Job 18 12

Job 18:12 kjv

His strength shall be hungerbitten, and destruction shall be ready at his side.

Job 18:12 nkjv

His strength is starved, And destruction is ready at his side.

Job 18:12 niv

Calamity is hungry for him; disaster is ready for him when he falls.

Job 18:12 esv

His strength is famished, and calamity is ready for his stumbling.

Job 18:12 nlt

Hunger depletes their strength,
and calamity waits for them to stumble.

Job 18 verses

Job 18 12 Meaning

Job 18:12 presents a stark image of the wicked person's inevitable downfall, as described by Bildad. It portrays an internal decay where the person's very strength and vitality are consumed, paralleled by an external threat of disaster that stands constantly ready, waiting to strike. In Bildad's rigid view, this internal weakness and imminent doom are direct consequences of one's unrighteousness.

Job 18 12 Context

Job 18:12 is part of Bildad the Shuhite's second speech to Job (Job 18:1-21). In this chapter, Bildad reiterates and expands upon the conventional wisdom of his time: that the wicked are swiftly and thoroughly punished by God. He provides a detailed, vivid picture of the wicked man's downfall, intending for Job to recognize his own situation in these descriptions, thereby accepting his guilt and repenting. Bildad, like Job's other friends, operates from the theological premise of direct divine retribution – that suffering is a direct consequence of sin, and prosperity is a sign of righteousness. He describes the wicked man as having his light extinguished, his dwelling destroyed, his roots dried up, his memory vanished, and surrounded by terror. Verse 12 serves as a pivotal point in this description, highlighting both the internal depletion and external inevitability of the wicked's doom, further pressuring Job to confess a hidden sin he vehemently denies.

Job 18 12 Word analysis

• His strength: Hebrew: אוֹנוֹ ('ônô). Refers to a person's vigor, might, vitality, or productive power, even extending to procreative ability (Gen 49:3; Deut 21:17). Here, it signifies the inherent life-force, capability, or inner resource of a person. In Bildad's mind, this fundamental aspect of the wicked person is decaying.
• is famished: Hebrew: רָעֵב (râ'êb). Literally "hungry," "starving," or "famished." The verb is used here in an active sense, suggesting that something (hunger or calamity) is consuming his strength. It implies an internal wasting away, a depletion not necessarily from external attack but from an internal, self-inflicted decay, as if the strength itself is starving or being eaten.
• and disaster: Hebrew: אֵיד ('êyd). Denotes "calamity," "disaster," "misfortune," or "destruction." It points to an event or state of sudden, overwhelming, and devastating ruin. It's often used for divine judgment or unavoidable catastrophe.
• is ready: Hebrew: נָכוֹן (nâḵôn). Means "prepared," "firm," "fixed," or "ready." It signifies something that is established, made firm, or in a state of preparedness for action. The calamity isn't just a possibility; it's waiting, primed to act.
• at his side: Hebrew: לְצִדּוֹ (lᵉtsad·dô). Means "by his side," "near him," "close by." This vivid spatial imagery emphasizes the immediate proximity and inescapability of the impending doom. It suggests a constant companion, a shadow of destruction that never leaves, waiting for the opportune moment.

Words-group analysis:

• "His strength is famished": This phrase paints a picture of internal decay. The very vitality of the wicked person is depicted as starving, or being consumed by hunger. This isn't just weakness, but a self-devouring process where the life-force or intrinsic power dwindles away from within, signifying a collapse originating from their moral corruption.
• "and disaster is ready at his side": This part complements the first by showing the external inevitability of judgment. Disaster is not distant or merely theoretical, but present and prepared for action, constantly hovering beside the wicked person. This depicts a comprehensive ruin: internal debilitation coupled with an inescapable, waiting external destruction.

Job 18 12 Bonus section

• The stark imagery used in Job 18:12, particularly "strength famished" and "disaster ready at his side," is characteristic of ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature's way of expressing profound spiritual truths through concrete, visceral descriptions. This made the concept of cause and effect in the moral realm highly palpable to the original audience.
• This verse represents a polemical thrust against Job's protestations of innocence. Bildad is not merely making a general theological statement but implicitly accusing Job by painting a picture of the wicked that, in Bildad's eyes, fits Job's current plight precisely. This dramatic irony is central to the book's narrative.
• The concepts of inner strength dwindling and outer destruction lurking contrast sharply with New Testament teachings on Christ's power perfected in weakness (2 Cor 12:9-10) and God's readiness to deliver the righteous from trouble (Ps 34:19). For the Christian, while sin does lead to spiritual emptiness and potential temporal consequences, God offers true inner strength and eternal deliverance, even in suffering.

Job 18 12 Commentary

Job 18:12 offers a chilling picture from Bildad's perspective, typical of much wisdom literature's view on the consequences of wickedness. He asserts a natural law where moral failure leads directly to both an intrinsic weakening and an imminent, inescapable external collapse. "His strength is famished" portrays the slow, consuming decline from within; sin is depicted as a hunger that devours one's vital energy and well-being. This is not merely fatigue but a fundamental depletion of what makes a person capable and vibrant. Simultaneously, "disaster is ready at his side" introduces the inevitable external force of judgment. The calamity is not only certain but intimately close, suggesting an ever-present, lurking threat that awaits the precise moment to strike. This verse, therefore, captures a twofold demise: internal decay and external obliteration, both relentlessly pursuing the wicked. For Bildad, Job's visible suffering and perceived weakened state confirm this rigid understanding of divine justice, illustrating his conviction that Job must be secretly wicked. This narrow view, however, is precisely what the Book of Job ultimately challenges, as Job is righteous despite his severe trials.