Job 18:16

KJV

His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off.

KJV (with Strong's)

His roots {H8328} shall be dried up {H3001} beneath, and above {H4605} shall his branch {H7105} be cut off {H5243}.

Complete Jewish Bible

His roots beneath him will dry up; above him, his branch will wither.

Berean Standard Bible

The roots beneath him dry up, and the branches above him wither away.

American Standard Version

His roots shall be dried up beneath, And above shall his branch be cut off.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 18:16, spoken by Bildad the Shuhite, vividly employs agricultural imagery to describe the complete and irreversible downfall of the wicked. In Bildad's rigid theological framework, this verse serves as a stark pronouncement of divine judgment, asserting that the unrighteous will experience total destruction, both at their foundation and in their outward manifestation, leaving no hope for recovery or future progeny. It encapsulates his firm belief in a direct, punitive consequence for sin, intended to persuade Job of his supposed hidden transgressions.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Job 18:16 is situated within Bildad's second of three speeches to Job, specifically [Job 18:1-21](/job/18 "Job 18 - Bildad's Second Speech"). Following Zophar's initial speech and Job's passionate response, Bildad launches into a scathing condemnation of the wicked, implicitly directing his accusations at Job. Chapter 18 is a sustained, unyielding description of the wicked man's inevitable ruin, characterized by a series of vivid images of destruction—snares, terror, famine, disease, and ultimately, eradication from memory. This verse, with its powerful botanical metaphor, functions as a climactic statement within this litany of woes, emphasizing the comprehensive nature of the wicked's demise. It echoes Bildad's earlier use of plant imagery in [Job 8:11-19](/job/8 "Job 8 - Bildad's First Speech"), where he compares the wicked to a papyrus or reed that withers without water, but [Job 18:16](/job/18-16 "Job 18:16 - The Wicked's Destruction") intensifies this imagery to total annihilation.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Book of Job is set in a patriarchal, pre-Mosaic era, likely reflecting a common understanding of wisdom theology prevalent in the ancient Near East. In this worldview, there was a strong emphasis on the principle of divine retribution: righteousness led to prosperity and blessing, while wickedness invariably resulted in suffering and destruction. This "retribution theology" was a cornerstone of their understanding of divine justice and cosmic order. Agricultural metaphors, like those found in [Job 18:16](/job/18-16 "Job 18:16 - The Wicked's Destruction"), were readily understood in a society deeply connected to the land and its cycles of planting, growth, and harvest. The imagery of roots and branches would immediately convey concepts of life, lineage, stability, and future prosperity. Bildad's argument, therefore, resonated with the conventional wisdom of his time, even if its application to Job was profoundly flawed.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several key themes within the Book of Job and ancient wisdom literature. Firstly, it underscores the theme of **Total Desolation**, depicting a ruin so complete that it affects both the foundational source of life (roots) and its outward expression and future (branches). This signifies an utter lack of recovery or legacy for the wicked. Secondly, it highlights the **Consequences of Wickedness**, presenting a severe warning that a life lived in unrighteousness, from Bildad's perspective, inevitably leads to decay and eradication, reflecting a belief in a moral universe where actions have direct repercussions. Lastly, it speaks to the theme of **Divine Judgment**, implying an inescapable divine justice where evil will not ultimately prosper. While Bildad misapplies this principle to Job, the verse itself articulates a deeply held belief that God's ultimate justice will reach into the very source and future prospects of those who oppose Him, ensuring that the wicked are "cut off" from the land, as seen in [Proverbs 2:22](/proverbs/2-22 "Proverbs 2:22 - The Wicked Uprooted").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Roots (Hebrew, _shorashav'_):** This term refers to the subterranean part of a plant, the source of its nourishment, stability, and life. In a metaphorical sense, "roots" often signify a person's foundation, their origin, their inner strength, or even their progeny and lineage. When Bildad declares that the roots of the wicked shall be "dried up," he implies a complete cessation of life-giving sustenance, a loss of all stability, and the eradication of any foundational existence or future generation.
* **Dried up (Hebrew, _yibbash'_):** This verb denotes becoming dry, withered, or parched. It is frequently used in the Old Testament to describe the desiccation of plants, water sources, or even human strength. In the context of [Job 18:16](/job/18-16 "Job 18:16 - The Wicked's Destruction"), it conveys a state of utter lifelessness and decay, suggesting that the very source of the wicked's being has lost all vitality and capacity for growth or recovery.
* **Branch (Hebrew, _yanuqto'_):** This word refers to a young shoot, a tender branch, or a suckling plant. It represents outward growth, prosperity, and particularly, descendants or future generations. The "branch" is the visible manifestation of the plant's life and its potential for continuation. To have this "cut off" means the termination of all outward signs of life, the cessation of future prospects, and the obliteration of any legacy or posterity.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"His roots shall be dried up beneath":** This clause focuses on the foundational destruction of the wicked. "Beneath" emphasizes the subterranean, hidden aspect of this ruin. It signifies that the very source of life, stability, and perhaps even the lineage or posterity of the wicked, will be utterly deprived of nourishment and vitality. This implies a complete internal collapse, a loss of the very essence that sustains life and growth.
* **"and above shall his branch be cut off":** This second clause describes the visible and external destruction. "Above" points to the outward manifestation and future prospects. The "branch" represents prosperity, visible growth, and especially future generations or descendants. To be "cut off" indicates a violent, decisive severance, ensuring that there is no outward sign of life, no continuation, and no legacy left for the wicked. This dual destruction—from the hidden foundation to the visible future—underscores the finality and comprehensiveness of the wicked's demise in Bildad's view.

#### Literary Devices
[Job 18:16](/job/18-16 "Job 18:16 - The Wicked's Destruction") is rich in **Imagery**, specifically **Agricultural Imagery**. The vivid depiction of "roots" and "branch" immediately calls to mind the life cycle of a plant, making the metaphor of destruction powerfully accessible. This imagery serves as a potent **Metaphor** for the complete ruin of an individual, where the plant represents the wicked person. The drying up of roots signifies internal decay and loss of foundation, while the cutting off of the branch denotes the cessation of outward prosperity and future lineage. The verse also employs **Parallelism**, specifically **Antithetical Parallelism** or **Complementary Parallelism**, by presenting two contrasting yet reinforcing aspects of destruction: "beneath" (roots dried up) and "above" (branch cut off). This structure emphasizes the all-encompassing nature of the judgment, leaving no part of the wicked's existence untouched. The use of such stark and familiar imagery makes Bildad's pronouncement both memorable and chilling.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
While Bildad's application of this principle to Job was flawed and insensitive, the imagery in [Job 18:16](/job/18-16 "Job 18:16 - The Wicked's Destruction") carries a timeless truth about the ultimate futility and destruction inherent in a life detached from a righteous foundation. It serves as a powerful metaphor for the spiritual and moral decay that results from persistent wickedness, illustrating that a life not rooted in truth and God's ways ultimately withers and fails to produce lasting fruit or legacy. This verse, though spoken in error concerning Job's specific situation, reflects a broader biblical principle that genuine, enduring prosperity and life are found only in alignment with divine wisdom and righteousness, while the path of the wicked leads to desolation.

* [Psalm 1:3](/psalms/1-3 "Psalm 1:3 - The Blessed Man Like a Tree")
* [Proverbs 11:28](/proverbs/11-28 "Proverbs 11:28 - Trust in Riches vs. Righteousness")
* [Jeremiah 17:8](/jeremiah/17-8 "Jeremiah 17:8 - Trusting in the Lord Like a Tree")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
[Job 18:16](/job/18-16 "Job 18:16 - The Wicked's Destruction"), despite its harsh context, offers a profound spiritual lesson for believers today. It challenges us to examine the foundations of our own lives and the sources from which we draw our nourishment. Are our "roots" deeply planted in the fertile ground of God's Word and His truth, or are they shallow and susceptible to drying up when trials come? The imagery of the "branch cut off" reminds us that outward appearances of success or productivity are meaningless if they are not sustained by an inner life connected to God. True and lasting fruitfulness, both personally and in our impact on the world, stems from a deep, abiding relationship with Christ. This verse cautions against paths that lead to self-destruction and reminds us that genuine, enduring prosperity comes from a life rooted in God's truth and justice, not from fleeting worldly success or self-reliance. It calls us to cultivate spiritual depth, ensuring our lives are firmly established in Christ so that we may bear good fruit and stand firm against the storms of life.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What are the "roots" of my life? What am I drawing my spiritual nourishment from?**
* **In what ways might I be pursuing "branches" (outward success, recognition) without ensuring my "roots" are deeply planted in God?**
* **How does the concept of "being cut off" challenge my understanding of spiritual fruitfulness and legacy?**
* **How can I ensure my life is like a tree planted by streams of water, as described in [Psalm 1](/psalms/1 "Psalm 1 - The Two Ways")?**

### FAQ
**Does Bildad's statement in Job 18:16 accurately describe God's judgment on all wicked people?**

Answer: While [Job 18:16](/job/18-16 "Job 18:16 - The Wicked's Destruction") uses powerful imagery to describe the fate of the wicked, Bildad's application of this principle within the Book of Job is ultimately shown to be flawed and incomplete. Bildad, along with Job's other friends, operates under a rigid retribution theology that asserts a direct, immediate, and always visible correlation between sin and suffering. They assume that Job's immense suffering must mean he is profoundly wicked, and therefore, his "roots" and "branch" are being cut off. However, the overarching narrative of Job challenges this simplistic view, demonstrating that suffering is not always a direct punishment for sin, and that God's ways are far more complex and multifaceted than human wisdom can comprehend. While the Bible does teach that wickedness ultimately leads to destruction and that God judges sin (e.g., [Proverbs 1:31-32](/proverbs/1-31 "Proverbs 1:31-32 - Eating the Fruit of Their Way")), it also reveals God's patience, mercy, and the reality of righteous suffering. Therefore, while the imagery in [Job 18:16](/job/18-16 "Job 18:16 - The Wicked's Destruction") conveys a truth about the ultimate futility of a life apart from God, it does not represent a universally applicable, simplistic, or immediate divine judgment on every individual instance of wickedness.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The stark imagery of roots drying up and branches being cut off in [Job 18:16](/job/18-16 "Job 18:16 - The Wicked's Destruction") finds its ultimate theological fulfillment and reinterpretation in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While Bildad pronounces destruction upon the wicked, Jesus presents Himself as the source of true life and enduring fruitfulness. In [John 15:1-6](/john/15-1 "John 15:1-6 - Jesus the True Vine"), Jesus declares, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser... Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit." Here, the imagery of being "cut off" is not merely a consequence of wickedness but a divine act of judgment for unfruitfulness in the True Vine, or conversely, a pruning for greater fruitfulness. Furthermore, while the wicked are depicted as having their roots dried up, Christ is portrayed in [Isaiah 53:2](/isaiah/53-2 "Isaiah 53:2 - Root from Dry Ground") as a "root out of dry ground," signifying His humble, unpromising earthly origin, yet from Him springs eternal life. Jesus Himself was "cut off" from the land of the living through His crucifixion (as prophesied in [Isaiah 53:8](/isaiah/53-8 "Isaiah 53:8 - Cut Off from the Land of the Living")), yet this act of being cut off led not to desolation but to resurrection and the provision of eternal life for all who believe. Thus, what Bildad presented as the hopeless end of the wicked becomes, in Christ, the means by which humanity can be re-rooted in God and bear fruit that endures, escaping the ultimate drying up and cutting off that sin brings.

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

Hosea 9:16

Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay [even] the beloved [fruit] of their womb.

Malachi 4:1

¶ For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

Amos 2:9

¶ Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height [was] like the height of the cedars, and he [was] strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.

Isaiah 5:24

Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, [so] their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

Job 15:30

He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.

Job 29:19

My root [was] spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.

Job 5:3

I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation.