For he is cast into a net by his own feet. He walks of his own accord into a snare, not necessarily into one that he has himself set for others, as in Psalms 7:15 ; Psalms 9:15 ; Psalms 35:8 ; Psalms 57:6 ; and Proverbs 26:27 ; but either into one of his own setting, or into one laid for him by others (see Proverbs 26:10 ). And he walketh upon a snare . A mere repetition of the idea expressed in the preceding hemistich. read more
The sinner entrapped by his own feet. According to Bildad's representation, the wicked man needs no huntsman to run him to earth. His own fatuous course will lead him to ruin. his own foolish feet walk into the snare. I. THE READY SNARE . "The snare is laid for him in the ground." 1 . Its author. It is laid for him. He does not make and set it; he does not know where it is. If he knew, of course he would avoid it. He does not even think of its existence. Were he to do so,... read more
The gin shall take him by the heel, and the robber (rather, the man-trap ) shall prevail against him . Fifty years ago man-traps were commonly set at night in gardens and orchards in this country, which held intending thieves until the proprietor came and took them before a magistrate in the morning. (On the employment of such traps in antiquity, see Herod; 2:121. § 2.) read more
The snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in the way; or, the noose is hid for him in the ground (see the Revised Version). Six different kinds of traps or snares are mentioned, "the speaker heaping together every word that he can find descriptive of the art of snaring." The art had been well studied by the Egyptians long before the age of Job, and a great variety of contrivances for capturing both beasts and birds are represented on the very early monuments. We may... read more
For he is cast into a net by his own feet - He is caught in his own tricks, as if he had spread a net or dug a pitfall for another, and had fallen into it himself. The meaning is, that he would bring ruin upon himself while he was plotting the rain of others; see Psalms 9:16, “The wicked is snared by the work of his own hands;” compare the note at Job 5:13. The phrase “by his own feet” here means, that he walks there himself. He is not led or driven by others, but he goes himself into the net.... read more
The gin - Another method of taking wild beasts. It was a snare so made as to spring suddenly on an animal, securing him by the neck or feet. We use a trap for the same purpose. The Hebrew word (פח pach) may denote anything of this kind - a snare, net, noose, etc. with which birds or wild animals are taken.By the heel - By the foot.And the robber shall prevail - He shall be overpowered by the highwayman; or the plunderer shall make a sudden descent upon him, and strip him of his all. The meaning... read more
The snare is laid - All this language is taken from the modes of taking wild beasts; but it is not possible to designate with absolute certainty the methods in which it was done. The word used here (חבל chebel) means a cord, or rope; and then a snare, gin, or toil, such as is used by hunters. It was used in some way as a noose to secure an animal. This was concealed (Hebrew) “in the earth” - so covered up that an animal would not perceive it, and so constructed that it might be made to spring... read more
Job 18:8. He is cast into a net by his own feet By his own choice, design, and actions. And he walketh upon a snare Or, as the words may be rendered, runneth to and fro on the toils, and therefore must needs be entangled and destroyed. “The metaphor” says Heath, “is taken from a beast, which the hunters have driven into the toils. He runs hither and thither, striving to find a way out, but the net entangles him more and more, till at length it fastens upon him.” read more
Job 18:9-10. The gin shall take him by the heel That is, take fast hold on him, so as to keep him in those distresses. And the robber shall prevail against him Hebrew, צמים , tsammim, the horrible or terrible man, the huntsman that laid the snare for him shall come upon him, when he is insnared, take and spoil or kill him. The snare is laid for him in the ground Where he did not discern nor expect it. The former snare he laid for himself, but this was laid for him by another. read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Job 18:5-21
Bildad, from this point, turns wholly to denunciation. He strings together a long series of menaces—probably ancient saws, drawn from "the wisdom of the Beni Kedem" ( 1 Kings 4:30 ), and descriptive of the wretched fate of the wicked man, with whom he identifies Job. read more