Parallel Bible VersionsNASB/KJV Study BibleHebrew Bible Study Tools

Job 8:8

New American Standard Bible (NASB ©1995) [2]
— “Please inquire of past generations, And consider the things searched out by their fathers.
King James Version (KJV 1769) [2]
— For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:
English Revised Version (ERV 1885)
— For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out:
American Standard Version (ASV 1901) [2]
— For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, And apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out:
Webster's Revision of the KJB (WEB 1833)
— For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:
Darby's Translation (DBY 1890)
— For inquire, I pray thee, of the former generation, and attend to the researches of their fathers;
Rotherham's Emphasized Bible (EBR 1902)
— For inquire, I pray thee, of a former generation, and prepare thyself for the research of their fathers;—
Young's Literal Translation (YLT 1898)
— For, ask I pray thee of a former generation, And prepare to a search of their fathers,
Douay-Rheims Challoner Revision (DR 1750)
— For inquire of the former generation, and search diligently into the memory of the fathers:
Geneva Bible (GNV 1560)
— Inquire therefore, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thy selfe to search of their fathers.
Original King James Bible (AV 1611) [2]
— For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thy selfe to the search of their fathers.
Lamsa Bible (1957)
— For inquire, I pray you, of the former generations, and learn through the search of their fathers;
Brenton Greek Septuagint (LXX, Restored Names)
— For ask of the former generation, and search diligently among the race of [our] fathers:
Full Hebrew Names / Holy Name KJV (2008) [2] [3]
— For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

Strong's Numbers & Hebrew NamesHebrew Old TestamentColor-Code/Key Word Studies
For x3588
(3588) Complement
כִּי
kiy
{kee}
A primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjugation or adverb; often largely modified by other particles annexed.
enquire, 7592
{7592} Prime
שָׁאַל
sha'al
{shaw-al'}
A primitive root; to inquire; by implication to request; by extension to demand.
z8798
<8798> Grammar
Stem - Qal (See H8851)
Mood - Imperative (See H8810)
Count - 2847
I pray thee, x4994
(4994) Complement
נָא
na'
{naw}
A primitive particle of incitement and entreaty, which may usually be rendered I pray, now or then; added mostly to verbs (in the imperative or future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjugation.
of the former 7223
{7223} Prime
רִאשׁוֹן
ri'shown
{ree-shone'}
From H7221; first, in place, time or rank (as adjective or noun).
z8675
<8675> Grammar
Kethiv Reading

Where the translators of the Authorised Version followed the qere reading rather than the kethiv.
age, 1755
{1755} Prime
דּוֹר
dowr
{dore}
From H1752; properly a revolution of time, that is, an age or generation; also a dwelling.
and prepare 3559
{3559} Prime
כּוּן
kuwn
{koon}
A primitive root; properly to be erect (that is, stand perpendicular);. hence (causatively) to set up, in a great variety of applications, whether literal (establish, fix, prepare, apply), or figurative (appoint, render sure, proper or prosperous).
z8786
<8786> Grammar
Stem - Polel (See H8847)
Mood - Imperative (See H8810)
Count - 9
thyself to the search 2714
{2714} Prime
חֵקֶר
cheqer
{khay'-ker}
From H2713; examination, enumeration, deliberation.
of their fathers: 1
{0001} Prime
אָב
'ab
{awb}
A primitive word; father in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary

Job 8:8-9

_ _ The sages of the olden time reached an age beyond those of Job’s time (see on Job 42:16), and therefore could give the testimony of a fuller experience.

Matthew Henry's Commentary

Job 8:8-19

_ _ Bildad 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 were ever cut off thus (Job 4:7); yet he takes it for granted that God, in the course of his providence, does ordinarily bring wicked men, who seemed pious and were prosperous, to shame and ruin in this world, and that, by making their prosperity short, he discovers their piety to be counterfeit. Whether this will certainly prove that all who are thus ruined must be concluded to have been hypocrites he will not say, but rather suspect, and thinks the application is easy.

_ _ I. He proves this truth, of the certain destruction of all the hopes and joys of hypocrites, by an appeal to antiquity and the concurring sentiment and observation of all wise and good men; and an undoubted truth it is, if we take in the other world, that, if not in this life, yet in the life to come, hypocrites will be deprived of all their trusts and all their triumphs: whether Bildad so meant or no, we must so take it. Let us observe the method of his proof, Job 8:8-10.

_ _ 1. He insists not on his own judgment and that of his companions: We are but of yesterday, and know nothing, Job 8:9. He perceived that Job had no opinion of their abilities, but thought they knew little. “We will own,” says Bildad, “that we know nothing, are as ready to confess our ignorance as thou art to condemn it; for we are but of yesterday in comparison, and our days upon earth are short and transient, and hastening away as a shadow. And hence,” (1.) “We are not so near the fountain-head of divine revelation” (which then for aught that appears, was conveyed by tradition) “as the former age was; and therefore we must enquire what they said and recount what we have been told of their sentiments.” Blessed be God, now that we have the word of God in writing, and are directed to search that, we need not enquire of the former age, nor prepare ourselves to the search of their fathers; for, though we ourselves are but of yesterday, the word of God in the scripture is as nigh to us as it was to them (Romans 10:8), and it is the more sure word of prophecy, to which we must take heed. If we study and keep God's precepts, we may by them understand more than the ancients, Psalms 119:99, Psalms 119:100. (2.) “We do not live so long as those of the former age did, to make observations upon the methods of divine providence, and therefore cannot be such competent judges as they in a cause of this nature.” Note, The shortness of our lives is a great hindrance to the improvement of our knowledge, and so are the frailty and weakness of our bodies. Vita brevis, ars longalife is short, the progress of art boundless.

_ _ 2. He refers to the testimony of the ancients and to the knowledge which Job himself had of their sentiments. “Do thou enquire of the former age, and let them tell thee, not only their own judgment in this matter, but the judgment also of their fathers, Job 8:8. They will teach thee, and inform thee (Job 8:10), that all along, in their time, the judgments of God followed wicked men. This they will utter out of their hearts, that is, as that which they firmly believe themselves, which they are greatly affected with and desirous to acquaint and affect others with.” Note, (1.) For the right understanding of divine Providence, and the unfolding of the difficulties of it, it will be of use to compare the observations and experiences of former ages with the events of our own day; and, in order thereto, to consult history, especially the sacred history, which is the most ancient, infallibly true, and written designedly for our learning. (2.) Those that would fetch knowledge from the former ages must search diligently, prepare for the search, and take pains for the search. (3.) Those words are most likely to reach to the hearts of the learners that come from the hearts of the teachers. Those shall teach thee best that utter words out of their heart, that speak by experience, and not by rote, of spiritual and divine things. The learned bishop Patrick suggests that Bildad being a Shuhite, descended from Shuah one of Abraham's sons by Keturah (Genesis 25:2), in this appeal which he makes to history he has a particular respect to the rewards which the blessing of God secured to the posterity of faithful Abraham (who hitherto, and long after, continued in his religion) and to the extirpation of those eastern people, neighbours to Job (in whose country they were settled), for their wickedness, whence he infers that it is God's usual way to prosper the just and root out the wicked, though for a while they may flourish.

_ _ II. He illustrates this truth by some similitudes.

_ _ 1. The hopes and joys of the hypocrite are here compared to a rush or flag, v. 11-13. (1.) It grows up out of the mire and water. The hypocrite cannot gain his hope without some false rotten ground or other out of which to raise it, and with which to support it and keep it alive, any more than the rush can grow without mire. He grounds it on his worldly prosperity, the plausible profession he makes of religion, the good opinion of his neighbours, and his own good conceit of himself, which are no solid foundation on which to build his confidence. It is all but mire and water; and the hope that grows out of it is but rush and flag. (2.) It may look green and gay for a while (the rush outgrows the grass), but it is light and hollow, and empty, and good for nothing. It is green for show, but of no use. (3.) It withers presently, before any other herb, v. 12. Even while it is in its greenness it is dried away and gone in a little time. Note, The best state of hypocrites and evil-doers borders upon withering; even when it is green it is going. The grass is cut down and withers (Psalms 90:6); but the rush is not cut down and yet withers, withers before it grows up (Psalms 129:6): as it has no use, so it has no continuance. So are the paths of all that forget God (v. 13); they take the same way that the rush does, for the hypocrite's hope shall perish. Note, [1.] Forgetfulness of God is at the bottom of men's hypocrisy, and of the vain hopes with which they flatter and deceive themselves in their hypocrisy. Men would not be hypocrites if they did not forget that the God with whom they have to do searches the heart and requires truth there, that he is a Spirit and has his eye on our spirits; and hypocrites would have no hope if they did not forget that God is righteous, and will not be mocked with the torn and the lame. [2.] The hope of hypocrites is a great cheat upon themselves, and, though it may flourish for a while, it will certainly perish at last, and they with it.

_ _ 2. They are here compared to a spider's web, or a spider's house (as it is in the margin), a cobweb, Job 8:14, Job 8:15. The hope of the hypocrite, (1.) Is woven out of his own bowels; it is the creature of his own fancy, and arises merely from a conceit of his own merit and sufficiency. There is a great deal of difference between the work of the bee and that of the spider. A diligent Christian, like the laborious bee, fetches in all his comfort from the heavenly dews of God's word; but the hypocrite, like the subtle spider, weaves his out of a false hypothesis of his own concerning God, as if he were altogether such a one as himself. (2.) He is very fond of it, as the spider of her web; pleases himself with it, wraps himself in it, calls it his house, leans upon it, and holds it fast. It is said of the spider that she takes hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces, Proverbs 30:28. So does a carnal worldling hug himself in the fulness and firmness of his outward prosperity; he prides himself in that house as his palace, fortifies himself in it as his castle, and makes use of it as the spider of her web, to ensnare those he has a mind to prey upon. So does a formal professor; he flatters himself in his own eyes, doubts not of his salvation, is secure of heaven, and cheats the world with his vain confidences. (3.) It will easily and certainly be swept away, as the cobweb with the besom, when God shall come to purge his house. The prosperity of worldly people will fail them when they expect to find safety and happiness in it. They seek to hold fast their estates, but God is plucking them out of their hands; and whose shall all those things be, which they have provided? or what the better they will be for them? The confidences of hypocrites will fail them. I tell you, I know you not. The house built on the sand will fall in the storm, when the builder most needs it and promised himself the benefit of it. When a wicked man dies his expectation perishes. The ground of his hopes will prove false; he will be disappointed of the thing he hoped for, and his foolish hope with which he buoyed himself up will be turned into endless despair; and thus his hope will be cut off, his web, that refuge of lies, swept away, and he crushed in it.

_ _ 3. The hypocrite is here compared to a flourishing and well-rooted tree, which, though it do not wither of itself, yet will easily be cut down and its place no it no more. The secure and prosperous sinner may think himself wronged when he is compared to a rush and a flag; he thinks he has a better root. “We will allow him his conceit,” says Bildad, “and give him all the advantage he can desire, and bring him in suddenly cut off.” He is here represented as Nebuchadnezzar was in his own dream (Daniel 4:10) by a great tree. (1.) See this tree fair and flourishing (Job 8:16) like a green bay-tree (Psalms 37:35), green before the sun, it keeps its greenness in defiance of the scorching sun-beams, and his branch shoots forth under the protection of his garden-wall and with the benefit of his garden-soil. See it fixed, and taking deep root, never likely to be overthrown by stormy winds, for his roots are interwoven with the stones (Job 8:17); it grows in firm ground, not, as the rush, of mire and water. Thus does a wicked man, when he prospers in the world, think himself secure; his wealth is a high wall in his own conceit. (2.) See this tree felled and forgotten notwithstanding, destroyed from his place (Job 8:18), and so entirely extirpated that there shall remain no sign or token where it grew. The very place say, I have not seen thee; and the standers by shall say the same. I sought him, but he could not be found, Psalms 37:36. He made a great show and a great noise for a time, but he is gone of a sudden, and neither root nor branch is left him, Malachi 4:1. This is the joy (that is, this is the end and conclusion) of the wicked man's way (Job 8:19); this is that which all his joy comes to. The way of the ungodly shall perish, Psalms 1:6. His hope, he thought, would in the issue be turned into joy; but this is the issue, this is the joy. The harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow, Isaiah 17:11. This is the best of it; and what then is the worst of it? But shall he not leave a family behind him to enjoy what he has? No, out of the earth (not out of his roots) shall others grow, that are nothing akin to him, and shall fill up his place, and rule over that for which he labored. Others (that is, others of the same spirit and disposition) shall grow up in his place, and be as secure as ever he was, not warned by his fall. The way of worldlings is their folly, and yet there is a race of those that approve their sayings, Psalms 49:13.

John Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Job 8:8

Search — Seriously and industriously search the ancient records.

Geneva Bible Translation Notes

Job 8:8

For (e) enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

(e) He wills Job to examine all antiquity and he will find it true which he here says.

Cross-Reference Topical ResearchStrong's Concordance
inquire:

Job 12:12 With the ancient [is] wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
Job 15:10 With us [are] both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.
Job 15:18 Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid [it]:
Job 32:6-7 And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I [am] young, and ye [are] very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion. ... I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.
Deuteronomy 4:32 For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and [ask] from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been [any such thing] as this great thing [is], or hath been heard like it?
Deuteronomy 32:7 Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.
Psalms 44:1 [[To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil.]] We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, [what] work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.
Psalms 78:3-4 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. ... We will not hide [them] from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
Isaiah 38:19 The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I [do] this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.
Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Random Bible VersesNew Quotes



Chain-Reference Bible SearchCross References with Concordance

Dt 4:32; 32:7. Jb 12:12; 15:10, 18; 32:6. Ps 44:1; 78:3. Is 38:19. Ro 15:4. 1Co 10:11.

Newest Chat Bible Comment
Comment HereExpand User Bible CommentaryComplete Biblical ResearchComplete Chat Bible Commentary
Recent Chat Bible Comments