Bible Commentary

Job 8:8

Job 8:8

John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible · John Gill (1697–1771) · Public Domain

For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age,.... With respect to the truth of what he had said, or should say; he does not desire Job to take his word for it, but inquire how it was in former times; by which it would appear, that when good men have been in affliction and trouble, and have behaved well under it, as became them, they have been delivered out of it, and have been afterwards in more flourishing and comfortable circumstances, as Noah, Abraham, Lot, and others; and that wicked men and hypocrites, though they have flourished for a while, yet destruction has sooner or later come upon them, and they have utterly perished, as the descendants of Cain, the builders of Babel, and the men of Sodom, and others; whereas good and upright men are never cast away by the Lord, no instance can be given of it; all which would appear, if inquiry was made into what had happened in the "former age" not the "first age", as the Septuagint version, the age or generation in which the first man and woman lived; for who were "their fathers", mentioned in the next clause?

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Job 8 — OverviewJob 8 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleJob's friends are like Job's messengers: the latter followed one another close with evil tidings, the former followed him with harsh censures: both, unawares, served Satan's design; these to drive him from his…Job 8 — OverviewJob 8 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeJob 8:1, Bildad shews God’s justice in dealing with men according to their works; Job 8:8, He alleges antiquity to prove the certain destruction of the hypocrite; Job 8:20, He applies God’s just dealing to Job.Job 8 — OverviewJob 8 · John Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleIn this chapter Bildad enters the discussion with Job; proceeding upon the same lines as Eliphaz, he reproves him for his long and loud talkJob 8:8-19Job 8:8-19 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleBildad here discourses very well on the sad catastrophe of hypocrites and evil-doers and the fatal period of all their hopes and joys. He will not be so bold as to say with Eliphaz that none that were righteous…Job 8:8Job 8:8 · Treasury of Scripture Knowledgeinquire: Job 12:12, Job 15:10, Job 15:18, Job 32:6-7; Deuteronomy 4:32, Deuteronomy 32:7; Psalms 44:1, Psalms 78:3-4; Isaiah 38:19; Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11Job 8:8Job 8:8 · John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bibleand then by various similes used by the ancients, or taken from them by Bildad, or which were of his own inventing and framing, are set forth the short lived enjoyments, and vain hope and confidence, of hypocrites and…