Job 18:8 kjv
For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare.
Job 18:8 nkjv
For he is cast into a net by his own feet, And he walks into a snare.
Job 18:8 niv
His feet thrust him into a net; he wanders into its mesh.
Job 18:8 esv
For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walks on its mesh.
Job 18:8 nlt
The wicked walk into a net.
They fall into a pit.
Job 18 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 9:15 | The nations have sunk in the pit...in the net which they hid, their foot is caught. | Wicked fall into their own traps. |
| Ps 9:16 | The LORD is known by the justice He executes; the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. | Divine justice, wicked caught by own actions. |
| Ps 35:7-8 | For without cause they hid their net for me; ...let ruin come...and let the net they hid catch himself. | Wicked caught in the trap they set for others. |
| Ps 57:6 | They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down; they have dug a pit before me; into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. | Snares laid for the righteous trap the wicked. |
| Prov 1:18 | But they lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives. | Wicked actions lead to self-destruction. |
| Prov 5:22 | His own iniquities entrap the wicked, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin. | Sin is a snare that binds the wicked. |
| Prov 11:5 | The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way, but the wicked will fall by his own wickedness. | Unrighteousness leads to a downfall. |
| Prov 11:6 | The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are caught by their own desires. | Deceptive nature leads to self-entrapment. |
| Prov 12:13 | The wicked is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, but the righteous will escape from trouble. | Words can lead the wicked to trouble. |
| Prov 28:10 | Whoever misleads the upright into an evil way will fall into his own pit, but the blameless will inherit good. | Those who scheme against others face their own ruin. |
| Eccl 9:12 | For man also does not know his time: like fish caught in a cruel net...so the sons of men are ensnared. | Sudden, unexpected calamities; human vulnerability. |
| Jer 18:22 | Let pits be dug to catch them... | Opponents creating traps. |
| Lam 1:13 | From above He sent fire into my bones...He spread a net for my feet; He overthrew me. | Divine judgment as a trap. |
| Hos 7:12 | When they go, I will spread My net over them; I will bring them down like birds of the air. | God's judgment likened to ensnaring. |
| Ps 7:15-16 | He made a pit, and dug it out, and has fallen into the hole which he made. His trouble shall return upon his own head. | One's ill deeds recoil upon oneself. |
| Ps 64:8 | So they will make their own tongue fall upon themselves; all who see them will shake their heads. | Wicked are undone by their own words/plans. |
| Amos 3:5 | Does a bird fall into a snare on the earth where there is no trap for it? | Cause and effect of judgment; no arbitrary traps. |
| Rom 2:6 | God "will render to each person according to his deeds." | Principle of divine retribution. |
| Gal 6:7 | Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. | Spiritual law of sowing and reaping. |
| 2 Tim 2:26 | and that they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him. | Satan's snares lead to captivity. |
| Job 22:10 | Therefore snares are all around you, and sudden terror troubles you. | Eliphaz's accusation to Job, using snare imagery. |
| Job 27:8 | For what is the hope of the hypocrite when he gains though God takes away his soul? | The friends' core argument on the wicked's ultimate fate. |
| Hab 1:15 | They bring all of them up with a hook; they catch them in their net. | Oppressors use methods of entrapment. |
Job 18 verses
Job 18 8 Meaning
Job 18:8, spoken by Bildad, vividly describes the inevitable doom of the wicked. It asserts that the wicked person is entangled by their own actions or circumstances, ensnared by traps that appear as a direct consequence of their path. The imagery conveys a sense of inescapable capture, suggesting that the very journey and choices of the wicked lead them directly into a pre-laid snare, leaving them unable to escape their destined downfall.
Job 18 8 Context
Job 18:8 is part of Bildad's second speech to Job, found in Job 18:1-21. Bildad is a friend of Job who rigidly adheres to the traditional understanding of divine justice: the righteous prosper, and the wicked suffer. In this speech, Bildad does not directly engage with Job's arguments, but instead launches into a vivid, prolonged description of the inescapable doom that awaits the wicked. This particular verse uses imagery of hunting and trapping to assert that the wicked's own actions or destiny lead them into an inescapable trap, illustrating the belief that Job's suffering must be a consequence of his own hidden sins. Historically, this perspective was common in ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature, emphasizing a direct, observable correlation between moral behavior and temporal blessings or curses, a correlation Job's suffering vehemently challenges.
Job 18 8 Word analysis
For he: Implies a definitive statement about the universal subject of "the wicked man" being described by Bildad, suggesting certainty.
is cast: Hebrew: יֻשַׁלַּךְ (yushallakh). This is a passive form of the verb "to throw" (שׁלך - shalak), meaning "he is thrown" or "he is flung down." It suggests an external, forceful action or an inevitable consequence. The wicked person does not willingly enter, but is subject to a compelling force leading to his entrapment.
into a net: Hebrew: בְרֶשֶׁת (bereshet). The term "reshet" (רֶשֶׁת) specifically denotes a hunting net or fowling net. It symbolizes entrapment, loss of freedom, and inescapable capture, often associated with judgment or sudden distress.
by his own feet: Hebrew: רַגְלָיו (raglav). "Raglav" means "his feet." This crucial phrase emphasizes culpability and personal involvement in their own downfall. It signifies that the wicked's chosen path, their actions, or even a misguided step, directly lead them into the snare, rather than external factors alone. It points to a consequence stemming from their way of life.
and he walketh: Hebrew: יִתְהַלָּךְ (yithhallakh). A continuous or habitual form of the verb "to walk" (הלך - halakh). It suggests that the wicked person's entire path or habitual lifestyle places him in continuous proximity to danger, or even directly onto the snare. It conveys a sense of heedlessness or an unconscious progression towards destruction.
upon a snare: Hebrew: עַל-שְׂבָכָה (al-sevakhah). "Sevakhah" (שְׂבָכָה) can refer to a lattice-work, thicket, or more commonly, a noose-like trap or hidden snare. "Upon" (al) implies not merely entering but stepping directly onto or over the trap. This can suggest a second level of entrapment, pervasive danger, or a defiant, unaware journey into fatal peril.
Words-group Analysis:
- "is cast into a net by his own feet": This potent imagery conveys the self-destructive nature of the wicked's path. Their own choices and deeds, their "feet" (representing their life's journey), lead them directly into their own destruction, illustrating the principle that sin holds its adherents captive.
- "he walketh upon a snare": This reinforces the pervasive and unavoidable nature of the wicked's doom. It suggests that their entire existence or daily path is fraught with the instruments of their demise. It paints a picture of blind arrogance or deep ignorance, as they literally tread on their own destruction.
Job 18 8 Bonus section
- Polemics against Complacency: Bildad's speech is, in part, a polemic against any idea that the wicked might escape justice or prosper indefinitely. He is attempting to counter any despair or questioning of God's justice that Job might represent.
- Figurative Language: The verse uses prosopopoeia or personification of actions (feet casting into nets), vivid animal trap imagery common in Wisdom literature, emphasizing the universal truth being communicated about cause and effect.
- Bildad's Blind Spot: While the principle of "sowing and reaping" (Gal 6:7) is foundational in Christian theology, Bildad's application is limited and lacks the nuance of God's broader purposes, such as testing, discipline, or redemptive suffering, as revealed in other parts of the Bible.
Job 18 8 Commentary
Bildad's statement in Job 18:8 forcefully asserts the prevailing ancient wisdom that the wicked inevitably suffer due to their own deeds. He employs powerful hunting metaphors to portray their destiny as a hopeless entanglement. The "net" and "snare" are symbols of the inescapable consequences that await those who choose unrighteousness. The phrase "by his own feet" is pivotal, underscoring that the wicked's actions and life's course are the very mechanisms of their capture. It implies an auto-destructive element inherent in sin; one’s own path of ungodliness becomes the very trap that secures their downfall. Bildad believes Job's suffering is simply proof that Job, too, has stepped onto such a snare, although he fails to comprehend the deeper reasons for Job's affliction beyond a rigid interpretation of sin and punishment. For instance, a person who repeatedly lies may find themselves caught in a web of deceit, unable to escape the consequences of their dishonesty.