Job 18:18

KJV

He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world.

KJV (with Strong's)

He shall be driven {H1920} from light {H216} into darkness {H2822}, and chased {H5074} out of the world {H8398}.

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.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 18:18, spoken by Bildad the Shuhite, encapsulates his grim prognosis for the wicked, asserting their inevitable and total destruction. Within his second speech, Bildad vehemently argues that Job's profound suffering is irrefutable evidence of his sinfulness, aligning with the traditional retribution theology that posits a direct correlation between righteousness and prosperity, and wickedness and calamity. This verse vividly portrays the wicked person's forceful expulsion from all that is good—symbolized by "light"—into a state of utter despair, oblivion, and ultimate demise, "chased out of the world." It serves as a stark, though ultimately misapplied, indictment against Job, highlighting the severe consequences Bildad believes await those who defy God.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Job 18:18 is situated within Bildad's second of three speeches to Job, specifically in [Job 18](/job/18 "Job 18 - Bildad's Second Speech"). Following Job's lament in [Job 17](/job/17 "Job 17 - Job's Despair and Plea"), Bildad responds with a harsh rebuke, accusing Job of arrogance and impatience. Bildad's entire speech (Job 18:1-21) is a sustained exposition on the fate of the wicked, employing vivid and terrifying imagery to describe their downfall. He meticulously details the loss of their prosperity, their family, their reputation, and ultimately, their very existence. This verse, therefore, functions as a powerful crescendo in Bildad's argument, serving as a thinly veiled, yet devastating, accusation against Job, implying that Job's current state is precisely the "darkness" and "expulsion" reserved for the unrighteous. The preceding verses ([Job 18:5-17](/job/18-5-17 "Job 18:5-17 - Description of the Wicked's Ruin")) describe the wicked's lamp being put out, their strength failing, and their roots drying up, making verse 18 the culmination of this destructive trajectory.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Bildad, like Job and his other friends, lived in a patriarchal society where wisdom traditions were highly valued, and the concept of divine justice was deeply ingrained. The dominant theological framework of their time, often referred to as retribution theology, held that God directly rewarded the righteous with blessings (e.g., wealth, health, offspring) and punished the wicked with suffering and destruction. This belief system was common in the ancient Near East and is reflected in various wisdom texts, including parts of the Old Testament (e.g., [Proverbs](/proverbs/1 "Proverbs - Wisdom and Folly")). For Bildad, Job's immense suffering—loss of family, possessions, and health—could only be explained by his secret wickedness. The imagery of "light" and "darkness" was universally understood in ancient cultures as representing life, prosperity, and divine favor versus death, misfortune, and divine judgment, respectively. To be "chased out of the world" would have evoked the ultimate social and existential ostracism, a fate worse than death for many, signifying a complete erasure from memory and community.
* **Key Themes:** Job 18:18 powerfully contributes to several key themes within the book of Job and broader biblical theology. The most prominent theme is the **Consequences of Wickedness**, which Bildad presents as an inescapable and dire judgment awaiting those who live apart from God's ways. His argument, while ultimately challenged by God, reflects a common ancient Near Eastern understanding of divine justice where sin inevitably leads to ruin and demise. Secondly, the verse highlights the **Loss of Light and Life**, using the potent imagery of transition from "light" to "darkness." This symbolizes a complete reversal of fortune, moving from prosperity, joy, and divine favor to misery, despair, and spiritual death. This theme resonates with other biblical passages where light represents God's presence and blessing (e.g., [Psalm 36:9](/psalm/36-9 "Psalm 36:9 - God as the Fountain of Life")) and darkness signifies judgment and separation from God (e.g., [Isaiah 5:20](/isaiah/5-20 "Isaiah 5:20 - Woe to Those Who Call Evil Good")). Finally, the phrase "chased out of the world" emphasizes **Utter Expulsion and Destruction**, signifying a forceful removal from human society, from the land of the living, and ultimately, from memory and influence, a theme also seen in texts like [Psalm 37:9-10](/psalm/37-9-10 "Psalm 37:9-10 - The Wicked Perish").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Light (Hebrew, _'ōr'_):** This term (אֹור) is a fundamental biblical metaphor, primarily signifying life, blessing, prosperity, knowledge, and divine presence. In the context of Job 18, "light" represents the state of well-being, success, and favor that Bildad believes is characteristic of the righteous. To be driven from it implies a radical and catastrophic loss of all good things, moving from a state of flourishing to one of utter destitution.
* **Darkness (Hebrew, _ḥōšek'_):** The antithesis of light (חֹשֶׁךְ), "darkness" consistently symbolizes death, chaos, ignorance, judgment, and separation from God. In Bildad's grim prophecy, it denotes the ultimate state of misery, despair, and spiritual oblivion into which the wicked are cast. It is not merely the absence of light but an active, oppressive force of judgment.
* **Chased out (Hebrew, _hāḏap'_):** This verb (הָדַף) conveys a strong sense of forceful, violent expulsion or thrusting away. Unlike a gentle departure, "chased out" implies an irresistible power behind the judgment, suggesting that the wicked are not merely leaving but are being violently ejected from their place. This emphasizes the divine, inescapable nature of the judgment Bildad describes.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"He shall be driven from light into darkness":** This clause vividly depicts a forced, irreversible transition from a state of blessing and prosperity ("light") to one of misery, judgment, and spiritual death ("darkness"). The passive voice "shall be driven" suggests an external, powerful agent—implicitly God—is responsible for this expulsion. It speaks to a complete reversal of fortune, where all that was good and life-affirming is stripped away, leaving only desolation.
* **"and chased out of the world":** This second clause amplifies the first, emphasizing the totality and finality of the wicked person's expulsion. "Chased out" (from _hāḏap_) reinforces the violent and forceful nature of the removal. "Out of the world" (מִתֵּבֵל, _mit-tevel_) refers to expulsion from the inhabited earth, signifying a complete removal from human society, from the land of the living, and ultimately, from memory and influence. It implies not just physical death but an obliteration of their legacy and presence.

#### Literary Devices
Bildad employs several potent **Literary Devices** in Job 18:18 to underscore his message. The most prominent is **Symbolism**, where "light" symbolizes life, prosperity, and divine favor, while "darkness" symbolizes death, misery, and divine judgment. This stark contrast creates a powerful **Antithesis**, highlighting the absolute reversal of fortune for the wicked. Furthermore, the verse uses **Parallelism** in its two clauses ("He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world"), where the second clause reinforces and intensifies the meaning of the first, emphasizing the complete and forceful nature of the wicked's expulsion. The verbs "driven" and "chased out" also contribute to **Vivid Imagery**, painting a picture of an irresistible, violent ejection, evoking a sense of terror and inevitability for the listener.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
While Bildad's rigid application of retribution theology to Job's suffering is ultimately shown to be flawed by God's own words in [Job 38-41](/job/38 "Job 38-41 - God's Speeches"), the core imagery and underlying principle of consequences for wickedness hold theological weight within the broader biblical narrative. The Bible consistently affirms that there are indeed dire outcomes for those who persistently reject God's ways and embrace evil. This verse, therefore, serves as a stark reminder of the ultimate futility and destructive end of a life lived in rebellion against the Creator. It highlights the biblical truth that true flourishing is found in walking in God's light, and deviation from that path leads to spiritual and existential darkness, even if the timing and specific manifestation of judgment are not always as simplistic as Bildad suggests. The imagery of light and darkness as moral and spiritual states is pervasive throughout Scripture, pointing to the fundamental choice between life in God's presence and separation from Him.
* [John 3:19](/john/3-19 "John 3:19 - Men Loved Darkness Rather Than Light")
* [Proverbs 2:22](/proverbs/2-22 "Proverbs 2:22 - The Wicked Cut Off from the Earth")
* [Psalm 1:4-6](/psalm/1-4-6 "Psalm 1:4-6 - The Way of the Wicked Shall Perish")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 18:18, though spoken from a flawed theological premise, still compels us to reflect on the profound consequences of our choices and the ultimate trajectory of a life lived apart from God. While we must guard against the simplistic "cause-and-effect" theology of Job's friends, the verse powerfully reminds us that sin does lead to a form of "darkness"—a separation from God's light, truth, and life. It challenges us to examine our own lives: are we walking in the light of Christ, embracing truth, righteousness, and love, or are we gravitating towards the shadows of self-interest, deceit, and rebellion? The "expulsion from the world" can be understood not just as physical death, but as a loss of true purpose, meaning, and connection, a spiritual oblivion even in this life. This verse calls us to repentance, to turn from any path that leads to spiritual darkness, and to embrace the transformative light of God's grace, trusting that His justice is perfectly righteous, even when His ways are beyond our full comprehension, as [Isaiah 55:9](/isaiah/55-9 "Isaiah 55:9 - God's Thoughts and Ways Are Higher") reminds us. It encourages us to live lives that reflect God's character, knowing that true flourishing is found in Him alone.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the imagery of "light" and "darkness" in this verse resonate with your understanding of spiritual life and death?**
* **In what ways might a "chase out of the world" manifest in a person's life today, beyond physical death?**
* **How does the book of Job, as a whole, challenge simplistic views of suffering and divine retribution?**
* **What does it mean for you personally to "walk in the light" versus being "driven into darkness"?**

### FAQ

**Does Bildad's description of the wicked's fate in Job 18:18 accurately represent God's justice according to the rest of the Bible?**

Answer: While the imagery of "light" and "darkness" and the concept of consequences for wickedness are consistent biblical themes, Bildad's application of this principle to Job is ultimately shown to be incomplete and flawed. The book of Job's primary purpose is to challenge the simplistic retribution theology held by Job's friends, which asserts a direct, immediate, and always discernible correlation between sin and suffering. God Himself, in [Job 38-41](/job/38 "Job 38-41 - God's Speeches"), never affirms that Job's suffering was due to his sin, but rather reveals His own sovereignty and the limits of human understanding. While the wicked will indeed face judgment (e.g., [Psalm 9:17](/psalm/9-17 "Psalm 9:17 - The Wicked Shall Be Turned Into Hell")), the righteous may also suffer (e.g., [1 Peter 4:12-19](/1_peter/4-12-19 "1 Peter 4:12-19 - Suffering for Righteousness' Sake")), and God's justice is far more complex and mysterious than Bildad's rigid framework allows. Therefore, while the *description* of the wicked's end has biblical echoes, Bildad's *reasoning* for Job's suffering is incorrect.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 18:18, though spoken in the context of a flawed human theology, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment not in the condemnation of an innocent man, but in the triumph of the true Light over all darkness. Bildad's prophecy of the wicked being "driven from light into darkness" stands in stark contrast to the destiny of those who follow Christ. Jesus declared Himself to be the "[light of the world](/john/8-12 "John 8:12 - Jesus, the Light of the World")" and promised that "[whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life](/john/8-12 "John 8:12 - Jesus, the Light of the World")". He endured the ultimate "darkness" on the cross, experiencing separation from God so that humanity might be "[delivered... from the domain of darkness and transferred... to the kingdom of his beloved Son](/colossians/1-13 "Colossians 1:13 - Delivered from Darkness")". Furthermore, the "chased out of the world" imagery, intended by Bildad as a curse, is ironically fulfilled in Christ's victory over death and the grave. While He was "chased out" of this world through crucifixion, He rose again, conquering death and darkness, ensuring that those who believe in Him will never truly be "chased out" into eternal oblivion but will have "[eternal life](/john/3-16 "John 3:16 - God So Loved the World")" and dwell in His glorious light forever. Thus, Job 18:18, by depicting the dire fate of those *without* the true light, implicitly points to the absolute necessity and ultimate triumph of Jesus Christ, the one who brings us from darkness to "[His marvelous light](/1_peter/2-9 "1 Peter 2:9 - Called Out of Darkness into Light")".

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

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.