1Then Bildad the Shuhite made answer and said, 2How long will it be before you have done talking? Get wisdom, and then we will say what is in our minds. 3Why do we seem as beasts in your eyes, and as completely without knowledge? 4But come back, now, come: you who are wounding yourself in your passion, will the earth be given up because of you, or a rock be moved out of its place? 5For the light of the sinner is put out, and the flame of his fire is not shining. 6The light is dark in his tent, and the light shining over him is put out. 7The steps of his strength become short, and by his design destruction overtakes him. 8His feet take him into the net, and he goes walking into the cords. 9His foot is taken in the net; he comes into its grip. 10The twisted cord is put secretly in the earth to take him, and the cord is placed in his way. 11He is overcome by fears on every side, they go after him at every step. 12His strength is made feeble for need of food, and destruction is waiting for his falling footstep. 13His skin is wasted by disease, and his body is food for the worst of diseases. 14He is pulled out of his tent where he was safe, and he is taken away to the king of fears. 15In his tent will be seen that which is not his, burning stone is dropped on his house. 16Under the earth his roots are dry, and over it his branch is cut off. 17His memory is gone from the earth, and in the open country there is no knowledge of his name. 18He is sent away from the light into the dark; he is forced out of the world. 19He has no offspring or family among his people, and in his living-place there is no one of his name. 20At his fate those of the west are shocked, and those of the east are overcome with fear. 21Truly, these are the houses of the sinner, and this is the place of him who has no knowledge of God.
Matthew Henry's Commentary
Bildad reproves Job. (1-4) Ruin attends the wicked. (5-10) The ruin of the wicked. (11-21) 1-4 Bildad had before given Job good advice and encouragement; here he used nothing but rebukes, and declared his ruin. And he concluded that Job shut out the providence of God from the management of human affairs, because he would not admit himself to be wicked. 5-10 Bildad describes the miserable condition of a wicked man; in which there is much certain truth, if we consider that a sinful condition is a sad condition, and that sin will be men's ruin, if they do not repent. Though Bildad thought the application of it to Job was easy, yet it was not safe nor just. It is common for angry disputants to rank their opponents among God's enemies, and to draw wrong conclusions from important truths. The destruction of the wicked is foretold. That destruction is represented under the similitude of a beast or bird caught in a snare, or a malefactor taken into custody. Satan, as he was a murderer, so he was a robber, from the beginning. He, the tempter, lays snares for sinners wherever they go. If he makes them sinful like himself, he will make them miserable like himself. Satan hunts for the precious life. In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare for himself, and God is preparing for his destruction. See here how the sinner runs himself into the snare. 11-21 Bildad describes the destruction wicked people are kept for, in the other world, and which in some degree, often seizes them in this world. The way of sin is the way of fear, and leads to everlasting confusion, of which the present terrors of an impure conscience are earnests, as in Cain and Judas. Miserable indeed is a wicked man's death, how secure soever his life was. See him dying; all that he trusts to for his support shall be taken from him. How happy are the saints, and how indebted to the lord Jesus, by whom death is so far done away and changed, that this king of terrors is become a friend and a servant! See the wicked man's family sunk and cut off. His children shall perish, either with him or after him. Those who consult the true honour of their family, and its welfare, will be afraid of withering all by sin. The judgments of God follow the wicked man after death in this world, as a proof of the misery his soul is in after death, and as an earnest of that everlasting shame and contempt to which he shall rise in the great day. The memory of the just is blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot, #Pr 10:7|. It would be well if this report of wicked men would cause any to flee from the wrath to come, from which their power, policy, and riches cannot deliver them. But Jesus ever liveth to deliver all who trust in him. Bear up then, suffering believers. Ye shall for a little time have sorrow, but your Beloved, your Saviour, will see you again; your hearts shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh away.