Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Job 18:3

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Job 18:3. Counted as beasts — Thou treatest us as if we had neither reason nor understanding.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Bildad speaks (18:1-21)

In an angry outburst, Bildad accuses Job of not answering their arguments directly and of looking for arguments on other matters instead. Job speaks to them as if they were stupid cattle, and speaks to God as if the Creator should change the world to suit Job (18:1-4).
Then, with inexcusable heartlessness (in view of the recent calamities in Job’s household), Bildad further describes the punishment that justly falls on the wicked. In his house sorrow will replace happiness and poverty will replace prosperity (5-7). This is a judgment from which he cannot escape. He is like an animal caught in a trap (8-10). He is afflicted with fear, hunger, disease and finally death (11-14). His property is destroyed and his family is wiped out (15-19). His fate becomes a lesson to all who would oppose God (20-21).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

BILDAD’S COMPLAINT AT JOB’S REBUKE

“Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, How long will ye hunt for words? Consider, and afterward we will speak. Wherefore are we counted as beasts, And are become unclean in your sight? That thou tearest thyself in thine anger, Shall the earth be forsaken for thee? Or shall the rock be removed out of its place?”

As Kline stated it, “These later speeches of Job’s friends degenerate into irrelevant harangues on the woes of the wicked.”Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 475. Bildad’s speech here, especially in Job 18:5-21, demonstrates this characteristic. “His speech has no significance.”Arthur S. Peake, A Commentary on the Bible (London: T. C. and E. C. Jack, Ltd., 1924), p. 357. It is simply a description of what Bildad supposed would be the fate of the wicked; but, in that description, “He included many allusions that applied particularly to Job.”Ibid.

“Wherefore are we counted as beasts” “This is an allusion to what Job had said about his comforters `gaping upon him with their mouths’ (Job 16:10).”The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 7d, p. 308.

“Shall the earth be forsaken for thee” Since Job is beating himself to death against the law of the whole creation (as Bildad viewed his law of retribution), he charged here that, “Job seemed to expect the whole universe to be redesigned just for him.”Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 475.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Wherefore are we counted as beasts? - “Why are we treated in your remarks as if we had no sense, and were unworthy of sound argument in reply to what we say?” It is possible that there may be reference here to what Job said Job 12:7 - that even the beasts could give them information about God. But the general idea is, that Job had not treated their views with the attention which they deserved, but had regarded them as unworthy of notice.

And reputed vile - The word used here (טמה ṭâmâh) means to be unclean, or polluted; and the idea is, that Job regarded them as worthless or impious.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 18

Then answered Bildad ( Job 18:1 ),

So this is Bildad's second discourse with him.

How long will it be before you make an end of words? just make the mark, and afterwards we will speak. Why do you count us like beasts, and we are vile in your sight? You tear yourself in your anger: shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place? Yes, the light of the wicked will be put out, and the spark of his fire will not shine ( Job 18:2-5 ).

Job, your lights going to be put out, man. You know, because you're wicked. The sparks will not shine.

The light shall be dark in his tent, and his candle shall be put out with him. The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel shall cast him down. For he is cast into a net by his own feet, he walks upon a snare. The bear trap will take him by the heel, and the robber shall prevail against him. The snare is laid for him in the ground, and the trap for him in the way. Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him to his feet. His strength shall be hunger-bitten, and destruction shall be ready at his side. And it shall devour the strength of his skin: even the firstborn of death shall devour his strength. His confidence shall be rooted out of the tabernacle, and he shall bring him into the king of terrors. It shall dwell in his tent, because it is none of his: brimstone shall be scattered upon his house. His roots shall be dried up from beneath, and above his branch will be cut off. His remembrance shall perish from the earth, and he shall have no name in the street. He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world. He shall neither have son nor nephew among his people, nor any remaining in his dwellings. They that come after him will be astonished at his day, and they that went before him will be frightened. Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God ( Job 18:6-21 ).

Ooh, man, did he lay it on Job. "Job, this is what's going to happen to you. You know, all of the terrors and all of the fears and all of the destruction and the devouring of your strength and the death of your first born and your confidence be taken away. Brimstone be poured out upon you, your roots dried up from beneath, you're cut off from above. Man, just going to get you coming and going, man. No way out."

"

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Bildad’s criticism of Job 18:1-4

Obviously Bildad was impatient because Job refused to change his mind or admit great guilt (Job 18:1-2). Job had claimed that God was tearing him like a beast tears its prey (Job 16:9), but Bildad said Job was tearing himself (Job 18:4 a). We can see his disgust with what he regarded as Job’s pride in his statement that Job should not expect God to do anything particularly great on Job’s account (Job 18:4 b-c).

"A speaker who has run out of ideas can always resort to satire. No [true] pastor mocks a sufferer by throwing his own words back at him." [Note: Ibid., p. 188.]

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Wherefore are we counted as beasts,.... This seems to refer to

Job 12:7; where Job sends them to the beasts, to get knowledge and instruction; and therefore it was concluded he reckoned them as such, and put them on a level with them, yea, made them inferior to them; or to Job 17:4; where they are represented as destitute of wisdom and understanding, and therefore it is supposed were counted by Job no other than as beasts. Man, by the fall, is indeed become like them, and some are more brutish than they, and all are brutish as to spiritual knowledge and understanding; and those that are most sensible of themselves are ready to acknowledge their ignorance, that they are more brutish than any, and especially are as a beast before God; and particularly with respect to knowledge of the methods of Providence, in regard to his dealings with the righteous and wicked; see Psalms 73:22; and which was the case in controversy between Job and his friends; but yet self-sufficient persons do not care to have their understandings in anything called in question, but like the Pharisees say, "are we blind also?" John 9:40; and take it very hard that they should be reckoned like beasts, void of understanding, when they are the people, and wisdom will die with them:

[and] reputed vile in your sight? as wicked and profligate persons, the most abandoned of mankind, such as are justly despised by good men, see Psalms 15:4; or "unclean" h, filthy, polluted, and defiled, as all men are by nature, and as they are in all the powers and faculties of their souls; nor can they make themselves clean, their hearts or their hands; nothing short of the grace of God, and blood of Christ, can cleanse from sin; yet self-righteous persons think themselves clean and pure when they are not washed from their sins, and take it ill of others to be reputed unclean persons: or "shut" i, stopped up, as the hearts of men are from God and Christ, and the true knowledge of them, and divine things, until opened by him who has the key of the house of David, and opens, and no man shuts; or "hidden" k, referring to Job 17:4; having a covering over their hearts, and a vail over the eyes of their understandings, so that the things of Providence were hid from them, as sometimes the things of grace are from the wise and prudent; but to be thought that this was their case is resented by Bildad.

h נטמינו "immundi", Drusius, Piscator, Michaelis; so Broughton. i "Clausi sumu", Montanus; "obturati sumus", Hebraei, in Mercer. k So the Targum.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,   2 How long will it be ere ye make an end of words? mark, and afterwards we will speak.   3 Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight?   4 He teareth himself in his anger: shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place?

      Bildad here shoots his arrows, even bitter words, against poor Job, little thinking that, though he was a wise and good man, in this instance he was serving Satan's design in adding to Job's affliction.

      I. He charges him with idle endless talk, as Eliphaz had done (Job 15:2; Job 15:3): How long will it be ere you make an end of words?Job 18:2; Job 18:2. Here he reflects, not only upon Job himself, but either upon all the managers of the conference (thinking perhaps that Eliphaz and Zophar did not speak so closely to the purpose as they might have done) or upon some that were present, who possibly took part with Job, and put in a word now and then in his favour, though it be not recorded. Bildad was weary of hearing others speak, and impatient till it came to his turn, which cannot be observed to any man's praise, for we ought to be swift to hear and slow to speak. It is common for contenders to monopolize the reputation of wisdom, and then to insist upon it as their privilege to be dictators. How unbecoming this conduct is in others every one can see; but few that are guilty of it can see it in themselves. Time was when Job had the last word in all debates (Job 29:22; Job 29:22): After my words they spoke not again. Then he was in power and prosperity; but now that he was impoverished and brought low he could scarcely be allowed to speak at all, and every thing he said was as much vilified as formerly it had been magnified. Wisdom therefore (as the world goes) is good with an inheritance (Ecclesiastes 7:11); for the poor man's wisdom is despised, and, because he is poor, his words are not heard,Ecclesiastes 9:16.

      II. With a regardlessness of what was said to him, intimated in that, Mark, and afterwards we will speak. And it is to no purpose to speak, though what is said be ever so much to the purpose, if those to whom it is addressed will not mark and observe it. Let the ear be opened to hear as the learned, and then the tongues of the learned will do good service (Isaiah 50:4) and not otherwise. It is an encouragement to those that speak of the things of God to see the hearers attentive.

      III. With a haughty contempt and disdain of his friends and of that which they offered (Job 18:3; Job 18:3): Wherefore are we counted as beasts? This was invidious. Job had indeed called them mockers, had represented them both as unwise and as unkind, wanting both in the reason and tenderness of men, but he did not count them beasts; yet Bildad so represents the matter, 1. Because his high spirit resented what Job had said as if it had been the greatest affront imaginable. Proud men are apt to think themselves slighted more than really they are. 2. Because his hot spirit was willing to find a pretence to be hard upon Job. Those that incline to be severe upon others will have it thought that others have first been so upon them.

      IV. With outrageous passion: He teareth himself in his anger,Job 18:4; Job 18:4. Herein he seems to reflect upon what Job had said (Job 13:14; Job 13:14): Wherefore did I take my flesh in my teeth? "It is thy own fault," says Bildad. Or he reflected upon what he said Job 16:9; Job 16:9, where he seemed to charge it upon God, or, as some think, upon Eliphaz: He teareth me in his wrath. "No," says Bildad; "thou alone shalt bear it." He teareth himself in his anger. Note, Anger is a sin that is its own punishment. Fretful passionate people tear and torment themselves. He teareth his soul (so the word is); every sin wounds the soul, tears that, wrongs that (Proverbs 8:36), unbridled passion particularly.

      V. With a proud and arrogant expectation to give law even to Providence itself: "Shall the earth be forsaken for thee? Surely not; there is no reason for that, that the course of nature should be changed and the settled rules of government violated to gratify the humour of one man. Job, dost thou think the world cannot stand without thee; but that, if thou art ruined, all the world is ruined and forsaken with thee?" Some make it a reproof of Job's justification of himself, falsely insinuating that either Job was a wicked man or we must deny a Providence and suppose that God has forsaken the earth and the rock of ages is removed. It is rather a just reproof of his passionate complaints. When we quarrel with the events of Providence we forget that, whatever befals us, it is, 1. According to the eternal purpose and counsel of God. 2. According to the written word. Thus it is written that in the world we must have tribulation, that, since we sin daily, we must expect to smart for it; and, 3. According to the usual way and custom, the track of Providence, nothing but what is common to men; and to expect that God's counsels should change, his method alter, and his word fail, to please us, is as absurd and unreasonable as to think the earth should be forsaken for us and the rock removed out of its place.