Terrors frighten him on every side, and chase him at his heels.
English Standard Version (ESV)
It’s easy to read this as Job being paralyzed by fear, but the original language paints a picture of restless, panicked flight. The Hebrew implies that "terrors" aren't just making him afraid, they're actively chasing him, scattering him in every direction as if he's fleeing from relentless pursuers.
Terrors frighten him on every side, and chase him at his heels.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Bildad is fiercely arguing that Job's suffering is clear proof of his wickedness, painting a grim picture of the wicked man's fate. He's essentially saying, "See, Job? This is what happens to people like you." The verses before this describe the wicked man's careless life, walking into traps he doesn't even see, while this verse depicts the constant, terrifying anxiety that will haunt him, chasing him relentlessly.
Imagine being haunted, not by a person, but by fear itself. This verse paints a chilling picture of how terror can become a relentless pursuer.
Bildad uses vivid imagery here, personifying 'terrors' as active agents that surround and chase the wicked.
A Constant State of Alarm
'Terrors shall make him afraid on every side' describes a pervasive, inescapable dread. It's not just a fleeting worry, but a constant companion that breeds insecurity and panic. This inner turmoil makes one feel exposed and vulnerable no matter where they turn.
The Relentless Chase
The phrase 'and chase him at his heels' intensifies this. It suggests that there is no escape. The terrors are always close behind, like hounds on a trail, ensuring that the wicked person is always on the run, never finding peace or safety.
What if your deepest fears are actually echoes of your own wrongdoings? This verse hints at the internal source of such relentless dread.
While Bildad's words are directed at Job as an accusation, the description of relentless terror strongly suggests the torment of a guilty conscience.
Internalized Fear
When someone has acted wickedly, their own mind can become a source of dread. The 'terrors' aren't just external threats, but the internal alarms and anxieties that arise from knowing one has transgressed and deserves judgment.
Ask a follow-up
No Place to Hide
This internal torment drives the person 'to his feet,' meaning they are compelled to flee, to run away from the consequences and the inner voice of accusation. However, since the source of the terror is within, there is no external location that can offer true refuge. They are pursued by their own inner state.
Understand the original words
ballahah · Hebrew Noun
A strong, overwhelming feeling of dread, fear, or alarm, often associated with divine judgment or the consequences of sin. In Scripture, it represents the psychological and spiritual distress caused by external threats or internal guilt.
This verse uses the same powerful imagery of being surrounded by terror, personifying it as 'Magor-missabib,' or 'terror on every side,' highlighting the overwhelming dread that can consume a person.
Psalm 88:15This passage describes the psalmist being afflicted and near death from youth, showing that even the righteous can experience overwhelming terrors, not just the wicked as Bildad implies.
Proverbs 28:1This proverb directly links wickedness to a lack of security, stating that the wicked flee though no one pursues, echoing the sense of being driven by unseen fears described in Job.
Luke 19:41-42When Jesus approached Jerusalem, He wept over the city, foreseeing the terror and destruction that would come upon them, illustrating how even nations can be surrounded by impending doom.
jfbJob 18:11: "Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him to his feet."
- Terrors—often mentioned in this book (Job 18:14; 24:17; &c.). The terrors excited through an evil conscience are here personified. "Magor-missabib" (Jer 20:3).drive … to his feet—rather, "shall pursue" (literally, "scatter," Hab 3:14) him close "at his heels" (literally, "immediately after his feet," Hab 3:5; 1Sa 25:42; Hebrew). The image is that of a pursuing conqueror who scatters the enemy [Umbreit…
barnesJob 18:11: "Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him to his feet."
Terrors shall make him afraid - He shall be constantly subject to alarms, and shall never feel secure. "Terrors here are represented as allegorical persons, like the Furies in the Greek poets." Noyes. The idea here is substantially the same as that given by Eliphaz, Job 15:21-22 . And shall drive him to his feet - Margin, scatter. This is a literal translation of the Hebrew. The idea is, that he will be a…
It’s easy to read this as Job being paralyzed by fear, but the original language paints a picture of restless, panicked flight. The Hebrew implies that "terrors" aren't just making him afraid, they're actively chasing him, scattering him in every direction as if he's fleeing from relentless pursuers.
Bildad is fiercely arguing that Job's suffering is clear proof of his wickedness, painting a grim picture of the wicked man's fate. He's essentially saying, "See, Job? This is what happens to people like you." The verses before this describe the wicked man's careless life, walking into traps he doesn't even see, while this verse depicts the constant, terrifying anxiety that will haunt him, chasing him relentlessly.
Bildad is fiercely arguing that Job's suffering is clear proof of his wickedness, painting a grim picture of the wicked man's fate. He's essentially saying, "See, Job? This is what happens to people like you." The verses before this describe the wicked man's careless life, walking into traps he doesn't even see, while this verse depicts the constant, terrifying anxiety that will haunt him, chasing him relentlessly.
"Terrors frighten him on every side, and chase him at his heels." — It’s easy to read this as Job being paralyzed by fear, but the original language paints a picture of restless, panicked flight. The Hebrew implies that "terrors" aren't just making him afraid, they'r…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026