked, Job 18:5-12.
18:2 Ye - Thou, O Job; of whom he speaks here, as also ver. Job 18:3, in the plural number, as was a common idiotism of the Eastern language, to speak thus of one person, especially where he was one of eminency. Mark - Consider the matter better.
18:3 Beasts - Ignorant, and stupid men, Job 17:4, Job 17:10.
18:4 He - Job. Thou art thy own tormentor. Forsaken - Shall God give over the government of the earth for thy sake, to prevent thy complaints and clamours? Shall the counsels of God, which are more immoveable than rocks, and the whole course of his providence be altered to comply with thy humours?
18:7 Steps - His strong steps, by a vulgar Hebraism: his attempts and actions; such of them as seem to be contrived with greatest strength of understanding, and carried on with greatest resolution.Straitened - Shall be hindered and entangled. He shall be cast into difficulties and perplexities, so that he shall not be able to proceed, and to accomplish his enterprizes.
18:8 Feet - By his own designs and actions.
18:13 First - born - A terrible kind of death. The first - born was the chief of his brethren, and therefore this title is given to things eminent in their kind.
18:14 Confidence - All the matter of his confidence, his riches, and children. Terrors - To death, which even Aristotle called, The most terrible of all terribles. And this it will do, either because it will expose him to his enemies, who will kill him; or because the sense of his disappointments, and losses, and dangers, will break his heart.
18:15 It - Destruction, expressed ver. Job 18:12, shall fix its abode with him. Because - Because it is none of his own, being got from others by deceit or violence. Brimstone - It shall be utterly destroyed, as it were, by fire and brimstone. He seems to allude both to the destruction of Sodom, which happened not long before these times, and to the judgment which befel Job, chap.Job 1:16.
18:18 Darkness - From a prosperous life to disgrace and misery, and to the grave, the land of darkness.
18:20 Astonied - At the day of his destruction. They shall be amazed at the suddenness, and dreadfulness of it. Before - Before the persons last mentioned. Those who lived in the time and place where this judgment was inflicted.
18:21 The place - The condition.