Bildad

11Job had three friends. They heard about all the trouble that had come to him. Their names were Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Each one came from his own home. They planned together to go and be sad with Job and comfort him.

Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

NoteThese three friends each came from a town far away. Long ago people were often named for the place they came from. To comfort someone means to sit with them and help them feel less sad.

12They looked up while they were still far away. They could hardly tell it was Job. They cried out loud. Each man tore his coat. They threw dust in the air over their heads.

And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.

NoteTearing your coat showed everyone that you were very sad. Throwing dust over your head did the same thing. These were the ways people showed big sorrow, the way we might cry at a funeral.

13They sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him. They saw that his pain was very great.

So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

NoteSeven days was how long people usually mourned when someone died. Sitting quietly beside a hurting friend was a way of showing love.

1Then Bildad, a man from the land of Shuah, answered Job. He said:

Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

NoteBildad was one of Job's three friends. They came to sit with Job when he was sad. Now each one takes a turn talking.

2How long will you keep talking like this? Your words are like a loud, blowing wind.

How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?

NoteBildad says Job's words are like wind. He means Job is making a lot of noise and saying nothing useful.

3Does God ever twist what is right? Does the Almighty, the God who is stronger than all, ever judge unfairly?

Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

Note"The Almighty" is a name for God. It means God is stronger than anyone or anything.

4If your children sinned against him, then he handed them over to the wrong they did.

If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;

NoteJob's ten children had died earlier in the story. Bildad is talking about them here. To sin means to do what is wrong against God.

5But if you would look hard for God, and ask the Almighty to be kind to you,

If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

6and if you are clean and honest, then God will get up and act for you. He will put your home back the way it should be.

If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

Note"Clean" here does not mean washed. It means a person has done nothing wrong.

7Your start may have been small. But your later days will grow big and full.

Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

8Please ask about the people who lived long ago. Think about what their fathers learned.

For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

NoteIn Job's time almost nobody had books. People learned by listening to older people tell stories.

9We were born only yesterday, and we know nothing. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow.

(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)

NoteA shadow slides away as the sun moves. Bildad means our lives on earth pass by fast.

10Won't those older people teach you and tell you? They will say what they have learned.

Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?

11Can a tall marsh plant grow where there is no wet ground? Can reeds grow with no water?

Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?

NoteReeds are tall grassy plants. They only grow in wet, muddy ground near water.

12While the shoots are still green and uncut, they dry up. They wither faster than grass.

Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.

13That is what happens to everyone who forgets God. The hope of a person who only pretends to be good dies.

So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish:

NoteThe old word here is "hypocrite." It means someone who acts good on the outside but is not.

14What he trusts in breaks easily. He leans on something as thin as a spider's web.

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

NoteA spider's web looks like it could hold something. But it tears the moment you push on it.

15He leans on that web, but it gives way. He holds on tight, but it does not last.

He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.

16He is like a green plant in the sunshine. Its new shoots spread out over the garden.

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

NoteBildad is still talking about the person who forgets God. He describes that person as a plant.

17Its roots wrap around a pile of rocks. It looks for a place among the stones.

His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones.

18But if it is pulled up from that spot, the place will say, "I never saw you."

If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.

NoteThe ground cannot really talk. This is a way of saying nothing is left to show the plant was ever there.

19See, that is all the joy his way brings him. Other plants will grow up from the dirt.

Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.

20Look, God does not throw away a good and honest man. And he does not hold up the hand of people who do evil.

Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers:

NoteThe old word here is "perfect." It does not mean a person who never makes mistakes. It means someone who is honest all the way through.

21God will still fill your mouth with laughing. Your lips will shout for joy.

Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.

22The people who hate you will be covered with shame. The tent of wicked people will be gone.

They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.

NoteMost families then lived in tents made of cloth. A person's tent meant their home and their whole family.

1Then Bildad, who came from a place called Shuah, answered Job.

Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

NoteBildad is one of three friends who came to visit Job. Job is very sick and very sad. The friends keep saying Job must have done something bad. Shuah was the land Bildad came from.

2He said, "How long will you keep talking? Stop and think. Then we can talk too."

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

3"Why do you treat us like cattle? Why do you act like we are stupid?"

Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight?

NoteCattle are cows and other farm animals. Calling someone an animal was a way of saying he was stupid.

4"You tear at yourself when you are angry. Should the whole earth change just for you? Should the rocks move out of their places?"

He teareth himself in his anger: shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place?

NoteBig rocks and the earth stay right where they are. Bildad means the world will not change its ways just for Job.

5"The lamp of a bad person will go out. The flame of his fire will not shine."

Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine.

NoteA lamp then was a little clay bowl of oil with a string in it. Saying a person's lamp goes out was a way of saying his life ends.

6"The light inside his tent will grow dark. The lamp beside him will go out."

The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him.

NotePeople in Job's time lived in tents made of cloth or animal hair.

7"His strong, quick steps will get short and slow. His own plans will trip him and knock him down."

The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel shall cast him down.

8"His own feet walk him right into a net. He wanders straight into its ropes."

For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare.

NoteHunters caught animals with nets and ropes hidden on the ground. Bildad uses that picture for a man getting caught by trouble.

9"A trap grabs him by the heel. A snare holds him tight."

The gin shall take him by the heel, and the robber shall prevail against him.

NoteA snare is a loop of rope hidden on a path. It grabs an animal's foot and holds it tight.

10"A rope is hidden in the ground to catch him. A trap waits on the path where he walks."

The snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in the way.

11"Scary things frighten him from every side. They chase him with every step he takes."

Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him to his feet.

12"His strength runs out and he grows weak. Trouble waits right beside him."

His strength shall be hungerbitten, and destruction shall be ready at his side.

13"Disease eats away pieces of his skin. Death's worst sickness eats his arms and legs."

It shall devour the strength of his skin: even the firstborn of death shall devour his strength.

NoteThe King James Version says "the firstborn of death." That was a way of saying the very worst sickness of all.

14"He is pulled out of his tent, where he felt safe. He is marched away to the king of terrors."

His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors.

Note"The king of terrors" was a name people used for death itself.

15"Fire lives in his tent now. Burning sulfur rains down on his home."

It shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none of his: brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.

NoteSulfur is a yellow rock. It burns with hot fire and a very bad smell.

16"His roots dry up down below. His branches wither up above."

His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off.

NotePeople often talked about a family like a tree. The roots and branches mean parents, children and grandchildren.

17"No one on earth will remember him. His name will not be spoken in the land."

His remembrance shall perish from the earth, and he shall have no name in the street.

NoteBack then, families were remembered by saying their names out loud. Being forgotten by everyone was one of the saddest things people could think of.

18"He is pushed out of the light into the dark. He is chased away from the world where people live."

He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world.

19"He will have no children or grandchildren among his people. No one from his family will be left where he lived."

He shall neither have son nor nephew among his people, nor any remaining in his dwellings.

NoteHaving children and grandchildren mattered very much then. They kept your family name going after you died.

20"People in the west are shocked at what happened to him. People in the east shake with fear."

They that come after him shall be astonied at his day, as they that went before were affrighted.

NoteThe old words here mean both "after" and "before" and also west and east. Bildad means people everywhere were shocked.

21"This is what happens in the homes of bad people. This is the place of the person who does not know God."

Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God.

1Then Bildad, a man from the land of Shuah, answered Job. He said:

Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

NoteBildad was one of three friends who came to talk with Job. Job had lost his children, his animals, and his health. His friends kept saying his troubles were his own fault. Shuah was the faraway place Bildad came from.

2God rules over all, and people stand in awe of him. He keeps peace in the high places of heaven.

Dominion and fear are with him, he maketh peace in his high places.

NoteTo stand in awe means to feel very small and quiet before someone great. The high places are the sky and heaven, far above the earth.

3Can anyone count God's armies? Is there anyone his light does not shine on?

Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom doth not his light arise?

NoteGod's armies here means his angels, the helpers who serve him in heaven. Bildad is saying there are too many to count.

4So how can a person ever be right with God? How can anyone born of a woman be clean?

How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?

NoteClean here does not mean washed hands. It means good enough and pure enough to stand near God.

5Look. Even the moon is not bright next to God. Even the stars are not pure when he looks at them.

Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight.

NoteThe moon and stars looked like the brightest things people knew. Bildad says even they look dim beside God.

6So a person is even less pure. People are only like small worms.

How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?

NoteCalling a person a worm was a way of saying very small and weak. Bildad is not being mean about worms. He means people are tiny next to God.

7After the LORD said these things to Job, he spoke to Eliphaz from Teman. He said, "I am angry with you and your two friends. You did not say true things about me, but my servant Job did.

And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.

NoteEliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar were Job's three friends. They had come to visit him when he lost everything. They kept telling him his troubles were his own fault.

8So bring seven bulls and seven rams. Go to my servant Job. Burn them on an altar as a gift to me for yourselves. Then my servant Job will pray for you. I will listen to his prayer. I will not punish you for your foolish words, though you did not say true things about me, as my servant Job did.

Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.

NoteA burnt offering was a gift given to God. An animal was burned on a stone table called an altar. Seven bulls and seven rams was a very big, costly gift.

9So Eliphaz from Teman, Bildad from Shuah, and Zophar from Naamah went and did what the LORD said. And the LORD listened to Job's prayer.

So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job.

NoteTeman, Shuah, and Naamah were the places the three friends came from.