Job 8

Bildad’s First Speech to Job#sn This speech of Bildad ignores Job’s attack on his friends and focuses rather on Job’s comments about God’s justice. Bildad cannot even imagine saying that God is unjust. The only conclusion open to him is that Job’s family brought this on themselves, and so the only recourse is for Job to humble himself and make supplication to God. To make his point, Bildad will appeal to the wisdom of the ancients, for his theology is traditional. The speech has three parts: vv. 2-7 form his affirmation of the justice of God; vv. 8-19 are his appeal to the wisdom of the ancients, and vv. 20-22 are his summation. See N. C. Habel, “Appeal to Ancient Tradition as a Literary Form,” ZAW 88 (1976): 253-72; W. A. Irwin, “The First Speech of Bildad,” ZAW 51 (1953): 205-16.

1Then Bildad the Shuhite spoke up and said:

2“How long will you speak these things, seeing that the words of your mouth are like a great wind?

3Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert what is right?

4If your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.

5But if you will look to God, and make your supplication to the Almighty,

6if you become pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself for you, and will restore your righteous abode.

7Your beginning will seem so small, since your future will flourish.

8“For inquire now of the former generation, and pay attention to the findings of their ancestors;

9For we were born yesterday and do not have knowledge, since our days on earth are but a shadow.

10Will they not instruct you and speak to you, and bring forth words from their understanding?

11Can the papyrus plant grow tall where there is no marsh? Can reeds flourish without water?

12While they are still beginning to flower and not ripe for cutting, they can wither away faster than any grass!

13Such is the destiny of all who forget God; the hope of the godless perishes,

14whose trust is in something futile, whose security is a spider’s web.

15He leans against his house but it does not hold up, he takes hold of it but it does not stand.

16He is a well-watered plant in the sun, its shoots spread over its garden.

17It wraps its roots around a heap of stones and it looks for a place among stones.

18If he is uprooted from his place, then that place will disown him, saying, ‘I have never seen you!’

19Indeed, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth others spring up.

20“Surely, God does not reject a blameless man, nor does he grasp the hand of the evildoers.

21He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with gladness.

22Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”