Job 18:10 kjv
The snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in the way.
Job 18:10 nkjv
A noose is hidden for him on the ground, And a trap for him in the road.
Job 18:10 niv
A noose is hidden for him on the ground; a trap lies in his path.
Job 18:10 esv
A rope is hidden for him in the ground, a trap for him in the path.
Job 18:10 nlt
A noose lies hidden on the ground.
A rope is stretched across their path.
Job 18 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 9:15 | The nations have sunk in the pit... in the net they hid, their own foot is caught. | Nations fall into self-made traps. |
| Ps 10:2 | In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes... | Wicked schemes ensnare the schemers. |
| Ps 35:8 | Let destruction come upon him unaware... let the net which he hid ensnare him. | Hidden traps turn on their maker. |
| Ps 57:6 | They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit... but fell into it themselves. | Conspirators fall into their own pits. |
| Ps 140:5 | Proud men have hidden a trap for me; they have spread nets... beside the path. | Wicked place snares on life's path. |
| Prov 1:18 | They lie in wait for their own blood; they set a trap for their own lives. | Wicked destroy themselves with their own traps. |
| Prov 5:22 | The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin. | Sin's consequences bind the sinner. |
| Prov 26:27 | Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling. | Deeds backfire on the doer. |
| Prov 29:6 | An evil man is ensnared by his own sin, but a righteous man sings and rejoices. | Sin is a snare for the evil. |
| Jer 18:22 | Let a cry be heard from their houses, when you bring a raiding party suddenly upon them; for they have dug a pit to catch me. | Sudden judgment for plots. |
| Job 22:10 | Therefore snares are all around you, and sudden terror overwhelms you. | Job's suffering interpreted as a snare. |
| Isa 8:14-15 | He will be a stone of offense... a snare and a trap to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. | God's word or presence as a spiritual snare. |
| Lam 3:55-58 | I called on your name, O Lord... you drew near when I called... you pleaded my cause, O Lord... | Deliverance from snares by God. |
| Gal 6:7 | Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. | Spiritual principle of cause and effect. |
| Num 32:23 | But if you do not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out. | Sin inevitably leads to exposure. |
| Hos 5:1 | Hear this, O priests!... For you have been a snare at Mizpah and a net spread upon Tabor. | Leaders acting as spiritual traps. |
| Ps 7:15 | He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole that he has made. | Traps of the wicked turn against them. |
| Eccl 9:12 | For man also does not know his time. Like fish that are caught in an evil net... so the children of man are snared at an evil time. | Life's unpredictability and sudden doom. |
| Ps 64:5 | They encourage themselves in an evil plot, they talk of laying snares secretly. | Wicked secretly plot snares. |
| Lk 21:34-35 | Take heed to yourselves... lest that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. | End-time judgment as a sudden trap. |
| Rom 1:18 | For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. | God's wrath against sin is revealed. |
| 1 Thess 5:3 | While people are saying, “There is peace and safety,” then sudden destruction will come upon them... | Sudden destruction for the complacent. |
Job 18 verses
Job 18 10 Meaning
Job 18:10 is part of Bildad's second speech, where he describes the inescapable doom awaiting the wicked. This verse vividly portrays that the wicked are surrounded by hidden dangers, snares, and traps that are omnipresent and unavoidable, ready to capture them regardless of their movements. It communicates the idea of divine judgment, suggesting that consequences are pre-arranged and pervasive, leading to sudden and complete ruin. Bildad believes these hidden traps are the direct result of a wicked life.
Job 18 10 Context
Job 18:10 is spoken by Bildad the Shuhite in the middle of his second response to Job (Job 18:1-21). This chapter focuses entirely on Bildad's grim description of the wicked man's fate. He uses powerful, frightening imagery to depict total ruin, extinction, and ultimate terror that awaits the unrighteous. While he doesn't explicitly name Job, the implication is clear: Job's profound suffering aligns with this picture, thus, by Bildad's rigid theology of retribution, Job must be wicked. Bildad's discourse in this chapter argues that the wicked man's light will be extinguished (v.5), his offspring will perish (v.19), his remembrance will vanish (v.17), and terror will engulf him from every direction. The specific verse 10 adds to this horrific portrayal, suggesting that even his common daily paths are booby-trapped, making escape impossible and highlighting the omnipresent nature of divine judgment that Bildad firmly believes in.
Historically and culturally, Bildad represents a conventional wisdom widely held in the ancient Near East: that God blesses the righteous with prosperity and punishes the wicked with suffering. Any suffering was, therefore, seen as undeniable evidence of sin. The imagery of snares and traps was highly relevant, as hunting was a common activity, and these devices were well-understood tools for capturing prey. Applying this to human fate emphasized the inevitability and cunning nature of the judgment against those deemed wicked.
Job 18 10 Word analysis
- A snare: (Hebrew: חֶבֶל, chevel). Primarily means "rope," "cord," but often used metaphorically for a "snare" or "trap" laid with ropes or cords to entangle prey. It conveys the idea of entanglement and being tripped. In the Bible, it also denotes boundaries (like property lines set by a measuring rope, Ps 16:6) or the pains/cords of death (Ps 18:4). Here, it implies an unseen, insidious entanglement.
- is laid: (Hebrew: מַטְמוּן, maṭmûn). A rare form, implying something hidden or concealed. It emphasizes the insidious, secret nature of the trap. It suggests that the device for destruction is not openly visible but lies in wait, known only to the one who laid it—or in Bildad's worldview, known to God or the cosmic forces of justice. This hiddenness makes escape virtually impossible for the unsuspecting victim.
- for him: Refers to the "wicked man" being described throughout Bildad's speech, whom he implicitly links to Job. This indicates the targeted nature of this judgment.
- in the ground: (Hebrew: בָאָרֶץ, bā'āreṣ). Means "in the earth" or "on the ground." This signifies that the danger is not in some obscure or distant place, but in the common, everyday environment where one walks. It implies an inescapable ubiquity of peril for the wicked.
- and a trap: (Hebrew: מַלְכֹּדֶת, malkōḏeṯ). This is another word for a trap or snare, often referring to a capturing device for birds or animals. It strengthens the idea of being seized and caught. Its use in parallel with chevel emphasizes the complete and multiple methods of ensnaring.
- on the path: (Hebrew: עַל־נָתִיב, ʿal nāṯîv). "On the path," "on the track," or "on the way." This complements "in the ground" by focusing on the trajectory of one's life. The path represents the course of daily living, implying that every step taken by the wicked leads them closer to or directly into their predetermined doom. There is no safe route for them.
- Words-group analysis: The phrase "A snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him on the path" exemplifies synonymous parallelism, a common feature of Hebrew poetry. Both clauses express the same core idea of an inescapable and ubiquitous hidden danger. This double-barreled imagery intensifies the message: the wicked person is completely surrounded and will inevitably be captured. The hidden nature ("is laid" / "hidden") combined with common locations ("in the ground" / "on the path") creates a potent picture of insidious, pervasive, and unavoidable divine retribution, as seen through Bildad's limited theological lens. This assertion also forms a strong polemic against Job's claim of blamelessness, as Bildad argues that such pervasive suffering can only be explained by corresponding pervasive, albeit hidden, sin.
Job 18 10 Bonus section
- The emphasis on "hidden" traps (maṭmûn) contrasts with Job's earlier plea for justice and an understanding of his suffering. Bildad's response implies that Job's sin, though hidden from human sight, is known to God, and the traps are the just outcome.
- This verse, along with Bildad's entire speech, illustrates the limitations of a rigid, simplistic retribution theology. While it is true that sin has consequences, and God does judge, Bildad errs in presuming every misfortune is a direct result of personal wickedness, thus misapplying divine truth to Job's unique situation.
- The imagery here finds parallels in wisdom literature where the folly of the wicked often leads them into self-made pitfalls, e.g., the wicked being caught in their own devices (Ps 9:15-16, Prov 26:27). This suggests a built-in consequence to sin within the moral fabric of the universe.
- For a believer, this imagery can serve as a warning: to walk carefully, being aware of spiritual traps set by sin or worldly influences, as opposed to Bildad's specific application of divine wrath for personal wickedness. It emphasizes that while judgment can be hidden, it is ultimately unavoidable for the unrepentant.
Job 18 10 Commentary
Job 18:10 vividly paints a picture of inescapable doom for the wicked, a core tenet of Bildad's retributive theology. Bildad asserts that, much like a hunter skillfully conceals traps, divine judgment or the consequences of wickedness are meticulously positioned everywhere in the path of the unrighteous. These are not random occurrences but an integrated part of their very existence. The imagery of a "snare in the ground" and a "trap on the path" means that no matter where the wicked step or what direction they choose in life, they are unknowingly heading towards inevitable destruction. This suggests a fixed and unavoidable fate, either ordained by God as direct punishment or arising as natural consequences that ensnare the sinner in the chains of their own actions. Bildad presents this as a terrifying reality for Job, suggesting that Job's profound suffering is concrete evidence of such hidden traps having been sprung. However, the overarching message of Job challenges this simplistic, direct cause-and-effect relationship, highlighting the complexity of divine justice and human suffering beyond human understanding.