Job25
New Living Translation
1Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:
2“God is powerful and dreadful. He enforces peace in the heavens.
3Who is able to count his heavenly army? Doesn’t his light shine on all the earth?
4How can a mortal be innocent before God? Can anyone born of a woman be pure?
5God is more glorious than the moon; he shines brighter than the stars.
6In comparison, people are maggots; we mortals are mere worms.”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Job 25.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Bildad shows that man cannot be justified before God. (1-6).
vv1-6
Bildad drops the question concerning the prosperity of wicked men; but shows the infinite distance there is between God and man. He represents to Job some truths he had too much overlooked. Man's righteousness and holiness, at the best, are nothing in comparison with God's, Ps 89:6. As God is so great and glorious, how can man, who is guilty and impure, appear before him? We need to be born again of water and of the Holy Ghost, and to be bathed again and again in the blood of Christ, that Fountain opened, Zec 13:1. We should be humbled as mean, guilty, polluted creatures, and renounce self-dependence. But our vileness will commend Christ's condescension and love; the riches of his mercy and the power of his grace will be magnified to all eternity by every sinner he redeems.
Key Words
בִּלְדַּד: Bildad, one of Job's friends
שׁוּחִי: a Shuchite or descendant of Shuach
עָנָה: properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify, announce
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
מָשַׁל: to rule
פַּחַד: a (sudden) alarm (properly, the object feared, by implication, the feeling)
עִם: adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then usually unrepresented in English)
עָשָׂה: to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
שָׁלוֹם: safe, i.e. (figuratively) well, happy, friendly; also (abstractly) welfare, i.e. health, prosperity, peace
מָרוֹם: altitude, i.e. concretely (an elevated place), abstractly (elevation, figuratively (elation), or adverbially (aloft)
Cross References
Job 25Eliphaz's statement about clean heavens is closely echoed here by Bildad concerning moon and stars.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallels Eliphaz's earlier argument that mortal man cannot be more pure than his Maker.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Direct thematic connection regarding the impossibility of bringing a clean thing out of an unclean.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Gospel fulfillment where Christ makes peace in high places through the blood of His cross.
Supported by JFB
Illustrates the countless 'armies' of God, particularly His ministering angelic hosts.
Supported by JFB
Illustrates the literal rising of God's light (His sun) upon all mankind indiscriminately.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Confirms the biblical doctrine of inherited human corruption from birth.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Relates to the host or armies of stars that God calls by name.
Supported by JFB
Refers to God as the Father of lights, whose light shines without variation.
Supported by JFB
The fountain opened for sin, providing the justification and cleansing man cannot achieve himself.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Echoes the comparison of weak, low-status man to a worm, yet holily sustained by God.