Job 18:12
His strength is famished, and calamity is ready for his stumbling.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Job 18:12
His strength is famished, and calamity is ready for his stumbling.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse paints a vivid picture of his weakening strength being "hunger-bitten," suggesting not just literal lack of food but a profound depletion, as if strength itself is starving. Furthermore, "destruction shall be ready at his side" implies that calamity isn't just coming, but is lying in wait, prepared to strike at his very next misstep or weakness.
Bildad is further describing the inevitable downfall of the wicked, painting a grim picture of their future. He asserts that the wicked person's strength will be consumed by hunger, and disaster will be poised to strike at their every stumble. This vivid imagery emphasizes that ruin is not just coming, but is actively waiting to seize them.
Bildad paints a grim picture of the wicked man's end. What does it mean for his 'strength' to be 'hunger-bitten'?
The phrase 'his strength shall be hunger-bitten' is a powerful metaphor. It doesn't just mean literal starvation, though that can be part of it.
The Depletion of All Resources
This imagery suggests that everything the wicked person relied on for power and sustenance will fail him. His resources, his abilities, his very vitality will be consumed until nothing is left. It's as if his strength itself becomes a hollow, gnawing hunger.
A Spiritual Starvation
More deeply, it points to a spiritual emptiness. When we turn away from the source of true life – God – we are left with a hunger that can never be satisfied. The wicked man's 'strength' is consumed by a lack that ultimately leads to destruction, not fulfillment.
Calamity isn't just a possibility for the wicked; Bildad says it's 'ready at his side.' What does this proximity imply?
The second part of the verse, 'and calamity is ready for his stumbling,' emphasizes the inescapable nature of judgment for the wicked.
Always Ready, Always Waiting
'Ready at his side' suggests that destruction is not a distant threat but an ever-present danger, a constant companion. It's poised to strike the moment any weakness, any misstep, occurs.
The Inevitability of Judgment
This isn't random misfortune; it's a consequence. For those who reject God's ways, the path is set. Calamity waits for the perfect moment to overtake them, fulfilling the righteous judgment that God has prepared.
Understand the original words
ed · Hebrew Noun
An unexpected and destructive event, misfortune, or ruin. In the Bible, it often describes the inevitable outcome of turning away from God or living in wickedness.
This passage echoes the idea of calamity actively seeking out the wicked, mirroring the 'destruction ready at his side' in Job 18:12.
Proverbs 1:27Similar to Job's description, this proverb states that destruction and terror will overwhelm the wicked suddenly, emphasizing the imminent danger.
Proverbs 19:29This verse speaks of judgment being prepared for mockers, paralleling the sense in Job 18:12 that destruction is not just present but 'ready' for the wicked.
Isaiah 14:22While focused on Babylon, this verse's declaration of cutting off 'root and branch' resonates with the complete ruin and famished strength described for the wicked man.
pulpitJob 18:12: "His strength shall be hungerbitten, and destruction shall be ready at his side."
Verse 12. - His strength shall be hunger-bitten. (So Dillmann, Cook, and the Revised Version.) To the other sufferings of the wicked man shall be added the pangs of hunger. His bodily strength shall disappear, as destitution and famine come upon him. And destruction shall be ready at his side. Ready to seize on him at any moment. Some translate, "ready for his halting" i.e. ready to seize on him in ease…
gillJob 18:12: "His strength shall be hungerbitten, and destruction shall be ready at his side."
His strength shall be hungerbitten,.... Or "shall be famine" (u), or hunger, that is, shall be weakened by it; famine is a sore evil, and greatly weakens thee natural strength of men; want of food will soon bring down the strength of the strongest man, when the stay and the staff, the sustenance and support of man's nature is taken from him: many of the Jewish writers, by "his strength", understand his…
The verse paints a vivid picture of his weakening strength being "hunger-bitten," suggesting not just literal lack of food but a profound depletion, as if strength itself is starving. Furthermore, "destruction shall be ready at his side" implies that calamity isn't just coming, but is lying in wait, prepared to strike at his very next misstep or weakness.
Bildad is further describing the inevitable downfall of the wicked, painting a grim picture of their future. He asserts that the wicked person's strength will be consumed by hunger, and disaster will be poised to strike at their every stumble. This vivid imagery emphasizes that ruin is not just coming, but is actively waiting to seize them.
Bildad is further describing the inevitable downfall of the wicked, painting a grim picture of their future. He asserts that the wicked person's strength will be consumed by hunger, and disaster will be poised to strike at their every stumble. This vivid imagery emphasizes that ruin is not just coming, but is actively waiting to seize them.
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"His strength is famished, and calamity is ready for his stumbling." — The verse paints a vivid picture of his weakening strength being "hunger-bitten," suggesting not just literal lack of food but a profound depletion, as if strength itself is starving. Furthermore, "d…