81 Bildad from Shuhah was next to speak: 2 "How can you keep on talking like this? You're talking nonsense, and noisy nonsense at that. 3 Does God mess up? Does God Almighty ever get things backwards? 4 It's plain that your children sinned against him - otherwise, why would God have punished them? 5 Here's what you must do - and don't put it off any longer: Get down on your knees before God Almighty. 6 If you're as innocent and upright as you say, it's not too late - he'll come running; he'll set everything right again, reestablish your fortunes. 7 Even though you're not much right now, you'll end up better than ever. To Hang Your Life from One Thin Thread
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.