Job 18 · Verse 15

Job 18:15

It shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none of his: brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.
Job 18:15, King James Version

Job 18:15 in other translations

BSBFire resides in his tent; burning sulfur rains down on his dwelling.
WEBThere will dwell in his tent that which is none of his. Sulfur will be scattered on his habitation.
ASVThere shall dwell in his tent that which is none of his: Brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.
YLTIt dwelleth in his tent--out of his provender, Scattered over his habitation is sulphur.
DARBYThey who are none of his shall dwell in his tent; brimstone shall be showered upon his habitation:
BBEIn his tent will be seen that which is not his, burning stone is dropped on his house.
WebsterIt shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none of his: brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.

What does Job 18:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
15. It--"Terror" shall haunt, &c., and not as Umbreit, "another," which the last clause of the verse disproves. none of his--It is his no longer. brimstone--probably comparing the calamity of Job by the "fire of God" (Job 1:16) to the destruction of guilty Sodom by fire and brimstone (Ge 19:24).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 15 It shall dwell in his tabernacle - Desolation is here personified, and it is said that it shall be the inhabitant, its former owner being destroyed. Brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation, so that, like Sodom and Gomorrah, it may be an everlasting monument of the Divine displeasure. In the Persian poet Saady, we find a couplet which contains a similar sentiment: - Purdeh daree meekund dar keesri Keesar ankeboot Boomee Noobat meezund ber kumbed Afraseeab. "The spider holds the veil in the palace of Caesar; The owl stands sentinel on the watchtower of Afrasiab." The palaces of those mighty kings are so desolate that the spider is the only chamberlain, and the owl the only sentinel. The web of the former is all that remains as a substitute for the costly veil furnished by the chamberlain in the palace of the Roman monarch; and the hooting of the latter is the only remaining substitute for the sound of drums and trumpets by which the guards were accustomed to be relieved at the watchtower of the Persian king. The word (Persic) Keesur, the same as kaisar or Caesar, is the term which the Asiatics always use when they designate the Roman emperor. Afrasiab was an ancient king who invaded and conquered Persia about seven hundred years before the Christian era. After having reigned twelve years, he was defeated and slain by Zalzer and his son, the famous Rustem. The present reigning family of Constantinople claim descent from this ancient monarch. Brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation - This may either refer to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, as has already been intimated, or to an ancient custom of fumigating houses with brimstone, in order to purify them from defilement. Pliny says, Hist. Nat., lib. xxxv., c. 15, speaking of the uses of sulphur, Habet et in religionibus locum ad expiandas suffitu domos; which Dr. Holland paraphrases thus: "Moreover brimstone is employed ceremoniously in hallowing of houses; for many are of opinion that the perfume and burning thereof will keep out all enchantments; yea, and drive away foul fiends and evil sprites that do haunt a place." Ovid refers to the same, De Arte. Am., lib. ii. ver. 329. Et veniat, quae lustret anus lectumque locumque: Praeferat et tremula sulphur et ova manu. This alludes to the ceremony of purifying the bed or place in which a sick person was confined; an old woman or nurse was the operator, and eggs and sulphur were the instruments of purification. On this and other methods of purgation see an excellent note in Servius on these words of Virgil, Aen. vi., ver. 740. - Aliae panduntur inanes Suspensae ad ventos: aliis sub gurgite vasto Infectum eluitur scelus, aut exuritur igni. "For this are various penances subjoin'd; And some are hung to bleach upon the wind; Some plunged in waters, others, plunged in fires." Unde etiam, says Servius, in sacris Liberi omnibus tres sunt istae purgationes: nam aut taeda purgantur et sulphure, aut aqua abluuntur, aut aere ventilantur. "These three kinds of purgation are used in the rites of Bacchus: they are purged by flame and sulphur, or washed in water, or ventilated by the winds." But it is most likely that Bildad, in his usual uncharitable manner, alludes to the destruction of Job's property and family by winds and fire: for the Fire of God fell from heaven and burnt up the sheep and the servants, and Consumed them; and a great wind, probably the sulphureous suffocating simoom, smote the four corners of the house, where Job's children were feasting, and killed them; see Job 1:16, Job 1:19.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 18:11-21

Bildad describes the destruction wicked people are kept for, in the other world, and which in some degree, often seizes them in this world. The way of sin is the way of fear, and leads to everlasting confusion, of which the present terrors of an impure conscience are earnests, as in Cain and Judas. Miserable indeed is a wicked man's death, how secure soever his life was. See him dying; all that he trusts to for his…

Read the full comment on Job 18:11-21 →

Job 18:15 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.

תִּשְׁכּ֣וֹןtish.Konit dwellsH7931
בְּ֭אָהֳלוֹbe.'o.ho.loin tent hisH168
מִבְּלִיmi.be.li-because notH1097
ל֑וֹlo[belonging] to him
יְזֹרֶ֖הye.zo.Rehit is scatteredH2219
עַל\־'al-overH5921
נָוֵ֣הוּna.Ve.huestate hisH5116
גָפְרִֽית\׃ga.fe.RitsulfurH1614

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

Cross references for Job 18:15

  • Psalms 11:6

    Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.

  • Isaiah 34:9-10

    And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever.

  • Deuteronomy 29:23

    And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the Lord overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:

  • Revelation 21:8

    But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

  • Zechariah 5:4

    I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.

  • Habakkuk 2:6-11

    Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay! Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them? Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein. Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! …

  • Revelation 19:20

    And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

  • Job 20:18-21

    That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein. Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not; Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired. There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods.

  • Jeremiah 22:13

    Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour’s service without wages, and giveth him not for his work;

  • Genesis 19:24

    Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven;

  • Job 18:12-13

    His strength shall be hungerbitten, and destruction shall be ready at his side. It shall devour the strength of his skin: even the firstborn of death shall devour his strength.

  • Job 31:38-39

    If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain; If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
dwell.
12,13; Zec 5:4
because.
20:18-21; 31:38,39; Jer 22:13; Hab 2:6-11
brimstone.
Ge 19:24; De 29:23; Ps 11:6; Isa 34:9,10; Re 19:20; 21:8

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

Context

  • Job 18:14

    His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors.

  • Job 18:15

    It shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none of his: brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.

  • Job 18:16

    His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off.

Read all of Job 18

Job 18:15 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		En su tienda morará como si no fuese suya: piedra azufre será esparcida sobre su morada.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Ce qui n’est pas à lui habite dans sa tente, le soufre est répandu sur son habitation.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Was nicht sein ist, wird in seinem Zelte wohnen, auf seine Wohnstätte wird Schwefel gestreut werden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Habitent in tabernaculo illius socii ejus qui non est; aspergatur in tabernaculo ejus sulphur.