King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world.
Complete Jewish Bible:
He will be pushed from light into darkness and driven out of the world.
Berean Standard Bible:
He is driven from light into darkness and is chased from the inhabited world.
American Standard Version:
He shall be driven from light into darkness, And chased out of the world.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
He shall be driven{H1920} from light{H216} into darkness{H2822}, and chased{H5074} out of the world{H8398}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Job 20:8
- He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.
Job 10:22
- A land of darkness, as darkness [itself; and] of the shadow of death, without any order, and [where] the light [is] as darkness.
Isaiah 17:13
- The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but [God] shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.
Isaiah 17:14
- And behold at eveningtide trouble; [and] before the morning he [is] not. This [is] the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us.
Daniel 4:33
- The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' [feathers], and his nails like birds' [claws].
Isaiah 8:21
- And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward.
Isaiah 8:22
- And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and [they shall be] driven to darkness.
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Commentary for Job 18:18
Job 18:18 is a part of the Book of Job, which is one of the Wisdom Books in the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. The verse is spoken by Bildad, one of Job's three friends who come to comfort him in his suffering. The Book of Job deals with the question of why righteous people suffer and is a profound exploration of theodicy, faith, and the human condition.
In the historical context, the Book of Job is set in the patriarchal period, a time when figures like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived. It is a period characterized by a strong emphasis on family, tradition, and a personal relationship with God. The narrative is likely a piece of wisdom literature composed to grapple with complex theological issues.
The verse itself reflects the ancient belief that a person's fortunes in life are tied to their moral standing. Bildad, in his speech, is suggesting that Job's misfortunes are a result of some hidden sin, and that Job is being punished by being driven from a state of light and prominence ("light into darkness") and being expelled from the community or the world ("chased out of the world"). This reflects a retributive justice mindset prevalent in the ancient Near East, where light is often associated with life, favor, and divine presence, while darkness symbolizes death, rejection, and divine abandonment.
The themes of the verse include retribution, divine justice, and the contrast between light and darkness as metaphors for prosperity and ruin, respectively. Bildad's words are meant to emphasize the traditional view that wickedness leads to misery and that Job's suffering must be a consequence of his own actions. However, the book as a whole challenges this simplistic understanding of suffering, ultimately concluding that human beings cannot fully comprehend God's ways. Job's experience shows that the righteous may suffer without cause, and the book calls for trust in God's wisdom and justice beyond human understanding.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H1920
There are 11 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: הָדַף
Transliteration: hâdaph
Pronunciation: haw-daf'
Description: a primitive root; to push away or down; cast away (out), drive, expel, thrust (away). - Strong's Number: H216
There are 191 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אוֹר
Transliteration: ʼôwr
Pronunciation: ore
Description: from אוֹר; illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.); bright, clear, [phrase] day, light (-ning), morning, sun. - Strong's Number: H2822
There are 77 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חֹשֶׁךְ
Transliteration: chôshek
Pronunciation: kho-shek'
Description: from חָשַׁךְ; the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness; dark(-ness), night, obscurity. - Strong's Number: H5074
There are 26 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָדַד
Transliteration: nâdad
Pronunciation: naw-dad'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to wave to and fro (rarely to flap up and down); figuratively, to rove, flee, or (causatively) to drive away; chase (away), [idiom] could not, depart, flee ([idiom] apace, away), (re-) move, thrust away, wander (abroad, -er, -ing). - Strong's Number: H8398
There are 36 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: תֵּבֵל
Transliteration: têbêl
Pronunciation: tay-bale'
Description: from יָבַל; the earth (as moist and therefore inhabited); by extension, the globe; by implication, its inhabitants; specifically, a particular land, as Babylonia, Palestine; habitable part, world.