Job 8:10 kjv
Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?
Job 8:10 nkjv
Will they not teach you and tell you, And utter words from their heart?
Job 8:10 niv
Will they not instruct you and tell you? Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?
Job 8:10 esv
Will they not teach you and tell you and utter words out of their understanding?
Job 8:10 nlt
But those who came before us will teach you.
They will teach you the wisdom of old.
Job 8 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 32:7 | "Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations; ask your father..." | Counsel to remember past generations' wisdom. |
| Ps 78:3-4 | "what we have heard and known... we will not hide from their children..." | Passing down God's works and truth to generations. |
| Prov 22:6 | "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart..." | Importance of early teaching and instruction. |
| Prov 1:8 | "Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching..." | Valuing parental/ancestral guidance. |
| Job 5:27 | "Behold, this we have searched out; it is true. Hear it, and know it for your good." | Eliphaz also emphasizes verified traditional wisdom. |
| Jer 6:16 | "Thus says the LORD: Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths..." | Seeking guidance from established paths. |
| Job 32:8 | "But it is the spirit in man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding." | Counterpoint: True understanding comes from God, not just age/tradition. |
| Prov 4:23 | "Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life." | The heart as the source of intentions and life's issues. |
| Matt 15:18-19 | "But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person." | What originates in the heart is revealed outwardly (good or bad). |
| Ps 19:14 | "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight..." | Heart's content affecting spoken words. |
| 1 Cor 2:10-14 | "these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit... human wisdom has no part." | Spiritual truths require spiritual understanding, beyond human wisdom. |
| Jas 1:5 | "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all..." | Divine wisdom as the true source, not solely human tradition. |
| Is 55:8-9 | "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD." | God's wisdom transcends human understanding. |
| 1 Cor 1:20-21 | "Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ...the world did not know God through wisdom." | Limits and foolishness of worldly wisdom concerning God. |
| Job 42:7 | "My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right..." | God's ultimate judgment on the friends' human-centric theology. |
| Col 2:8 | "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition..." | Warning against human tradition over divine truth. |
| Titus 1:14 | "not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth." | Rejecting human traditions that oppose truth. |
| Prov 11:14 | "Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety." | Value of wise counsel (when discerning). |
| Ps 90:12 | "So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." | Asking God to grant wisdom. |
| Prov 20:24 | "A man's steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his own way?" | Human inability to fully comprehend divine paths. |
Job 8 verses
Job 8 10 Meaning
Job 8:10 is spoken by Bildad the Shuhite, a friend of Job. In this verse, Bildad emphasizes the authority and profundity of the wisdom passed down by the ancients, urging Job to heed their teachings. He believes that this established, traditional wisdom, rooted deeply in the experience and conviction of forefathers, would certainly offer Job understanding and guidance regarding the nature of suffering and sin, suggesting that the ancients knew best.
Job 8 10 Context
Job 8:10 is part of Bildad's first discourse with Job, immediately following Eliphaz's attempt to persuade Job that his suffering is a result of sin. Bildad, echoing Eliphaz but perhaps more harshly, reinforces the conventional wisdom of his time: the righteous prosper, and the wicked suffer. His argument in Job 8, particularly verses 8-10, appeals to the wisdom of past generations ("our fathers") as the ultimate authority to prove his point. He contends that if Job would only consult this time-tested wisdom, he would find the explanation for his distress – implying Job's hidden iniquity. Bildad's perspective is a clear example of applying rigid retribution theology without discerning God's specific purposes. The historical context reflects a general understanding among ancient Near Eastern cultures where personal piety was often directly linked to material prosperity and well-being, while misfortune was viewed as a direct consequence of divine punishment for sin. Bildad's words represent the entrenched traditional wisdom that Job is challenging by his very experience.
Job 8 10 Word analysis
Will they not (הֲלֹא - ha-lo): This is an interrogative particle often translated as "surely," "indeed," or "is it not?" It expects a positive answer, acting as a strong affirmation rather than a genuine question. Bildad uses it to emphasize the undeniable truth of his claim that the ancients are reliable teachers.
teach you (יֹורוּךָ - yoruchah): From the Hebrew root יָרָה (yarah), which can mean "to throw," "to cast," "to shoot," but in the Hiphil stem, it means "to instruct," "to teach," or "to show the way." This highlights the didactic purpose: the ancients transmit established knowledge. It implies direction and guidance.
and tell you (יֹאמְרוּ לָךְ - yo'mru lach): From אָמַר (amar), "to say" or "to speak." This term suggests articulation and verbal transmission of their understanding directly to Job. It's about communicating a message clearly.
and utter words (וּמִלִּבָּם יוֹצִאוּ דְבָרִים - u-mi-libam yotzi'u devarim):
- וּמִלִּבָּם (u-mi-libam): "and from their heart." In Hebrew thought, the "heart" (lev) is not merely the seat of emotion, but the center of intellect, will, understanding, memory, and conscience. So, "from their heart" implies that the words come from their deepest knowledge, reflection, wisdom, and core being – a place of genuine conviction and deep experience, not mere superficial utterance. It conveys sincerity and profundity. This also reflects the ancient belief that wisdom and counsel originate from the inner person.
- יוֹצִאוּ (yotzi'u): From יָצָא (yatza), "to go out," "to bring forth," "to cause to come out." In this context, it means "to bring forth," "to produce," or "to utter." It suggests a deliberate act of speaking, manifesting the inner conviction.
- דְבָרִים (devarim): Plural of דָּבָר (davar), "words," but also "things," "matters," "affairs." It encompasses spoken statements, principles, or truths.
Word-Group Analysis:
- "Will they not teach you, and tell you": This parallelism emphasizes the dual action of the ancients: they will both instruct you in general principles ("teach") and explicitly state specific truths to you ("tell"). It highlights a comprehensive imparting of knowledge.
- "and utter words from their heart": This phrase underlines the supposed authenticity and profundity of the ancients' wisdom. Their words are not trivial or ill-considered but are believed to stem from their deepest, most insightful reflections and life experiences, giving them unchallengeable authority in Bildad’s view. It suggests that these words carry inherent truth due to their deep origin.
Job 8 10 Bonus section
- Bildad's argument here is an example of a theological polemic against anyone (like Job) who appears to deviate from accepted theological frameworks of the day. He implicitly labels Job's unique experience as a challenge to established "truth."
- The emphasis on "ancients" or "our fathers" throughout Job 8 reflects a cultural reverence for inherited wisdom and tradition in the ancient Near East. Their understanding was often considered foundational and unchallengeable.
- This verse sets up a conflict between "horizontal" wisdom (from human history and tradition) and "vertical" wisdom (from God's direct revelation). The book of Job ultimately argues for the latter's supremacy.
- While seemingly offering solace through wisdom, Bildad's intention is to pressure Job into admitting guilt by presenting his suffering as an undeniable outcome of violating ancestral wisdom.
Job 8 10 Commentary
Bildad's statement in Job 8:10 encapsulates a core tenet of ancient human wisdom, often equating age with sagacity and accumulated knowledge with irrefutable truth. He asserts that the traditions passed down through generations are the ultimate authority, a reliable wellspring of insight that Job should simply accept. The phrase "from their heart" highlights Bildad's conviction in the profound sincerity and experiential depth of this ancestral wisdom. However, this verse inadvertently exposes a major thematic tension in Job: the limitations of human wisdom, even well-intentioned, when confronting divine mysteries and God's sovereignty. Bildad's rigid adherence to human tradition prevents him from discerning God's unique purpose in Job's suffering, failing to account for truths beyond typical cause-and-effect retribution. While valuing the counsel of elders has merit (Prov 22:6, Dt 32:7), Job ultimately reveals that true wisdom (Ps 111:10, Jas 1:5) originates from God alone and often confounds human understanding (Is 55:8-9). This verse serves as a crucial backdrop for the later divine revelation in Job, which critiques the friends' overly simplistic and human-centered theological frameworks.