Job 18:13

_IT SHALL DEVOUR THE STRENGTH OF HIS SKIN: EVEN THE FIRSTBORN OF DEATH SHALL DEVOUR HIS STRENGTH._ Umbreit has 'he' for "it" - i:e., in the rage of hunger he shall devour his own body:' or, his own children (Lamentations 4:10). Rather, 'destruction,' from the last verse, or else 'the first-born of death,' is nominative to "devour." STRENGTH, х_ BADEEY_ (H905)] - rather, 'members' (literally, the branches of a tree). OF HIS SKIN - i:e., of his body purposely used with allusion to Job's disease of the skin elephantiasis (Job 19:26). "Devour" is twice used, to mark that the sinner is not slain at one moment, but is gradually worn out by disease. THE FIRST-BORN OF DEATH - a personification full of poetical h

11-21 Bildad describes the destruction wicked people are kept for, in the other world, and which in some degree, often seizes them in this world. The way of sin is the way of fear, and leads to everlasting confusion, of which the present terrors of an impure conscience are earnests, as in Cain and Judas. Miserable indeed is a wicked man's death, how secure soever his life was. See him dying; all that he trusts to for his support shall be taken from him. How happy are the saints, and how indebted to the lord Jesus, by whom death is so far done away and changed, that this king of terrors is become a friend and a servant! See the wicked man's family sunk and cut off. His children shall perish, either with him or after him. Those who consult the true honour of their family, and its welfare, will be afraid of withering all by sin. The judgments of God follow the wicked man after death in thi...

Verse Job 18:13. _IT SHALL DEVOUR THE STRENGTH OF HIS SKIN_] This may refer to the _elephant_, or to the _rhinoceros_, whose skin scarcely any dart can pierce: but in the case referred to above, the animal is taken in a pitfall, and then the _first-born of death _- a sudden and _overwhelming stroke _- deprives him of life. See the account of hunting the _elephant_ in the East at the end of the chapter. Job 18:21. The Chaldee has: "The strength of his skin shall devour his flesh; and the angel of death shall consume his children....

IT SHALL DEVOUR THE STRENGTH OF HIS SKIN - Margin, bars. The margin is a correct translation of the Hebrew. The word used (בדי _badēy_, construct with עורו _‛__ôrô_ - his skin) means bars, staves, branches, and here denotes his limbs, members; or, more literally, the bones, as supports of the skin, or the human frame. The bones are regarded as the bars, or the framework, holding the other parts of the body in their place, and over which the skin is stretched. The word “it” here refers to the “first-born of death” in the other hemistich of the verse; and the meaning is, that the strength of his body shal be entirely exhausted. THE FIRST-BORN OF DEATH - The “first-born” is usually spoken of as distinguished for vigor and strength; Genesis 49:3, “Re

EXPOSITION JOB 18:1 Bildad's second speech is no improvement upon his first (Job 8:1.). He has evidently been exceedingly nettled by Job's contemptuous words concerning his "comforters" (Job 16:2, Job 16:11; Job 17:10); and aims at nothing but venting his anger, and terrifying Job by a series of denunciations and threats. Job has become to him "the_ _wicked man" (verses 5, 21), an embodiment of all that is evil, and one "that knoweth not God." No punishment is too severe for him....

IT SHALL DEVOUR THE STRENGTH OF HIS SKIN,.... Or "the bars of his skin" x, the strength and support of his body, for which his skin may be put, as the bones; or "the branches of his skin" y, the veins, which like so many branches run under, and may be seen through the skin: now these, it, famine, or want of food, devours, and destroys the strength and beauty of the skin, cause it to be black like an oven, Lamentations 4:8; bring a man to a mere skeleton, to skin and bones, waste and consume the members of his body, his flesh, and blood, and bones; the Targum, Jarchi, and Aben Ezra, by "his bars" or "branches" understand his children, which are his bars, the strength of him, and are to him as branches to a tree, proceeding from him; and if we render it, as some do, he "shall devour" z, or "eat", that is, the wicked man, it points to us the most horrible scene in a famine, which is shock

CHAPTER 18 BILDAD'S SECOND ADDRESS _ 1. New reproaches (Job 18:1)_ 2. Once again, the wicked and what they deserve (Job 18:5) Job 18:1. Bildad has the good sense in this second oration to be very brief. He, like Eliphaz, pays his compliments to Job and reproaches him. How long are you going to speak yet any way! You, you tell us that we are like the beasts, stupid and ignorant! Keep on with your nonsense, you but tear yourself in your anger, it is all unavailing and changes not things for thee. This is the meaning of his rebuke. Job 18:5. Then the favored theme, the wicked and what is in store for them. Apart from the falsity of the a

JOB 18. SECOND SPEECH OF BILDAD.Bildad speaks this time at unusual length, but his speech has no significance, since it simply describes the fate of the godless. Into the description of this, however, there are interwoven direct allusions to Job's case, so that to this degree it serves to increase Job's perplexity and bring on the crisis (Duhm). Job 18:2 contains the usual personal polemic; in Job 18:2 we must read sing. for plur.; Job 18:4 asks Job if the earth is to be turned upside down to suit him. Job 18:5 contains an extended picture of the fate of the godless. In...

STRENGTH. parts or members of his body. SKIN. Put by Figure of speech _Synecdoche_ (of the Part), App-6, for the whole body. Compare Exodus 22:26. FIRSTBORN OF DEATH: i.e. the chief, or worst, or cruellest death. Figure of speech _Euphemismos._ App-6....

The disastrous end of the wicked, in the moral order of the world, is certain The last verse naturally led over to this idea, which is the theme of the speech. The idea is set out in a great variety of graphic figures, and the speech is studded with sententious and proverbial sayings in the manner of the speaker's first discourse (ch. 8). The history of the wicked man's downfall is followed through all its stages: Job 18:5. The principle the sinner's light goes out. Job 18:8. The progress of his downfall. Job 18:12. The final scenes. Job 18:15. The extinction of his race and name....