(10) Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart? (11) Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water? (12) Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb. (13) So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish: (14) Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web. (15) He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure. (16) He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden. (17) His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones. (18) If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee. (19) Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow. (20) В¶ Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers: (21) Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing. (22) They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.
Observe in all these verses, how the whole scope of Bildad's discourse is levelled against hypocrisy; and how indirectly he points to poor Job under all. I stay not to particularize: but what I would desire the Reader more immediately to regard, is the false conclusion the Shuhite draws of the providence of GOD. Though it be certainly true, that GOD never did, nor ever will, cast away a perfect man, neither help evildoers; yet this conclusion is not to be made by a view of outward things. The prophet was so struck, in his days, with what he saw of the prosperity of the wicked, and the sorrows of the righteous, that he stands up to talk with GOD on the subject. Wherefore (saith he) doth the way of the wicked prosper. Jeremiah 12:1. And Asaph was so overwhelmed with what he saw of the proud man's oppression and success, that he declared it staggered him. Psalms 73:3-4. We must look therefore to another state to have these things fully and finally cleared up. There, the LORD will judge the world in righteousness, and minister true judgment unto the people.