81 Then Bildad the Shuhite made answer and said, 2 How long will you say these things, and how long will the words of your mouth be like a strong wind? 3 Does God give wrong decisions? or is the Ruler of all not upright in his judging? 4 If your children have done evil against him, then their punishment is from his hand. 5 If you will make search for God with care, and put your request before the Ruler of all; 6 If you are clean and upright; then he will certainly be moved to take up your cause, and will make clear your righteousness by building up your house again. 7 And though your start was small, your end will be very great.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 8:1-7
Commentary on Job 8:1-7
(Read Job 8:1-7)
Job spake much to the purpose; but Bildad, like an eager, angry disputant, turns it all off with this, How long wilt thou speak these things? Men's meaning is not taken aright, and then they are rebuked, as if they were evil-doers. Even in disputes on religion, it is too common to treat others with sharpness, and their arguments with contempt. Bildad's discourse shows that he had not a favourable opinion of Job's character. Job owned that God did not pervert judgment; yet it did not therefore follow that his children were cast-aways, or that they did for some great transgression. Extraordinary afflictions are not always the punishment of extraordinary sins, sometimes they are the trials of extraordinary graces: in judging of another's case, we ought to take the favorable side. Bildad puts Job in hope, that if he were indeed upright, he should yet see a good end of his present troubles. This is God's way of enriching the souls of his people with graces and comforts. The beginning is small, but the progress is to perfection. Dawning light grows to noon-day.