The Book of Job Paraphrased, Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
ARGUMENT.
In this Chapter Bildad again takes up the Diſpute, and pretends to reply to what Job had ſaid. But I do not ſee any thing new, ſaving the deſcription he makes (as Eliphaz had done before him) of the Ruine which ſhall inevitably fall, according to the fixed rules of Providence, (ſo he fanſied) upon the Wicked and his family; notwithſtanding all the aſſiſtence that his Friends and Allies can lend him for his Preſervation. And this he ſeems to imply was the fate of Job; whom he doth not ſo much as exhort to Repentance, (as he had done in his former Diſcourſe Chap. VIII.) being very angry with him, that he had no higher eſteem of their Wiſedom.
1. THEN anſwered Bildad the Shuhite, and ſaid,1. THEN Bildad the Shuhite, ſeeing Job continue in his firſt opinion, roſe up, and ſaid,
2. How long will it be, ere you make an end of words? mark, and afterwards we will ſpeak.2. How long ſhall we continue this Diſpute? Let us make an end of it, unleſs he will attend better to our Reaſons; then we will go on to argue with him.
3. Wherefore are we counted as beaſts, and reputed vile in your ſight?3. To what purpoſe is it to talk with one who tells us we underſtand nothing, (XVII. 4, 10.) but looks upon us as a company of dull Beaſts, into whom nothing of Wiſedome will enter?
4. He teareth himſelf in his anger: ſhall the earth be forſaken for thee? and ſhall the rock be removed out of his place?4. Such is his Paſſion; which will not let him ſee how he himſelf, like a wild Beaſt, tears his own Soul in pieces with impatient Anger. What art thou, that God for thy ſake ſhould ceaſe to govern the world by his known Laws, which are fixt and immutable?
5. Yea, the light of the wicked ſhall be put out, and the ſpark of his fire ſhall not ſhine.5. Say what thou wilt, it is an everlaſting Truth, that the Wicked ſhall not continue in the Splendour wherein we ſometime ſee him: but though he ſeem to ſit as by a great fire, (warm in his wealth and honour and power,) there ſhall not remain ſo much as a ſpark to comfort him.
6. The light ſhall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle ſhall be put out with him.6. The glory of his Family ſhall be turned into contempt, and all their joy ſhall end in ſorrow.
7. The ſteps of his ſtrength ſhall be ſtreightned, and his own counſel ſhall caſt him down.7. The attempts which his power makes to preſerve his Greatneſs, ſhall but more perplex him: and his own devices ſhall prove his overthrow.
8. For he is caſt into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a ſnare.8. He ſhall intangle himſelf by his own wiles; and, having contrived himſelf into danger, every ſtep he takes in purſuance of his deſigns ſhall farther inſnare him.
9. The grin ſhall take him by the heel, and the robber ſhall prevail againſt him.9. Before he is aware he ſhall find it ſo impoſſible to diſengage himſelf; that they who thirſt after his bloud, or wealth, or place, ſhall eaſily lay hold on him.
10. The ſnare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in the way.10. He ſhall not foreſee his danger; but be caught as a Bird or a Beaſt in a Snare or Trap, when he thinks himſelf ſecure in his proceedings.
11. Terrours ſhall make him afraid on every ſide, and ſhall drive him to his feet.11. Then he ſhall be ſurrounded with a thouſand Terrours; and which way ſoever he runs to ſave himſelf, he ſhall meet with them.
12. His ſtrength ſhall be hunger-bitten, and deſtruction ſhall be ready at his ſide.12. He ſhall pine away till he hath no ſtrength remaining: for nothing but Miſchief ſhall attend and accompany him in every place.
13. It ſhall devour the ſtrength of his skin: even the firſt-born of death ſhall devour his ſtrength.13. Rottenneſs ſhall eat up his bones; I ſay, his very bones ſhall rot and be conſumed.
14. His confidence ſhall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it ſhall bring him to the king of terrours.14. Whatſoever he relies upon for the ſupport of himſelf and Family, it ſhall utterly fail him; nay, help to haſten his Death, the moſt dreadfull of all his Enemies.
15. It ſhall dwell in his tabernacle, becauſe it is none of his: brimſtone ſhall be ſcattered upon his habitation.15. That man had beſt take heed, who ſhall have a mind to dwell in his Houſe when he hath left it; for thunder and lightning ſhall deſtroy it.
16. His roots ſhall be dried up beneath, and above ſhall his branch be cut off.16. And it ſhall never be built up again, nor ſhall his Family be reſtored; but be like a Tree, whoſe roots are ſo dried up in the earth, that it ſhall never ſhoot forth any more branches.
17. His remembrance ſhall periſh from the earth, and he ſhall have no name in the ſtreet.17. His very Memory ſhall periſh, as well as himſelf; and his Name never be mentioned among men, unleſs it be to make him infamous.
18. He ſhall be driven from light into darkneſs, and chaſed out of the world.18. He ſhall be caſt out of his ſplendid Greatneſs into ſome obſcure Grave; and removed out of the world as ſome unclean thing.
19. He ſhall neither have ſon nor nephew among his people, nor any remaining in his dwellings.19. None of his Deſcendents ſhall ſurvive him; nor any of his Kindred remain to keep up his Name.
20. They that come after him ſhall be aſtonied at his day, as they that went before were affrighted.20. Future times ſhall reade of this ſevere Vengeance of God upon him with aſtoniſhment; as they who ſee it ſhall be ſeized with horrour.
21. Surely ſuch are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God.21. Certain it is, that this is a juſt deſcription of the miſerable condition of the Wicked: they that do not honour God ſhall thus be abaſed.