Job 18 2

Job 18:2 kjv

How long will it be ere ye make an end of words? mark, and afterwards we will speak.

Job 18:2 nkjv

"How long till you put an end to words? Gain understanding, and afterward we will speak.

Job 18:2 niv

"When will you end these speeches? Be sensible, and then we can talk.

Job 18:2 esv

"How long will you hunt for words? Consider, and then we will speak.

Job 18:2 nlt

"How long before you stop talking?
Speak sense if you want us to answer!

Job 18 verses

Job 18 2 Meaning

Job 18:2 captures Bildad the Shuhite's exasperation with Job's lengthy and sorrowful speeches. Bildad expresses impatience, questioning how much longer Job will persist in his perceived meaningless or evasive rhetoric. He accuses Job of merely "hunting for words" – crafting elaborate arguments or ensnaring the discussion with complex language rather than engaging with what Bildad believes to be truth. He then commands Job to stop, to consider thoughtfully, and only then will true, discerning conversation be possible. This verse highlights Bildad's firm belief that Job's continued suffering must be a direct result of hidden sin, making Job's protestations of innocence seem like an evasion through sophisticated speech.

Job 18 2 Context

Job 18:2 marks the beginning of Bildad's second speech in the book of Job, following Job's passionate and lengthy responses to the previous round of accusations from his friends. In chapters 16 and 17, Job has continued to lament his undeserved suffering, feeling God has attacked him without cause, and has expressed his desperate desire for a mediator or an audience with God to present his case. Job's words were filled with anguish, confusion, and a steadfast assertion of his innocence, even while he was utterly overwhelmed. Bildad, rooted firmly in the conventional wisdom of his time—that suffering always follows sin—finds Job's words not only perplexing but offensive and tedious. His speech in chapter 18 turns very harsh, directly attacking Job, equating him with the wicked and predicting his ruin, implying Job's protracted discourse is mere avoidance or defiance. This verse, therefore, serves as Bildad's initial outburst of impatience, setting the tone for his accusatory address which starkly contrasts with Job's continued insistence on his blamelessness.

Job 18 2 Word analysis

• How long: The Hebrew is 'ad 'anah (עַד־אָ֭נָה). This is a common rhetorical interrogative phrase in the Bible, expressing exasperation, impatience, lament, or even prophetic warning. It conveys Bildad's profound irritation and belief that Job's discourse has gone on too long without resolution.
• will you hunt: The verb is tasimu (תָשִׂימוּ), a Hiphil imperfect form of sim (שִׂים), meaning "to put, to set, to place." In this context, it often carries the idiomatic sense of "to aim for," "to seek after," or even "to devise." It implies intentional action by Job to construct his words.
• for words: The phrase is qintsey lemillin (קִנְצֵי לְמִלִּֽין). Millin (מִלִּין) is an Aramaic loanword, frequently used in Job, meaning "words" or "speeches." Qintsey (קִנְצֵי) is a rare and difficult word, appearing only here and in Job 22:3. Its meaning is debated. Some scholars connect it to "snares" or "traps" (qōnet͡s), thus leading to the rendering "hunt for words" or "lay snares with words," implying that Job is either desperately seeking words or cunningly devising arguments to trap his friends or evade truth. Other interpretations relate it to "limits" or "ends" (qāṣāh), yielding "put an end to words" or "set a limit to words." The "hunting for words" interpretation portrays Job's discourse as verbose, intricate, perhaps empty rhetoric, rather than straightforward truth.
• Consider: The Hebrew verb is tavinu (תָ֭בִינוּ), a Hiphil imperfect of bin (בִין), meaning "to understand," "to discern," or "to consider carefully." Here, it functions as an imperative, a direct command from Bildad for Job to stop his current manner of speaking and engage in true, rational deliberation. It suggests Bildad feels Job has been speaking without proper thought or discernment.
• and then: The Hebrew particle is ve'achar (וְאַחַ֖ר), meaning "and afterward" or "and later." It sets a clear condition for the next action, implying that a meaningful conversation can only resume after Job has demonstrated careful consideration and changed his approach.
• we will speak: The verb is nedabber (נְדַבֵּֽר), a Piel imperfect of dabar (דָבַר), meaning "to speak." The plural "we" (including Bildad and the other friends) signifies their readiness to continue the discussion, but only on their terms – after Job exhibits genuine, sensible thought as they define it.

• "How long will you hunt for words?": This entire phrase encapsulates Bildad's profound frustration and perceived futility in Job's continued verbal struggle. It's a rhetorical accusation suggesting Job's speech is merely an intellectual exercise or an elaborate evasive tactic, devoid of real substance or sincerity in Bildad's eyes. It implies a lack of directness and sincerity on Job's part, that he is crafting elaborate arguments instead of facing perceived reality.
• "Consider, and then we will speak": This phrase functions as Bildad's condition for continued dialogue. It implies that Job's current discourse is thoughtless, unproductive, and not worthy of a response until he demonstrates discernment as Bildad understands it. It shifts the burden of responsible speech onto Job, yet ironically reveals Bildad's own lack of genuine understanding or compassion for Job's distress. This imperative exposes Bildad's judgmental posture, as he believes he possesses the truth and Job merely needs to acknowledge it by stopping his 'meaningless' protests.

Job 18 2 Bonus section

The Aramaic loanword millin ("words") appearing in this key phrase may subtly underline the perceived "otherness" or "alienation" of Job's discourse from the traditional Hebrew wisdom spoken by the friends. It might imply to Bildad that Job's words are not rooted in the proper, sacred tongue of their shared tradition, hinting at a foreign or misguided influence. The uniqueness of qintsey reinforces its idiomatic power and the interpretive challenge, underscoring the deep seated irritation it represented to Bildad. This exchange, far from being a truly dialectical engagement, illustrates the profound communication breakdown between Job and his comforters. The friends' perceived inability to truly listen to Job's experience is juxtaposed with their insistent demands for him to "understand" according to their limited perspective, setting up the subsequent speeches that ultimately necessitate God's direct intervention to correct the friends' deficient understanding.

Job 18 2 Commentary

Job 18:2 initiates Bildad's second, even harsher, attack on Job, born out of deep frustration and a rigid adherence to conventional retribution theology. He sees Job's lamentations and assertions of innocence not as genuine suffering but as an exasperating, prolonged verbal charade—Job is accused of endlessly crafting arguments or perhaps deliberately making words obscure. "Hunting for words" conveys the idea that Job is either struggling to find an adequate explanation for his situation (which Bildad thinks is clear: sin) or that he is consciously employing elaborate rhetoric to avoid confronting his supposed guilt. Bildad, utterly lacking empathy for Job's profound spiritual and physical pain, demands that Job halt his emotional expressions and instead engage in rational consideration, presumably according to Bildad's narrow understanding of wisdom. This condition reveals the friend's judgmental and self-righteous stance, illustrating how human conventional wisdom often falls short in understanding complex suffering or the inscrutable ways of God. It's a call for Job to conform to their preconceived notions of piety and understanding before they deem his words worthy of further interaction.

• Example: When someone undergoing deep spiritual questioning expresses doubt, and a rigid, dogmatic friend impatiently dismisses their struggles as "unnecessary complaining" or "just looking for excuses" rather than truly listening and seeking to understand.