The Second Speech of Bildad   (18:1-21)

18:1-4
Bildad, whose name means “son of contention,” responded angrily to Job. He was upset that Job thought him and his companions stupid. He told Job that he was not going to change the facts with his mindless anger.

18:5-14
Bildad proceeded to graphically describe the fate of the wicked. Nothing better than calamitous misfortune awaits the wicked who will ultimately be brought down to destruction. He insinuated that, like the wicked, Job was being hunted down by God. He felt confident that Job had stepped into the trap of God’s judgment, like an animal, because of his sin. According to Bildad the Brutal, Job was getting exactly what he deserved.

18:15-21
Bildad unmercifully and coldly proceeded to tell Job that the wicked will be destroyed (18:15-16) with nothing remaining of his memory (18:17). He will perish from the earth (18:18) and leave no posterity (18:19). The end of the wicked will be so disgraceful as to attract the attention of neighbors to the west and to the east (18:20). He even went so far as to say that such is the fate of those who do not know God (18:21), obviously digging at Job. Bildad refused to accept Job’s protests of innocence and believed that his refusal to repent must be an indication that Job must have much repenting to do. Job was guilty in the eyes of his friends, until proven innocent. With friends like that, who needs enemies? They believed the worst about him. Such calamity as Job was experiencing could not possibly happen to one who truly knows and is right with God (18:21).