Job 8 16

Job 8:16 kjv

He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.

Job 8:16 nkjv

He grows green in the sun, And his branches spread out in his garden.

Job 8:16 niv

They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden;

Job 8:16 esv

He is a lush plant before the sun, and his shoots spread over his garden.

Job 8:16 nlt

The godless seem like a lush plant growing in the sunshine,
its branches spreading across the garden.

Job 8 verses

Job 8 16 Meaning

Job 8:16, spoken by Bildad, vividly describes a wicked person experiencing a period of abundant prosperity, likening them to a lush, vigorous plant flourishing under optimal conditions. This outward success is presented as seemingly strong and expansive, firmly rooted and growing without hindrance in its own perceived secure environment. However, this imagery serves as a setup for Bildad's immediate subsequent argument, where he contends that such transient flourishing lacks true substance and will inevitably wither away, contrasting it sharply with the enduring nature of the righteous.

Job 8 16 Context

Job 8:16 is part of Bildad the Shuhite's second speech to Job (Job 8:1-22). Bildad represents the conventional wisdom of his time, holding rigidly to the retribution principle: righteousness leads to prosperity, and wickedness leads to suffering. He strongly believes that Job's profound suffering is direct evidence of Job's significant sin, despite Job's protestations of innocence.

In this chapter, Bildad employs natural analogies, comparing the fate of the wicked to a plant that thrives temporarily but quickly withers. He opens by asserting God's justice and implying Job's children must have sinned to die (vv. 3-4). He then urges Job to seek God, promising restoration if Job is pure (vv. 5-7). To support his argument, he contrasts the flourishing yet fleeting existence of a papyrus or marsh grass that withers without water (vv. 11-13) with the prosperity of a wicked person. Verse 16 describes this initial outward flourishing of the wicked individual—like a vibrant, well-placed plant. This sets up the inevitable and sudden destruction of the wicked, as depicted in the following verses (e.g., v. 19), where Bildad asserts that their hope and life will be cut short, contrasting their false hope with the "hope" (root/trust) of the righteous. This is a polemic against any notion that wickedness can lead to lasting prosperity, and a clear challenge to Job's situation, suggesting Job's present state is merely the final stage of his prior flourishing.

Word Analysis

• He: Refers implicitly to the wicked man (personified as a plant) from Bildad's earlier argument in verses 11-15, setting up the contrast.
• is green (יָרֹק, yaroq): An adjective meaning "fresh, green, verdant." It conveys a vibrant, healthy, flourishing state, signifying vigor and robust vitality. This highlights outward, visible prosperity.
• before (לִפְנֵי, lifnei): Literally "before the face of," indicating direct exposure, in the presence of, or under. It implies unhindered reception of the sun's benefits.
• the sun (שֶׁמֶשׁ, shemesh): The source of light and life for a plant, signifying optimal conditions for growth and public visibility of success. However, for Bildad's subsequent argument (and in biblical imagery), intense sun can also scorch and wither, foreshadowing the plant's ultimate fate.
• and his branch (וְעַל־יוֹנִקְתּוֹ, v'al-yonqeto): Yoneqeth (יוֹנֶקֶת) means a "suckling shoot, fresh sprout, young branch." It suggests a tender, young but vigorous new growth, implying expansion and continued vitality. The image is of fresh, new life springing forth.
• shoots forth (יֵצֵא, yetze): From the verb yatza (יָצָא), meaning "to go out, come forth, sprout, spread." It conveys the idea of unrestricted, burgeoning growth and expansion, showing a plant extending itself confidently.
• in his garden (בְגַנּוֹ, b'ganno): "His garden" (גַּן, gan with possessive suffix) denotes a cultivated, protected, and fertile area, providing ideal growing conditions. This implies a secure, nurtured, and prosperous environment which the wicked person enjoys, contributing to their outward display of success.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "He is green before the sun": This phrase paints a picture of intense, visible vitality. The wicked individual is thriving openly, basking in the light and benefits of their surroundings, enjoying what appears to be prime health and flourishing prosperity without immediate adverse effects.
• "and his branch shoots forth in his garden": This complements the first part, emphasizing further outward expansion and establishment within a secure, managed environment. It portrays the wicked one's perceived stability, sustained growth, and even control over their immediate circumstances, creating an image of complete and successful development.

Job 8 16 Commentary

Job 8:16 serves as a key rhetorical device in Bildad's speech, establishing the premise for his argument about the impermanence of the wicked. He masterfully uses the relatable imagery of a lush, thriving plant—verdant, vigorous, and expanding in its own garden—to represent the initial, undeniable prosperity of some wicked individuals. The detail of "before the sun" indicates optimal conditions and visibility for this success. This vivid picture of flourishing creates a stark contrast to what Bildad insists must be their inevitable end. It's a testament to Bildad's observation of the real world where evil people do, for a time, appear to prosper greatly. However, his theological error lies in reducing all prosperity to a mark of righteousness and all suffering to a mark of sin, missing the larger, more complex tapestry of divine purpose revealed later in the book. This verse's illustration of outward vibrancy is ultimately a deceptive illusion of security, preceding a swift and catastrophic decline that Bildad promises for all who are not righteous, thereby implicitly condemning Job.

Bonus SectionBildad's use of natural imagery (plants, grass, garden) is common in wisdom literature across the Ancient Near East and is employed elsewhere in the Bible (e.g., Psa 1, Isa 40, Jer 17) to illustrate the transient nature of human life or the flourishing of the righteous/wicked. However, unlike some biblical authors who acknowledge the true, enduring flourishing of the righteous (e.g., Ps 1), Bildad applies the plant metaphor primarily to underscore the fragility and short-livedness of the wicked's success. This image, initially positive, becomes ominous when placed within the context of his broader argument that this growth, while impressive, lacks a deep root of righteousness and therefore cannot withstand the heat of divine judgment, foreshadowed by the "sun" that nurtures but can also scorch. This highlights a limitation of Bildad's wisdom—it is derived from tradition and observation, but is insufficient to comprehend God's deeper wisdom concerning suffering.