CHAP. VIII.
Bildad affirms, that if Job was innocent, he would be immediately restored to his former splendor, on his making supplication to the Almighty. He shews that the wicked is like the bulrush, which withers as soon as it is sprung up.
Before Christ 1645.
Job 8:1. Then answered Bildad the Shuhite— Bildad, whose sentiments are the same with those of the preceding friend, now comes on to the attack, and tells Job, that his general asseverations of innocence are of no avail; that to deny his guilt, was to charge the Almighty with injustice; Job 8:2-3 that if he would not yield to the argument of Eliphaz, drawn from his experience, and strengthened by revelation, he would do well to pay respect to the general experience of mankind, as handed down by tradition; where he would find it established, as a certain truth, that misery was the infallible consequence of wickedness; Job 8:8-20 that therefore they could not argue wrong, who inferred from actual misery antecedent guilt; and, though he might urge that these calamities were fallen on him on account of his children's wickedness, yet he only deceived himself; for in that case God might indeed have chastised them for their crimes; but he would by no means have destroyed the innocent with the guilty; Job 8:4-7. He would rather have heaped his blessings on the innocent person, that the contrast might have vindicated his providence. He would even have wrought a miracle for the preservation or restoration of such a person: and he concludes, that since, from the known attributes of God, it was impossible he should cut off the innocent, or suffer the guilty to go free, and as no interposition of Providence had happened in his behalf, he thought him in a likely way, by his utter destruction, to prove a terrible example of the truth of that principle which they had urged against him. Heath.

Job 8:2. How long wilt thou speak these things?— How long wilt thou trifle in this manner? He compares his words in the next clause to a strong wind, to denote the vehemence and impetuosity wherewith, according to his opinion, the pride of Job's heart burst forth against God. There is a passage in Silius Italicus, which is a fine comment upon this verse.
——Qui tanta superbo Facta sonas ore, et spumanti turbine perflas Ignorantum aures. Lib. xi. ver. 581.
With haughty mouth who speaks such swelling deeds, And like a foaming tempest overflows The vulgar ears.

Job 8:4. If thy children have sinned— Though thy children have sinned. Job 8:6. Surely now he would awake for thee] Surely now he would make bare his arm on thy behalf; he would make the beauty of thy righteousness perfect. Heath.

Job 8:11. Can the rush grow up without mire? &c.— A bulrush without water is proverbial. It is adapted to the hypocrite, who, while he suddenly grows up, withers as suddenly, and while he flourishes most verdantly, is immediately dried up. Can the flag, or, can the sedge. Houbigant renders the 12th verse, whilst it yet flourishes, it is not cut down; yet it withereth before any other herb.

Job 8:13. Whose hope shall be cut off, &c.— The thing which he longed for shall be a torment to him; and his confidence shall be as the spider's web. Heath.

Job 8:15. He shall lean upon his house— He may prop up his house, but it shall not stand: he may make himself strong in it, but it shall not endure. Heath, after the LXX.

Job 8:17. His roots are wrapped about the heap— Heath renders it, He windeth his roots about a spring; he twisteth himself about a heap of stones. Houbigant reads it, he has his roots involved or fixed in a hill; he adheres to the midst of stones; by which the writer seems to express the apparent firmness and worldly dependance of the hypocrite. The next verse should be rendered, according to Houbigant, But when they shall eradicate, or destroy him, his place shall disown him; it shall say, I never saw thee. See Scheuchzer, tom. 6: p. 29.

Job 8:19. Behold, this is the joy of his way, &c.— Behold him now; destruction is in his path; and strangers out of the dust shall spring up in his room. Heath.