Job 18:13

KJV

It shall devour the strength of his skin: [even] the firstborn of death shall devour his strength.

KJV (with Strong's)

It shall devour {H398} the strength {H905} of his skin {H5785}: even the firstborn {H1060} of death {H4194} shall devour {H398} his strength {H905}.

Complete Jewish Bible

disease eats away at his skin; the first stages of death devour him gradually.

Berean Standard Bible

It devours patches of his skin; the firstborn of death devours his limbs.

American Standard Version

The members of his body shall be devoured, Yea, the first-born of death shall devour his members.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 18:13 is a stark declaration from Bildad the Shuhite, delivered during his second speech to Job, wherein he vehemently asserts the direct and devastating consequences awaiting the wicked. This verse vividly portrays a consuming, destructive force that attacks the very vitality and physical well-being of the transgressor. It culminates in the grim imagery of "the firstborn of death" devouring the individual's strength, representing the ultimate and most potent manifestation of ruin and decay that Bildad believes is the inevitable outcome of unrighteousness.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Job 18:13 is embedded within Bildad's second speech (Job 18), a harsh and condemnatory response to Job's lamentations and assertions of innocence. Following Job's despairing words in [Job 17](/job/17 "Job 17 - Job's Despair and Plea for Vindication"), Bildad launches into a detailed catalog of the fate of the wicked, aiming to convince Job that his suffering is undeniable proof of his sin. Bildad describes how the wicked's "light shall be put out" ([Job 18:5](/job/18-5 "Job 18:5 - The Light of the Wicked is Extinguished")), their steps are hindered ([Job 18:7-8](/job/18-7 "Job 18:7-8 - The Wicked's Steps are Hindered")), and their family and legacy are destroyed ([Job 18:19-21](/job/18-19 "Job 18:19-21 - The Wicked's Offspring and Name Perish")). Verse 13 specifically focuses on the internal and physical decay, contributing to a comprehensive picture of the wicked's inescapable doom according to Bildad's rigid theology.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The book of Job is a profound exploration of suffering and divine justice, set against the backdrop of ancient Near Eastern (ANE) wisdom traditions. A prevalent belief in this period, often reflected in wisdom literature like Proverbs, was retribution theology: the idea that God consistently blesses the righteous with prosperity and punishes the wicked with adversity. Job's friends, including Bildad, are staunch proponents of this view, struggling to reconcile Job's immense suffering with his apparent righteousness. The imagery of "devouring" and "strength of his skin" speaks to common concerns about health, vitality, and the physical manifestations of divine favor or disfavor. The concept of "firstborn" in ANE cultures often denoted preeminence, power, or the most significant manifestation of something, lending immense weight to the phrase "the firstborn of death."
* **Key Themes:** Job 18:13 contributes significantly to several key themes within Bildad's discourse and the broader book. Firstly, it underscores the theme of **Divine Judgment and Consequences**, portraying a severe and inescapable judgment that consumes the wicked, reflecting the friends' belief in a direct correlation between sin and suffering. Secondly, the phrase "the strength of his skin" highlights **Physical and Vital Decay**, depicting a consumption of one's health, vigor, and life force, which Bildad attributes to divine punishment. Lastly, "the firstborn of death" introduces the theme of **The Destructive Power of Death**, personifying death as a supreme, potent agent of ruin. This perspective stands in stark contrast to [Job's own insistence on his innocence](/job/9-22 "Job 9:22 - Job's Assertion of God's Impartiality") and the book's ultimate challenge to the simplistic retribution theology espoused by Bildad and his companions.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **strength (Hebrew, _'on'_):** This word (עֹן) refers to vigor, vitality, wealth, or power. In this context, "the strength of his skin" signifies the physical health, robust well-being, and life force of an individual. It implies the very essence of their physical existence and flourishing.
* **skin (Hebrew, _'or'_):** The term ('עוֹר) literally means "skin" or "hide." Here, it functions as a synecdoche, representing the entire physical body or the outward manifestation of a person's life and vitality. The devouring of the "strength of his skin" therefore means the consumption of one's physical health and vigor.
* **firstborn (Hebrew, _bekor'_):** This word (בְּכוֹר) typically denotes the first-born child or animal, but it also carries the connotation of preeminence, chief, or most powerful. When combined with "death," it does not imply a literal offspring but rather the most potent, ultimate, or devastating manifestation of death's destructive power. It signifies the most severe and inescapable form of ruin.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"It shall devour the strength of his skin":** The subject "it" refers implicitly to the destructive force or calamity that Bildad believes afflicts the wicked. This clause vividly describes a consuming process that attacks the very essence of a person's physical vitality and health. It suggests an internal decay or a powerful external force that saps one's life force, leading to physical deterioration and weakness.
* **"[even] the firstborn of death shall devour his strength":** This second clause functions as a synonymous parallelism, reinforcing and intensifying the meaning of the first. "The firstborn of death" is a powerful personification of death in its most virulent and destructive form. This agent, representing the ultimate ruin or a particularly deadly disease, is depicted as actively consuming the individual's "strength"—their vigor and life force. The repetition of "devour his strength" emphasizes the complete and inescapable nature of this destructive process, highlighting the severity of the wicked's perceived fate.

#### Literary Devices
Job 18:13 employs several potent literary devices to convey Bildad's grim message. **Personification** is evident in the phrase "the firstborn of death," where death is given the human attribute of having a "firstborn," implying a most powerful or preeminent offspring or agent. This makes death seem like an active, formidable entity. The verse also utilizes **Synonymous Parallelism**, as the second clause ("even the firstborn of death shall devour his strength") reiterates and intensifies the meaning of the first ("It shall devour the strength of his skin"). This repetition emphasizes the certainty and severity of the wicked's demise. Furthermore, the verb "devour" functions as a powerful **Metaphor** for the consuming, destructive nature of the calamity that Bildad believes befalls the wicked, evoking images of a predator consuming its prey, leaving nothing but ruin. The overall effect is one of inescapable and utterly devastating judgment.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 18:13, while part of Bildad's ultimately flawed theological framework, powerfully articulates the ancient belief in divine retribution, where wickedness inevitably leads to severe, even fatal, consequences. From this perspective, the "firstborn of death" represents the ultimate manifestation of God's judgment against sin, consuming the very vitality of the transgressor. However, the book of Job as a whole challenges this simplistic understanding, revealing that suffering is not always a direct result of individual sin and that God's ways are often inscrutable to human understanding. Nevertheless, the verse implicitly highlights the inherent destructive power of sin itself, which, apart from God's grace, does lead to spiritual, emotional, and ultimately physical decay, culminating in death as the "wages of sin."

* [Job 9:22](/job/9-22 "Job 9:22 - God Destroys Both Innocent and Wicked")
* [Proverbs 11:19](/proverbs/11-19 "Proverbs 11:19 - Righteousness Leads to Life")
* [Romans 6:23](/romans/6-23 "Romans 6:23 - The Wages of Sin is Death")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While Bildad's rigid theology in Job 18:13 is ultimately corrected by God, the verse still serves as a powerful, albeit distorted, reminder of the destructive nature of unrighteousness. It compels us to consider that while suffering is not always a direct punishment for specific sins, sin itself carries inherent, corrosive power that can erode one's spiritual, emotional, and even physical well-being. This verse challenges us to avoid simplistic explanations for suffering, urging discernment and humility when interpreting life's difficulties. Instead of adopting a judgmental stance like Bildad, we are called to rely on God's true wisdom, which often transcends human assumptions about cause and effect. Ultimately, it points us to the profound truth that the only true escape from the consuming power of sin and death is found in God's redemptive grace.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Job 18:13, despite its flawed theological premise, still highlight the destructive potential of sin in our lives?**
* **In what ways might we, like Bildad, be tempted to attribute suffering solely to personal sin, and how can we avoid such judgmental conclusions?**
* **How does the ultimate victory of Christ over death transform our understanding of verses like Job 18:13?**

### FAQ
**What is the meaning of "the firstborn of death"?**

Answer: "The firstborn of death" is a vivid, poetic personification of death in its most powerful, preeminent, or devastating manifestation. It does not imply a literal offspring of death, but rather the most severe and ultimate form of ruin or destruction that death can inflict. This could refer to a particularly virulent disease, a catastrophic event, or the most extreme and inescapable form of doom. It emphasizes the absolute and consuming nature of the calamity Bildad believes befalls the wicked, leaving them utterly devoid of strength and vitality.

**Does this verse teach that all suffering is a direct result of sin?**

Answer: No, not from the overall message of the book of Job. While Bildad and Job's friends strongly advocate for this rigid retribution theology—that suffering is always a direct punishment for specific sins—the book of Job as a whole challenges and ultimately refutes this simplistic view. Job's suffering is explicitly shown not to be a result of his sin, but rather part of a divine test and a deeper mystery concerning God's sovereignty and human understanding. The book teaches that God's ways are beyond human comprehension and that suffering can serve various purposes beyond direct punishment for sin. Indeed, [God later rebukes the friends](/job/42-7 "Job 42:7 - God Rebukes the Friends") for not speaking what was right about Him, unlike Job.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Job 18:13 paints a grim picture of death's consuming power, particularly as "the firstborn of death," its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment lies in the New Testament's declaration of Jesus' triumph over death. The formidable "firstborn of death" that Bildad describes as devouring strength finds its ultimate conqueror in Christ. Jesus, through His crucifixion and resurrection, disarmed the power of death and the one who had the power of death, that is, the devil, setting free those who were held in slavery by their fear of death all their lives ([Hebrews 2:14-15](/hebrews/2-14 "Hebrews 2:14-15 - Jesus Destroys the Power of Death")). He is the true "firstborn from the dead" ([Colossians 1:18](/colossians/1-18 "Colossians 1:18 - Christ, the Firstborn from the Dead")), signifying His preeminence and victory over the very domain of death. The sting of death, which once devoured strength, has been swallowed up in victory through Christ Jesus ([1 Corinthians 15:54-57](/1_corinthians/15-54 "1 Corinthians 15:54-57 - Victory Over Death Through Christ")). Believers no longer fear the "firstborn of death" because Christ holds the keys of death and Hades ([Revelation 1:18](/revelation/1-18 "Revelation 1:18 - Christ Holds the Keys of Death and Hades")), offering eternal life and resurrection to all who trust in Him, thereby fulfilling and transcending the dire pronouncements of Bildad.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Isaiah 14:30

And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant.

Jonah 2:6

I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars [was] about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.

Revelation 6:8

And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

Zechariah 14:12

And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.

Genesis 49:3

Reuben, thou [art] my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:

Job 17:16

They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when [our] rest together [is] in the dust.