Job 18 Bildad’ s reproof: Job’s words many: he despised his friends; he vexed himself; but in vain, Job 18:1–4. The calamity of the wicked, Job 18:5–21.

Ere ye; either, 1. You my brethren. Why do you not give over discoursing with Job, who is wholly transported with rage, and not fit to be discoursed with, at least until both you and he have better considered what to say? Or rather, 2.

As beasts, i.e. ignorant, blockish, and stupid men, Job 17:4, Job 17:10. Vile, Heb. polluted, or unclean, i.e. not fit to be conversed or discoursed with; or contemptible, as such things are. In your sight; either, 1. To your faces, or in your own hearing. Or, 2.

He teareth himself, i.e. Job, of whom he speaks in the third person for the second, as Job 12:4, Job 16:7, Obad. 3. Or, O thou that tearest thyself! Thou complainest of us for vexing thee with our speeches, when in truth thou art thy own greatest tormenter by thy own impatience and rage.

Yea; the thing is true and certain, notwithstanding thy dissatisfaction and opposition against it. The light of the wicked shall be put out; all their glory and felicity shall perish. The spark of his fire, i.e.

In his tabernacle. i.e. in his family. Instead of his former splendour, both he and his shall fall into extremity of misery. His candle shall be put out with him, i.e. his glory shall die with him, and not descend to his posterity, as he hoped and designed.

The steps of his strength, i.e. his strong steps, by a vulgar Hebraism. By steps he means his counsels, as the next branch explains it, his attempts and actions; and by steps of strength, such of them as seem to be most firm and settled, contrived with greatest strength of understanding, and…

By his own feet; by his own choice, and design, and actions. He walketh upon a snare; and therefore must needs be entangled and destroyed.

Shall take the by the heel, i.e. take fast hold of him, so as to keep him in those distresses; and when he is insnared the robber shall come upon him, and take, and spoil, or kill him. Or, the horrible or terrible man; the huntsman, that laid the snare for him.

In the ground; where he doth not expect nor discern it. The former snare he laid for himself, but this was laid for him by another.

Terrors; both from men, and from God, and from his own unquiet mind and guilty conscience. Shall drive him to his feet; shall force him to flee hither and thither, and he knows not whither, being secure and safe no where, but pursued by terrors from place to place.

His strength; either, 1. His children, which are, and are called, a man’s strength, as Gen. 49:3, Ps. 127:4–5. Or rather, 2. His wealth, and power, and prosperity. Hunger-bitten, or famished, i.e. utterly consumed. Shall be ready at his side, i.e.

The strength of his skin, Heb. the bars, or rather, the branches of the skin, i.e. either the veins and sinews, which branch out themselves through the skin as well as elsewhere; or the fat and flesh, which like bars support the skin, and adorn and beautify it, as branches do a tree; without which…

His confidence, i.e. all the matter of his confidence, his riches, children, &c. Out of his tabernacle, i.e. out of his habitation. It shall bring him, to wit, the loss of his confidence. To the king of terrors; either, 1. Into extreme fears and horrors of mind. Or, 2.

It, i.e. destruction, expressed Job 18:12, and designed by this particle it, Job 18:13, shall not come upon him and his for a season, for then there might be some hopes of recovery; but it shall fix his abode with him. It is none of his: this may be added, either, 1.

i.e. He shall be destroyed, both root and branch, i.e. both himself and his posterity. Compare Mal. 4:1.

Instead of that honour and renown which he designed to have, both whilst he lived, and after his death, he is not so much as remembered, unless it be with contempt and reproach.

He shall be driven, Heb. they shall drive him, i.e. his enemies, or those whom he hath oppressed; or they whom God shall appoint to do it, whether angels or men. Or it is an impersonal speech, and to be rendered passively, as it is also Job 7:3, Luke 12:20, Luke 16:9.

But if any such survive, they shall be in the hands and power of strangers, or rather of their enemies.

At his day, i.e. at the day of his destruction, as the word day is used, Ps. 37:13, Ps. 137:7, Ezek. 21:25, Obad. 12. They shall be amazed at the suddenness, and dreadfulness, and prodigiousness of it, as Job’s friends were at his calamities, Job 2:12–13. They that went before, i.e.

i.e. Who doth not acknowledge, nor fear, nor serve God, as this phrase is used, 1 Sam. 2:12, Ps. 79:6, 2 Thess. 1:8.