Job 11 · Verse 18

Job 11:18

And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.
Job 11:18, King James Version

Job 11:18 in other translations

BSBYou will be secure, because there is hope, and you will look around and lie down in safety.
WEBYou will be secure, because there is hope. Yes, you will search, and will take your rest in safety.
ASVAnd thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; Yea, thou shalt search about thee, and shalt take thy rest in safety.
YLTAnd thou hast trusted because their is hope, And searched--in confidence thou liest down,
DARBYAnd thou shalt have confidence, because there shall be hope; and having searched about thee, thou shalt take rest in safety.
BBEAnd you will be safe because there is hope; after looking round, you will take your rest in quiet;
WebsterAnd thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yes, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

What does Job 11:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
18. The experience of thy life will teach thee there is hope for man in every trial. dig--namely, wells; the chief necessity in the East. Better, "though now ashamed (Ro 5:5, opposed to the previous 'hope'), thou shalt then rest safely" [Gesenius];

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 And thou shalt be secure - Thou shalt not fear any farther evils to disturb thy prosperity, for thou shalt have a well-grounded hope and confidence that thou shalt no more be visited by adversity. Yea, thou shalt dig - I believe this neither refers to digging his grave, nor to curiously investigating surrounding circumstances; but to the custom of digging for water in the places where they pitched their tents. It was a matter of high importance in Asiatic countries to find good wells of wholesome water; and they were frequently causes of contention among neighboring chiefs, who sometimes stopped them up, and at other times seized them as their own. Through envy of Isaac's prosperity the Philistines stopped up all the wells which Abraham had digged, Gen 26:12-16. And we find the herdsmen of Gerar contending with Isaac's servants about the wells which the latter had digged; so that they were obliged to abandon two of the chief of them, and remove to a distance in order to dig and find quiet possession. See Gen 31:17-22. Zophar, in reference to all these sorts of contentions and petty wars about wells and springs, tells Job that in the state of prosperity to which he shall be brought by the good providence of God, he shall dig - find wells of living water; none shall contend with him; and he shall rest in safety, all the neighboring chieftains cultivating friendship with him; see on Job 5:23 (note), Job 5:24 (note); and that this is the meaning of the passage the following verse shows: Thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee. Thou shalt be in perfect security; no enemy shall molest thee, and many shall seek thy friendship.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 11:13-20

Zophar exhorts Job to repentance, and gives him encouragement, yet mixed with hard thoughts of him. He thought that worldly prosperity was always the lot of the righteous, and that Job was to be deemed a hypocrite unless his prosperity was restored. Then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; that is, thou mayst come boldly to the throne of grace, and not with the terror and amazement expressed in ch. 9:34. If we…

Read the full comment on Job 11:13-20 →

Job 11:18 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וּֽ֭בָטַחְתָּU.va.tach.taand you will be secureH982
כִּי\־ki-forH3588
יֵ֣שׁyeshthereH3426
תִּקְוָ֑הtik.Vah[is] hopeH8615
וְ֝חָפַרְתָּ֗ve.cha.far.taand you will be well protectedH2658
לָבֶ֥טַחla.Ve.tachto securityH983
תִּשְׁכָּֽב\׃tish.Kavyou will lie downH7901

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Job 11:18

  • Proverbs 3:24-26

    When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.

  • Psalms 3:5

    I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.

  • Psalms 43:5

    Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

  • Psalms 4:8

    I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

  • Leviticus 26:5-6

    And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land.

  • Romans 5:3-5

    And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

  • Proverbs 14:32

    The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.

  • Job 7:6

    My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.

  • Job 22:27-29

    Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows. Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways. When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.

  • Colossians 1:27

    To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

  • Job 6:11

    What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
because.
6:11; 7:6; 22:27-29; Ps 43:5; Pr 14:32; Ro 5:3-5; Col 1:27
thou shalt take.
Le 26:5,6; Ps 3:5; 4:8; Pr 3:24-26

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 11:17

    And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.

  • Job 11:18

    And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

  • Job 11:19

    Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

Read all of Job 11

Job 11:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y confiarás, que habrá esperanza; y cavarás, y dormirás seguro:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et tu auras de la confiance, parce qu’il y aura de l’espoir; tu examineras tout, et tu dormiras en sûreté;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und du wirst Vertrauen fassen, weil es Hoffnung gibt; und du wirst Umschau halten, in Sicherheit dich niederlegen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et habebis fiduciam, proposita tibi spe: et defossus securus dormies.