Charles Ellicott Commentary Job 8:6

"If thou wert pure and upright: Surely now he would awake for thee, And make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous." — Job 8:6 (ASV)

If thou wert pure and upright. —Of course, then, there is only one inference: you are not pure and upright. These are truly the wounds of a friend who is not faithful.

Bildad brings the experience of former generations to support his point. He wishes to be very orthodox in his assertions and to base his statements on authority. He appeals to the experience of past ages and calls them to testify to the truth of what he says.

He also, like Eliphaz, uses figures and resorts to metaphor; however, his figures are highly obscure and open to various explanations.

We offer the interpretation that seems most convincing to us. It appears, then, that Bildad contemplates two representative characters—the two that are so prominent throughout this book: namely, the righteous and the wicked.

He depicts the latter first, describing him using the image of the paper-reed, or rush that grows in the mire of Egyptian swamps. This plant, though surrounded by moisture, is nevertheless, as a matter of fact, prone to wither quickly.

So too is the wicked man, according to this moralist and philosopher. He is surrounded by mercies and blessings, but they do him no good; he withers in the midst of abundance.