Job 18:4 - Exposition

He teareth himself in his anger . The Hebrew idiom, which allows of rapid transitions from the second to the third person, and vice versa , cannot be transferred without harshness to our modern speech. Our Revisers have given the true force of the original by discarding the third person, and translating, "Thou that tearest thyself in thine anger." There is probably an allusion to Job 16:9 , where Job had represented God as "tearing him in his wrath." Bildad says it is not God who tests him—he tears himself. Shall the earth be forsaken for thee? i.e. "Shall the course of the world be altered to meet thy wishes, to suit thy case?" Job had wished for all manner of impossible things ( Job 3:3-6 ; Job 9:32-35 ; Job 13:21 , Job 13:22 ; Job 16:21 ; Job 17:3 ). Bildad's reproach is thus not wholly unjust. But he makes no allowance for the wild utter-shoes of one who is half distraught. And shall the rock be removed out of his place? Shall that which is most solid and firm give way, and alter its nature?