Job 8:11-17

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 8:13

So are the paths of all that forget God ,.... Who forget that there is a God; he is not in all, and scarce in any of their thoughts, and they live without him in the world; who forget the works of God, of creation and providence, in which there is a glorious display of his being and perfections; who forget the benefits and blessings of his goodness they are every day partakers of, and are not thankful for them; and who forget the word, worship, and ordinances of God, and follow after and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 8:14

Whose hope shall be cut off ,.... The same thing as before, expressed in different words, and repeated for the certainty of it; signifying that it should be of no manner of use, should be wholly lost, and issue in black despair: the word has the signification of loathing, and is differently rendered, either, "whom his hope shall loathe" F5 אשר יקוט כסלז "quem abominabitur spes ejus", Montanus; "fastidit", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "cum taedio rejectabit", Schultens. or,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 8:15

He shall lean upon his house ,.... Either the spider or the hypocrite, or the hypocrite as the spider; that is, that which is the ground of his confidence, which is as the spider's house, on that he shall depend, either on his riches and outward prosperity, which he promises himself a long continuance of, and from whence he concludes himself to be high in the favour and good will of God; or on his works of righteousness, his outward profession of religion, attendance on external worship, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 8:16

He is green before the sun ,.... Which some understand of the rush or flag, of which a further account is given, as setting forth more fully the case of wicked men and hypocrites; but to either of these do not agree the situation of it in a garden, the shooting forth of its branches, and the height of it, and its striking its roots deep in stony places: Cocceius interprets it of the "herb" or grass before which the flag withers, Job 8:12 ; but the same objections, or most of them, lie... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 8:17

His roots are wrapped about the heap ,.... The heap of stones where the tree stands; it strikes its roots among them, and implicates and twists them about them, and secures itself and grows up notwithstanding them: and this expresses the seeming stable state and condition of hypocrites for a season, who not only flourish, but seem to take root; and who maintain their ground amidst some difficulties; this fitly agrees with and describes such hearers of the word, and professors of religion,... 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

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