Job 18 1

Job 18:1 kjv

Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

Job 18:1 nkjv

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:

Job 18:1 niv

Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:

Job 18:1 esv

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:

Job 18:1 nlt

Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:

Job 18 verses

Job 18 1 Meaning

Job 18:1 states that Bildad the Shuhite, one of Job's three friends, begins his second speech in response to Job's previous lament. This verse serves as a narrative marker, signaling the continuation of the debate between Job and his counselors, indicating a new round of arguments focused on traditional wisdom concerning divine justice.

Job 18 1 Context

Job 18:1 opens the second cycle of speeches between Job and his three friends (Bildad, Eliphaz, and Zophar). Following Job's impassioned laments and expressions of despair in chapters 16-17, Bildad takes the floor to offer his rebuttal. The previous exchange saw Job's friends initially offering traditional, simplistic explanations for his suffering, attributing it to sin, and Job passionately defending his innocence while wrestling with God. This verse signals the escalation of the debate, as the friends' patience wears thin, and their responses become harsher and less sympathetic, reinforcing their unwavering adherence to the retribution theology – that suffering is always a direct result of sin.

Job 18 1 Word analysis

• Then (וַיַּעַן, wa·yaʿan - prefix on the verb): Indicates a direct sequence or immediate response to the preceding statements, highlighting the continuation of the dialogue without a pause or break in the friends' perspective.
• Bildad (בִּלְדַּד, Bil·dad): One of Job's three friends. His name might derive from a root meaning "son of contention" or "lord of love" (interpretations vary), reflecting either his argumentative nature or an ironically contrasted identity given his harsh words. He represents a dogmatic adherence to conventional wisdom, particularly the principle of strict retribution.
• the Shuhite (הַשֻּׁחִי, hash·shu·ḥi): Designates Bildad's origin. "Shuhite" links to Shuah (שׁוּחַ), one of Abraham's sons by Keturah (Gen 25:2). This identifies him as a non-Israelite, living likely in the Near East. His lineage implies a connection to early patriarchal traditions, yet his understanding of God’s justice is confined within strict, mechanistic bounds.
• answered (וַיַּעַן, way·yaʿan): This is a standard Hebrew verb for "to answer" or "to respond." It implies that Bildad is directly addressing what Job has just said (in Job 16-17). The form indicates an immediate and often argumentative reply.
• and said (וַיֹּאמֶר, way·yo·mer): A common biblical narrative device introducing direct speech. It simply signifies that what follows are Bildad's words.

• "Then Bildad... answered and said": This phrase introduces Bildad’s counter-argument, emphasizing that his speech is a direct and probably defensive retort to Job's profound lament and self-vindication. It marks the formal beginning of a new phase of contention, highlighting the ongoing tension and the friends' refusal to acknowledge Job's innocence.
• "Bildad the Shuhite": Specifying his full title highlights his identity as one of the defined counselors and connects him to a specific cultural and perhaps intellectual background, underscoring that he speaks from a particular traditional worldview common among the patriarchs' descendants, distinct from Job or the other friends.

Job 18 1 Bonus section

The repetitive pattern of "Then X answered and said" throughout Job's dialogues highlights the structure of the literary work as a disputation. Each time it occurs, it not only introduces a speaker but also frames their subsequent words as a direct, often argumentative, rejoinder to the immediately preceding speech. In Job 18:1, this means Bildad is about to address Job's passionate, emotional cries of despair and perceived abandonment by God, doing so from a rigid, conventional theological standpoint rather than one of empathy or profound insight. The repetition emphasizes the escalating frustration and hardening positions between Job and his friends, culminating in their ultimate failure to understand God's complex dealings with humanity.

Job 18 1 Commentary

Job 18:1 is a crucial transitional verse that announces the start of Bildad's second, and notably more severe, response to Job. Having listened to Job's profound agony and his appeals directly to God, Bildad's opening signals not sympathy, but an intensifying commitment to his conventional wisdom. His "answer" is less a compassionate reply and more a reaffirmation of a rigid retribution theology that posits Job's suffering must be due to sin. This verse sets the tone for Bildad’s forthcoming speech, which will abandon any pretense of comfort and aggressively portray the fate of the wicked, implicitly condemning Job further. The continued "answering and saying" underscores the cyclical, unresolved nature of the debate, where true understanding is repeatedly overshadowed by human assumption and rigid doctrine. It exemplifies the clash between genuine human suffering and inadequate human wisdom.