He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.
He shall lean {H8172} upon his house {H1004}, but it shall not stand {H5975}: he shall hold {H2388} it fast, but it shall not endure {H6965}.
He can lean on his house, but it won't stand; he can hold on to it, but it won't last;
He leans on his web, but it gives way; he holds fast, but it does not endure.
He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: He shall hold fast thereby, but it shall not endure.
-
Job 27:18
He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth [that] the keeper maketh. -
Luke 6:47
Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: -
Luke 6:49
But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great. -
Matthew 7:24
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: -
Matthew 7:27
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. -
Psalms 49:11
Their inward thought [is, that] their houses [shall continue] for ever, [and] their dwelling places to all generations; they call [their] lands after their own names. -
Proverbs 10:28
The hope of the righteous [shall be] gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.
Job 8:15 (KJV) offers a stark illustration of false security and the transient nature of anything built on an unstable foundation, particularly in the context of divine judgment against the wicked.
Context
This verse is part of Bildad the Shuhite's first speech to Job. Bildad, one of Job's three friends, adheres to a traditional wisdom theology that posits a direct correlation between righteousness and prosperity, and wickedness and suffering. In his view, Job's immense suffering must be a consequence of his sin, implying that God is just and always punishes the wicked while blessing the righteous. Verses 11-19 of Job 8 describe the fate of the wicked, using various metaphors of plants that wither without water or a spider's web that cannot support weight. Verse 15 specifically depicts the futility of relying on a fragile 'house' or foundation, underscoring the instability of a life not aligned with God's ways.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The Hebrew word for "lean" (שָׁעַן, sha'an) often carries the connotation of trust or reliance, not just physical support. So, "He shall lean upon his house" implies a deep reliance or confidence placed in it. The "house" (בַּיִת, bayit) can signify not just a physical dwelling but one's entire household, lineage, possessions, or even one's entire system of security and support. The repetition of "shall not stand" (לֹא יַעֲמֹד, lo ya'amod) and "shall not endure" (וְלֹא תִקוֹם, v'lo tiqom, from the root for "to rise" or "to stand firm") emphasizes the absolute certainty of collapse, regardless of how tightly one tries to "hold fast" (יַחֲזִיק, yachaziq) to it.
Practical Application
Job 8:15 serves as a timeless reminder about where we place our ultimate trust and security. In a world that often encourages building lives around material possessions, careers, relationships, or personal achievements, this verse challenges us to examine the foundation of our hope. Just as Proverbs 11:28 warns that "He that trusteth in his riches shall fall", this verse from Job highlights the instability of any foundation apart from God. True and lasting security is found not in what we can build or grasp, but in placing our faith and reliance on the Lord, who is our Rock and our refuge. It calls us to consider whether our lives are built on shifting sands or on the solid ground of God's unchanging truth.