Job 8:11-12

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 8:8-19

Bildad here discourses very well on the sad catastrophe of hypocrites and evil-doers and the fatal period of all their hopes and joys. He will not be so bold as to say with Eliphaz that none that were righteous were ever cut off thus (Job 4:7); yet he takes it for granted that God, in the course of his providence, does ordinarily bring wicked men, who seemed pious and were prosperous, to shame and ruin in this world, and that, by making their prosperity short, he discovers their piety to be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 8:11

Can the rush grow up without mire ?.... No, at least not long, or so as to lift up his head on high, as the word signifies F1 היגאה "an attollit se", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius; "an superbiet", so some; Beza, Schultens. ; the rush or bulrush, which seems to be meant, delights in watery places, and has its name in Hebrew from its absorbing or drinking up water; it grows in moist and watery clay, or in marshy places, which Jarchi says is the sense of the word here... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 8:12

Whilst it is yet in its greenness ,.... Before it is come to its full height, or to a proper ripeness; when as yet it has not flowered, or is about it; before the time usual for it to turn and change; it being without moisture, water, or watery clay, will change: and not cut down ; by the scythe, or cropped by the hand of man: it withereth before any other herb ; of itself; rather sooner than such that do not require so much moisture; or in the sight and presence of them, they... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 8:11

Can the rush grow - The word גמא gome , which we translate rush, is, without doubt, the Egyptian flag papyrus, on which the ancients wrote, and from which our paper derives its name. The Septuagint, who made their Greek translation in Egypt, (if this book made a part of it), and knew well the import of each word in both languages, render גמא gome by παπυρος papyrus, thus: Μη θαλλει παπυρος ανευ ὑδατος ; Can the Papyrus flourish without water? Their translation leaves no doubt... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 8:12

Whilst it is yet in his greenness - We do not know enough of the natural history of this plant to be able to discern the strength of this allusion; but we learn from it that, although this plant be very succulent, and grow to a great size, yet it is short-lived, and speedily withers; and this we may suppose to be in the dry season, or on the retreat of the waters of the Nile. However, Soon Ripe, soon Rotten, is a maxim in horticulture. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 8:1-22

Shall not the Judge of all … do right? The supposed attack of Job , by implication, upon the justice of God gives an opening for renewed admonitions and rebukes on the part of his friends. Bildad now comes forward and delivers a discourse full of noble faith, however its principles may be in this case misapplied. Rebuking the grievous complaints of Job as a wind, full of noise and emptiness (verse 2), he proceeds— I. TO INSIST ON THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD . This is an... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 8:8-19

The hypocrite's hope. Back to the testimony of the ages ( Job 8:8-10 ) Bildad refers his suffering friend, to find there evidences of the security of the perfect man and the worthlessness of the expectation of the hypocrite. With beautiful figurativeness he illustrates these truths, and only errs in the covert implication that in hypocrisy is to be found the cause of Job's present sufferings. The hypocrite's hope vain and deceitful. I. IT IS TEMPORARY . Passing away as the "rush... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 8:8-22

Bildad to Job: 2. Wisdom from the ancients. I. THE TEACHERS . The world's gray fathers, not the immediate predecessors of Job, Bildad, and their contemporaries, but the progenitors of these—their remote ancestors, who are here described as: 1 . Early born. In contrast to the men of Job's time, who are characterized as being late born, literally, "yesterday;" i.e. of yesterday, as if ascending the stream of time meant the same thing as approaching the primal fountains of truth—a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 8:11

Can the rush grow up without mire? The word translated "rush" ( גמא ) is that which occurs also in Exodus if. 3: Isaiah 18:2 and Isaiah 35:7 , as designating a plant common in Egypt, and which is only found in these four places. It is generally admitted that the "papyrus" is meant "a plant of the Cyperaceae ' or sedge family, which was formerly common in Egypt". The chief peculiarity of the papyrus is its triangular stem, which rises to the height of six or seven, sometimes even... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 8:11-12

The rush and the papryus. From history Bildad turns to nature, or rather to a traditional saying about nature—to an old proverb; possibly it has been suggested from Egyptian lore. I. THE PLANTS SPRING FROM WATER . Both of these plants grow in marshes or pools, and by the banks of rivers and canals. They both need an abundance of water. man can only live when nourished by the goodness of God. The Christian can only grow to maturity when planted by the unfailing streams of the... read more

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