Job 18 · Verse 4

Job 18:4

He teareth himself in his anger: shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place?
Job 18:4, King James Version

Job 18:4 in other translations

BSBYou who tear yourself in anger— should the earth be forsaken on your account, or the rocks be moved from their place?
WEBYou who tear yourself in your anger, will the earth be forsaken for you? Or will the rock be removed out of its place?
ASVThou that tearest thyself in thine anger, Shall the earth be forsaken for thee? Or shall the rock be removed out of its place?
YLT(He is tearing himself in his anger.) For thy sake is earth forsaken? And removed is a rock from its place?
DARBYThou that tearest thyself in thine anger, shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of its place?
BBEBut come back, now, come: you who are wounding yourself in your passion, will the earth be given up because of you, or a rock be moved out of its place?
WebsterHe teareth himself in his anger: shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of its place?

What does Job 18:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. Rather, turning to Job, "thou that tearest thyself in anger" (Job 5:2). be forsaken?--become desolate. He alludes here to Job's words as to the "rock," crumbling away (Job 14:18, 19); but in a different application. He says bitterly "for thee." Wert thou not punished as thou art, and as thou art unwilling to bear, the eternal order of the universe would be disturbed and the earth become desolate through unavenged wickedness [Umbreit]. Bildad takes it for granted Job is a great sinner (Job 8:3-6; Is 24:5, 6). "Shall that which stands fast as a rock be removed for your special accommodation?"

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 He teareth himself in his anger - Literally, Rending his own soul in his anger; as if he had said, Thou art a madman: thy fury has such a sway over thee that thou eatest thy own flesh. While thou treatest us as beasts, we see thee to be a furious maniac, destroying thy own life. Shall the earth be forsaken for thee? - To say the least, afflictions are the common lot of men. Must God work a miracle in providence, in order to exempt thee from the operation of natural causes? Dost thou wish to engross all the attention and care of providence to thyself alone? What pride and insolence!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 18:1-4

Bildad had before given Job good advice and encouragement; here he used nothing but rebukes, and declared his ruin. And he concluded that Job shut out the providence of God from the management of human affairs, because he would not admit himself to be wicked.

Read the full comment on Job 18:1-4 →

Job 18:4 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.

טֹֽרֵ֥ףto.RefO [one who] tearsH2963
נַפְשׁ֗וֹnaf.Shoself hisH5315
בְּאַ֫פּ֥וֹbe.'A.Poin anger hisH639
הַ֭לְמַעַנְךָHal.ma.'an.kha¿ for sake yourH4616
תֵּעָ֣זַבte.'A.zavmay it be abandonedH5800
אָ֑רֶץ'A.retz[the] earthH776
וְיֶעְתַּק\־ve.ye'.tak-so it may move?H6275
צ֝֗וּרTzura rockH6697
מִמְּקֹמֽוֹ\׃mi.me.ko.Mofrom place itsH4725

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

Cross references for Job 18:4

  • Job 14:18

    And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.

  • Job 16:9

    He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

  • Job 13:14

    Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?

  • Job 5:2

    For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.

  • Luke 9:39

    And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him.

  • Jonah 4:9

    And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.

  • Matthew 24:35

    Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

  • Ezekiel 9:9

    Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The Lord hath forsaken the earth, and the Lord seeth not.

  • Mark 9:18

    And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

  • Isaiah 54:10

    For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.

  • Job 40:8

    Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
teareth.
5:2; 13:14; 16:9; Jon 4:9; Mr 9:18; Lu 9:39
himself. Heb. his soul. shall the.
40:8; Eze 9:9
the rock.
14:18; Isa 54:10; Mt 24:35

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

Context

  • Job 18:3

    Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight?

  • Job 18:4

    He teareth himself in his anger: shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place?

  • Job 18:5

    Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine.

Read all of Job 18

Job 18:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Oh tú, que despedazas tu alma con tu furor, ¿será dejada la tierra por tu causa, y serán traspasadas de su lugar las peñas?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Toi qui déchires ton âme dans ta colère, la terre sera-t-elle abandonnée à cause de toi, et le rocher sera-t-il transporté de sa place?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Du, der sich selbst zerfleischt in seinem Zorn, soll um deinetwillen die Erde verlassen werden, und ein Fels wegrücken von seiner Stelle?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Qui perdis animam tuam in furore tuo, numquid propter te derelinquetur terra, et transferentur rupes de loco suo?