TRV
Translation
King James Version
He shall neither have son nor nephew among his people, nor any remaining in his dwellings.
Complete Jewish Bible
"Without son or grandson among his people, no one will remain in his dwellings.
Berean Standard Bible
He has no offspring or posterity among his people, no survivor where he once lived.
American Standard Version
He shall have neither son nor son’s son among his people, Nor any remaining where he sojourned.
World English Bible Messianic
He shall have neither son nor grandson among his people, nor any remaining where he lived.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Hee shall neither haue sonne nor nephewe among his people, nor any posteritie in his dwellings.
Young's Literal Translation
He hath no continuator, Nor successor among his people, And none is remaining in his dwellings.
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In the KJVVerse 13,296 of 31,102
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Commentary on Job 18 verses 11–21
11 ¶ Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him to his feet.
12 His strength shall be hungerbitten, and destruction shall be ready at his side.
13 It shall devour the strength of his skin: even the firstborn of death shall devour his strength.
14 His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors.
15 It shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none of his: brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.
16 His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off.
17 His remembrance shall perish from the earth, and he shall have no name in the street.
18 He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world.
19 He shall neither have son nor nephew among his people, nor any remaining in his dwellings.
20 They that come after him shall be astonied at his day, as they that went before were affrighted.
21 Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God.
Bildad here describes the destruction itself which wicked people are reserved for in the other world, and which, in some degree, often seizes them in this world. Come, and see what a miserable condition the sinner is in when his day comes to fall.
I. See him disheartened and weakened by continual terrors arising from the sense of his own guilt and the dread of God's wrath (Job 18:11, Job 18:12): Terror shall make him afraid on every side. The terrors of his own conscience shall haunt him, so that he shall never be easy. Wherever he goes, these shall follow him; which way soever he looks, these shall stare him in the face. It will make him tremble to see himself fought against by the whole creation, to see Heaven frowning on him, hell gaping for him, and earth sick of him. He that carries his own accuser, and his own tormentor, always in his bosom, cannot but be afraid on every side. This will drive him to his feet, like the malefactor, who, being conscious of his own guilt, takes to his heels and flees when none pursues, Pro 28:1. But his feet will do him no service; they are fast in the snare, Job 18:9. The sinner may as soon overpower the divine omnipotence as flee from the divine omniscience, Amo 9:2, Amo 9:3. No marvel that the sinner is dispirited and distracted with fear, for, 1. He sees his ruin approaching: Destruction shall be ready at his side, to seize him whenever justice gives the word, so that he is brought into desolation in a moment, Psa 73:19. 2. He feels himself utterly unable to grapple with it, either to escape it or to bear up under it. That which he relied upon as his strength (his wealth, power, pomp, friends, and the hardiness of his own spirit) shall fail him in the time of need, and be hunger-bitten, that is, it shall do him no more service than a famished man, pining away for hunger, would do in work or war. The case being thus with him, no marvel that he is a terror to himself. Note, The way of sin is a way of fear, and leads to everlasting confusion, of which the present terrors of an impure and unpacified conscience are earnests, as they were to Cain and Judas.
II. See him devoured and swallowed up by a miserable death; and miserable indeed a wicked man's death is, how secure and jovial soever his life was. 1. See him dying, arrested by the first-born of death (some disease, or some stroke that has in it a more than ordinary resemblance of death itself; so great a death, as it is called, Co2 1:10, a messenger of death that has in it an uncommon strength and terror), weakened by the harbingers of death, which devour the strength of his skin, that is, it shall bring rottenness into his bones and consume them. His confidence shall then be rooted out of his tabernacle (Job 18:14), that is, all that he trusted to for his support shall be taken from him, and he shall have nothing to rely upon, no, not his own tabernacle. His own soul was his confidence, but that shall be rooted out of the tabernacle of the body, as a tree that cumbered the ground. "Thy soul shall be required of thee." 2. See him dead, and see his case then with an eye of faith. (1.) He is then brought to the king of terrors. He was surrounded with terrors while he lived (Job 18:11), and death was the king of all those terrors; they fought against the sinner in death's name, for it is by reason of death that sinners are all their lifetime subject to bondage (Heb 2:15), and at length they will be brought to that which they so long feared, as a captive to the conqueror. Death is terrible to nature; our Saviour himself prayed, Father, save me from this hour. But to the wicked it is in a special manner the king of terrors, both as it is a period to that life in which they placed their happiness and a passage to that life where they will find their endless misery. How happy then are the saints, and how much indebted to the Lord Jesus, by whom death is so far abolished, and the property of it altered, that this king of terrors becomes a friend and servant! (2.) He is then driven from the light into darkness (Job 18:18), from the light of this world, and his prosperous condition in it, into darkness, the darkness of the grave, the darkness of hell, into utter darkness, never to see light (Psa 49:19), not the least gleam, nor any hopes of it. (3.) He is then chased out of the world, hurried and dragged away by the messengers of death, sorely against his will, chased as Adam out of paradise, for the world is his paradise. It intimates that he would fain stay here; he is loth to depart, but go he must; all the world is weary of him, and therefore chases him out, as glad to get rid of him. This is death to a wicked man.
III. See his family sunk and cut off, Job 18:15. The wrath and curse of God light and lie, not only upon his head and heart, but upon his house too, to consume it with the timber and stones thereof, Zac 5:4. Death itself shall dwell in his tabernacle, and, having expelled him, shall take possession of his house, to the terror and destruction of all that he leaves behind. Even the dwelling shall be ruined for the sake of its owner: Brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation, rained upon it as upon Sodom, to the destruction of which this seems to have reference. Some think he here upbraids Job with the burning of his sheep and servants with fire from heaven. The reason is here given why his tabernacle is thus marked for ruin: Because it is none of his; that is, it was unjustly got, and kept, from the rightful owner, and therefore let him not expect either the comfort or the continuance of it. His children shall perish, either with him or after him, Job 18:16. So that, his roots being in his own person dried up beneath, above his branch (every child of his family) shall be cut off. Thus the houses of Jeroboam, Baasha, and Ahab, were cut off; none that descended from them were left alive. Those who take root in the earth may expect it will thus be dried up; but, if we be rooted in Christ, even our leaf shall not wither, much less shall our branch be cut off. Those who consult the true honour of their family, and the welfare of its branches, will be afraid of withering it by sin. The extirpation of the sinner's family is mentioned again (Job 18:19): He shall neither have son nor nephew, child nor grandchild, to enjoy his estate and bear up his name, nor shall there be any remaining in his dwelling akin to him. Sin entails a curse upon posterity, and the iniquity of the fathers is often visited upon the children. Herein, also, it is probable that Bildad reflects upon the death of Job's children and servants, as a further proof of his being a wicked man; whereas all that are written childless are not thereby written graceless; there is a name better than that of sons and daughters.
IV. See his memory buried with him, or made odious; he shall either be forgotten or spoken of with dishonour (Job 18:17): His remembrance shall perish from the earth; and, if it perish thence, it perishes wholly, for it was never written in heaven, as the names of the saints are, Luk 10:20. All his honour shall be laid and lost in the dust, or stained with perpetual infamy, so that he shall have no name in the street, departing without being desired. Thus the judgments of God follow him, after death, in this world, as an indication of the misery his soul is in after death, and an earnest of that everlasting shame and contempt to which he shall rise in the great day. The memory of the just is blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot, Pro 10:7.
V. See a universal amazement at his fall, Job 18:20. Those that see it are affrighted, so sudden is the change, so dreadful the execution, so threatening to all about him: and those that come after, and hear the report of it, are astonished at it; their ears are made to tingle, and their hearts to tremble, and they cry out, Lord, how terrible art thou in thy judgments! A place or person utterly ruined is said to be made an astonishment, Deu 28:37; Ch2 7:21; Jer 25:9, Jer 25:18. Horrible sins bring strange punishments.
VI. See all this averred as the unanimous sense of the patriarchal age, grounded upon their knowledge of God and their many observations of his providence (Job 18:21): Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place (this the condition) of him that knows not God! See here what is the beginning, and what is the end, of the wickedness of this wicked world. 1. The beginning of it is ignorance of God, and it is a wilful ignorance, for there is that to be known of him which is sufficient to leave them for ever inexcusable. They know not God, and then they commit all iniquity. Pharaoh knows not the Lord, and therefore will not obey his voice. 2. The end of it, and that is utter destruction. Such, so miserable, are the dwellings of the wicked. Vengeance will be taken of those that know not God, Th2 1:8. For those whom he has not honour from he will get himself honour upon. Let us therefore stand in awe and not sin, for it will certainly be bitterness in the latter end.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 11–21. Public domain.
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Julian of EclanumAD 455
EXPOSITION ON THE BOOK OF JOB 18:17
“Their memory perishes from the earth.” In order that Bildad may not appear to speak inconsistently after saying, “Their roots dry up beneath,” he had added, “Their crops are ruined above.” He then concludes with what he wanted to convey through such a sequel of expressions, that is, “Their memory perishes from the earth.” In fact, it could happen that the ripening of the fruits occurred before the drying up of the roots, which takes place over a long period of time. “Their memory perishes from the earth.” All the things that happen to the impious are described in general but also obliquely referred to Job, because he suffers these same things under the scourge of God.
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
For it is written, that the Lord Jesus shall consume him, with the Spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy him with the brightness of His coming. [2 Thess. 2, 8] And so, then, whereas his wickedness is ended together with the settled constitution of the world, there shall be ‘no offspring of him left in his people,’ in that both he himself and his people along with him are equally forced to punishment; and all the wicked, who by his evil advising were born in bad courses, by the brightness of the Lord’s coming are struck with eternal destruction together with that head of theirs. And there is ‘no offspring of him remaining in the world,’ in that the strict Judge ends the iniquities of that one simultaneously with the end of the world. Now that these words are to be understood expressly of Antichrist is shewn.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Job 18:19, a pronouncement from Bildad the Shuhite, vividly articulates his unwavering conviction that the wicked face absolute annihilation, specifically the complete eradication of their lineage and the utter desolation of their dwelling place. This verse stands as a stark declaration within Bildad's second speech, where he relentlessly champions a rigid system of retributive justice, asserting that Job's profound suffering is incontrovertible evidence of his ungodliness, and that divine judgment invariably culminates in the erasure of the wicked's presence and posterity from the earth.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Bildad's speech in Job 18:19 employs several potent literary devices to convey his message of absolute judgment and the dire fate of the wicked. Hyperbole is evident in the sweeping declaration that "neither son nor nephew" nor "any remaining in his dwellings" will exist. This exaggeration emphasizes a total and complete annihilation of lineage and presence, extending beyond literal possibility to underscore the perceived severity of divine wrath. Imagery is powerfully used to paint a vivid picture of desolation and emptiness, particularly with the phrase "nor any remaining in his dwellings," which evokes a stark visual of an abandoned, forgotten home, devoid of life or memory, a haunting testament to absence. Furthermore, a clear form of Parallelism is present, with the two clauses reinforcing and expanding upon each other: the first clause speaks of the loss of future generations ("son nor nephew"), while the second speaks of the loss of physical presence and memory in their home ("any remaining in his dwellings"). This parallel structure intensifies the sense of comprehensive and inescapable doom that Bildad believes awaits the wicked.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 18:19, though a product of Bildad's rigid and ultimately flawed theological framework, touches upon profound human anxieties regarding legacy, memory, and the consequences of one's actions. Bildad's perspective, rooted in a strict understanding of retributive justice, asserts that God's judgment on the wicked is absolute and results in the complete obliteration of their lineage and presence. While the book of Job ultimately challenges this simplistic equation of suffering with sin, it does not deny that wickedness can indeed lead to ruin and that a lasting legacy is often tied to righteousness. However, the true legacy, as the broader biblical narrative reveals, is not merely biological but spiritual, found in one's enduring relationship with God. The fear of being forgotten or having one's line cut off highlights the deep human desire for significance and continuity, a desire that finds its ultimate fulfillment not in earthly descendants alone, but in an enduring relationship with the eternal God, who remembers His covenant people forever.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Bildad's harsh pronouncement in Job 18:19, while ultimately misapplied to Job, serves as a powerful reminder of the deep human longing for significance and the dread of oblivion. In ancient cultures, a continuing lineage was the primary means of ensuring one's legacy and a form of earthly immortality. Today, while biological descendants remain important, our understanding of legacy has broadened to include the spiritual, social, and intellectual impact we leave on the world. This verse prompts us to consider what kind of "legacy" we are building. Is it one rooted in fleeting earthly achievements, or in enduring values and a relationship with God that transcends death? The book of Job challenges us to move beyond a simplistic cause-and-effect understanding of suffering and prosperity, inviting us into a deeper trust in God's sovereign wisdom, even when His ways are inscrutable and His purposes hidden. Ultimately, our hope for a lasting memory and significance rests not on our own efforts or the number of our descendants, but on God's faithfulness to those who are His, assuring us that in Him, we are never truly forgotten and our spiritual heritage is secure.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Did Bildad's prophecy in Job 18:19 come true for Job?
Answer: No, Bildad's prophecy in Job 18:19 did not come true for Job. In fact, the entire book of Job serves to dismantle the simplistic theology of Bildad and his friends, which posits a direct, immediate, and absolute correlation between sin and suffering. While Bildad declares that the wicked will have "neither son nor nephew" and no "remaining in his dwellings," the narrative concludes with God vindicating Job and restoring his fortunes. Job 42:10 states that "the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before." Furthermore, Job 42:13 explicitly states that Job "had seven sons and three daughters," directly contradicting Bildad's pronouncement of a cut-off lineage. This outcome highlights the central message of Job: God's ways are higher than human understanding, and suffering is not always a punishment for sin but can serve other divine purposes, ultimately revealing God's sovereignty and Job's steadfast faith.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 18:19, with its grim pronouncement of the wicked's lineage being cut off and their memory erased, stands in stark contrast to the hope and eternal legacy offered through Jesus Christ. While Bildad's words reflect a human understanding of justice that ties identity and future to earthly descendants, the New Testament reveals a spiritual lineage that transcends biological ties. In Christ, believers are adopted into God's eternal family, becoming "children of God" not by natural birth but by faith in His name (as seen in John 1:12). The profound fear of oblivion, so palpable in Bildad's threat, is completely overcome by Christ's resurrection, which promises eternal life and remembrance for all who believe in Him. Jesus Himself promised, "Because I live, you also will live" (John 14:19), assuring His followers of an enduring presence with God. The ultimate "seed" or "offspring" promised throughout the Old Testament, through whom all nations would be blessed (as foreshadowed in Genesis 22:18), is Christ Himself, the true heir of all things. Through Him, believers gain an imperishable inheritance that is kept in heaven (1 Peter 1:4) and a name that will never be blotted out of the Book of Life (Revelation 3:5). Thus, the ultimate fulfillment of a lasting legacy and overcoming the threat of being "cut off" is found in union with Christ, who secures for His people an eternal dwelling and an unending spiritual posterity.