Job 8 14

Job 8:14 kjv

Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web.

Job 8:14 nkjv

Whose confidence shall be cut off, And whose trust is a spider's web.

Job 8:14 niv

What they trust in is fragile; what they rely on is a spider's web.

Job 8:14 esv

His confidence is severed, and his trust is a spider's web.

Job 8:14 nlt

Their confidence hangs by a thread.
They are leaning on a spider's web.

Job 8 verses

Job 8 14 Meaning

Bildad, speaking from conventional wisdom, declares that the confidence and security of a wicked person are utterly without foundation and destined to perish. Their hope, like a fragile spider's web, is insubstantial and easily destroyed, offering no lasting stability or protection against adversity. It signifies that any trust or prosperity built apart from God is transient and leads to ultimate ruin.

Job 8 14 Context

Job 8:14 is spoken by Bildad the Shuhite, one of Job's three friends, in his first speech. After Job expresses his lament and wishes for death, Bildad enters the discussion, echoing a common ancient Near Eastern (ANE) wisdom tradition: God is just, and suffering is always a direct consequence of sin. Bildad firmly believes in the principle of divine retribution—the wicked are punished, and the righteous are blessed. In verses 8:1-10, he urges Job to consider the ancient traditions and argues that Job’s children must have sinned and Job himself should seek God’s face. He then transitions to a series of natural metaphors (reeds, grass without water) to illustrate the rapid downfall of the godless, culminating in the spider's web metaphor in verse 14 to depict the complete instability and ultimate destruction of the wicked person's false confidence. The historical and cultural context reflects a deeply held belief in mechanical causality between action and outcome, a concept Job's suffering intensely challenges. Bildad's words serve as a polemic against Job's assertions of innocence by reinforcing the established view that any calamity must be the result of iniquity, thus dismissing Job’s true plight.

Job 8 14 Word analysis

• whose: (Heb. אֲשֶׁר, 'asher) - A relative pronoun that connects to the preceding thought. It points to "the godless man" or "the hypocrite" from verse 13.

• confidence: (Heb. כִּסְלוֹ, kislô) - From the root kesel, meaning "loins" (the fleshy part of the sides, often associated with strength or foolishness). Here, it denotes "foolish confidence," "false hope," "vain security," or "stupidity" in relying on one's own means or human schemes rather than divine strength. It points to a misguided self-assurance.

• is fragile: (Heb. יָקוֹט, yaqoṭ) - From the verb root qut, which can mean "to abhor," "loathe," "be disgusted," or "to cut off," "to dissolve," "perish." This word implies not just weakness, but an active rejection, cutting short, or rapid perishing of this confidence. It's an active process of being dismantled or held in contempt.

• and: (Heb. וּ, u) - A simple conjunction connecting the two parallel phrases, intensifying the description of the wicked's instability.

• whose trust: (Heb. מִבְטַחֹו, miḇṭaḥô) - From the root bâṭaḥ, meaning "to trust," "rely," "be confident." This term specifically refers to what one places their reliance upon for safety and security. It often signifies a secure state, but here, it's modified to be unstable. It functions as a near-synonym to kislô, reinforcing the idea of misplaced reliance.

• is a spider's web: (Heb. בֵית-עַכָּבִישׁ, bêt-'akkāḇîš) - Literally "house of a spider." This is a potent metaphor.

  • house of: (Heb. בֵית, bêt) - Emphasizes where one resides or builds their security. The web serves as the spider's home, trap, and defense.
  • spider: (Heb. עַכָּבִישׁ, 'akkāḇîš) - The creature whose labor produces this flimsy structure.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • whose confidence is fragile: This phrase highlights the intrinsic instability of the wicked person's hope. Their self-assuredness or worldly-based security is inherently prone to collapse, suggesting it lacks divine approval or substance. It’s not just weak, but actively falling apart or deserving of contempt.
  • and whose trust is a spider's web: This second phrase is a parallel and more illustrative description. The "spider's web" image powerfully conveys:
    • Flimsiness and Lack of Substance: It offers no solid foundation or enduring strength against pressure, unlike rock or mighty trees.
    • Ease of Destruction: A slight breeze or human touch can obliterate it.
    • Uselessness for Shelter or Defense: It cannot protect its builder from storms or powerful enemies, even though it's their "house" or "refuge."
    • Product of Self: Like the spider that spins the web from its own body, the wicked build their trust from their own efforts and resources, apart from God. This reliance on self ultimately ensnares them, not others, or serves as a temporary snare that is easily broken. It cannot hold weight or provide comfort, contrasting starkly with God as a firm foundation. This directly relates to Isa 59:5-6, which condemns the futile and deceptive works of the wicked as spinning a "spider's web."

Job 8 14 Bonus section

The metaphorical contrast inherent in Bildad’s speech is not explicitly stated in Job 8:14, but implicitly points to God as the true foundation of lasting hope and security. Ancient Near Eastern wisdom often utilized natural imagery to illustrate spiritual truths, and here, the ephemeral nature of the spider's web is a potent symbol against human-centric efforts at security. While Bildad wrongly applies this to Job, his theological point about the perishability of ungodly trust resonates deeply within biblical teaching. The Hebrew terms kesel and miḇṭaḥ further highlight that it is a false confidence or a misplaced trust, as opposed to the enduring trust one should place in God (cf. Ps 40:4). This also subtly functions as a polemic against reliance on idols or human strength, common ancient cultural practices where security was sought in tangible, self-made entities.

Job 8 14 Commentary

Job 8:14 succinctly captures Bildad's legalistic assessment of the wicked, positing that their apparent stability and hopes are inherently fraudulent and doomed. The use of two similar terms, "confidence" (kislô) and "trust" (miḇṭaḥô), stresses the comprehensive hollowness of the ungodly person's security, affecting both their internal state of mind and external reliance. The stark imagery of a "spider's web" is paramount. It’s not a sturdy dwelling, nor a durable shield, but a flimsy, transient construction designed more for fleeting entrapment than enduring safety. It illustrates how readily the self-made security of the wicked collapses under divine scrutiny or adverse circumstances, lacking any real anchor in the eternal God. This serves as a warning against placing one's ultimate hope or reliance on anything other than the Almighty. For example, a person may boast of great wealth, political influence, or robust health, finding security in these things. Yet, just as swiftly as a gust of wind tears down a spider's web, illness, economic downturn, or political upheaval can strip away such fleeting comforts, revealing the emptiness of such trust.