New International Version His roots dry up below and his branches wither above. New Living Translation Their roots will dry up, and their branches will wither. English Standard Version His roots dry up beneath, and his branches wither above. Berean Standard Bible The roots beneath him dry up, and the branches above him wither away. Berean Literal Bible Below, his roots are dried out, and above his branch withers. King James Bible His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off. New King James Version His roots are dried out below, And his branch withers above. New American Standard Bible “His roots are dried below, And his branch withers above. NASB 1995 “His roots are dried below, And his branch is cut off above. NASB 1977 “His roots are dried below, And his branch is cut off above. Legacy Standard Bible His roots are dried below, And his branch is cut off above. Amplified Bible “The roots [of the wicked] are dried up below, And above, his branch is cut off and withers. Berean Annotated Bible The roots beneath him dry up, and the branches above him wither away. Christian Standard Bible His roots below dry up, and his branches above wither away. Holman Christian Standard Bible His roots below dry up, and his branches above wither away. American Standard Version His roots shall be dried up beneath, And above shall his branch be cut off. Contemporary English Version and they are left like trees, dried up from the roots. English Revised Version His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off. GOD'S WORD® Translation His roots dry up under him. His branches wither over him. Good News Translation Their roots and branches are withered and dry. International Standard Version His roots wither underneath, while his branches above are being cut off. NET Bible Below his roots dry up, and his branches wither above. New Heart English Bible His roots shall be dried up beneath. Above shall his branch be cut off. Webster's Bible Translation His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThe roots beneath him dry up, and the branches above him wither away. World English Bible His roots will be dried up beneath. His branch will be cut off above. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionFrom beneath his roots are dried up, "" And from above his crop is cut off. Berean Literal Bible Below, his roots are dried out, and above his branch withers. Young's Literal Translation From beneath his roots are dried up, And from above cut off is his crop. Smith's Literal Translation From underneath, his roots shall be dried up, and from above, his harvest shall be cut off. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleLet his roots be dried up beneath, and his harvest destroyed above. Catholic Public Domain Version Let his roots be dried up from beneath him, and his harvest be crushed from above. New American Bible Below, his roots dry up, and above, his branches wither. New Revised Standard Version Their roots dry up beneath, and their branches wither above. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleHis roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his vintage be cut off. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated His roots will dry up from beneath and his vintage will fall off from above OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917His roots shall dry up beneath, And above shall his branch wither. Brenton Septuagint Translation His roots shall be dried up from beneath, and his crop shall fall away from above. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context Bildad: God Punishes the Wicked…15Fire resides in his tent; burning sulfur rains down on his dwelling. 16The roots beneath him dry up, and the branches above him wither away. 17The memory of him perishes from the earth, and he has no name in the land.… Cross References The roots beneath him dry up, Hosea 9:16 Ephraim is struck down; their root is withered; they cannot bear fruit. Even if they bear children, I will slay the darlings of their wombs. Matthew 13:6 But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Isaiah 5:24 Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes the straw, and as dry grass shrivels in the flame, so their roots will decay and their blossoms will blow away like dust; for they have rejected the instruction of the LORD of Hosts and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. and the branches above him wither away. John 15:6 If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned. Isaiah 27:11 When its limbs are dry, they are broken off. Women come and use them for kindling; for this is a people without understanding. Therefore their Maker has no compassion on them, and their Creator shows them no favor. Malachi 4:1 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble; the day is coming when I will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of Hosts. “Not a root or branch will be left to them.” Psalm 1:3-4 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does. / Not so the wicked! For they are like chaff driven off by the wind. Jeremiah 17:8 He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor does it cease to produce fruit. Ezekiel 17:9-10 So you are to tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Will it flourish? Will it not be uprooted and stripped of its fruit so that it shrivels? All its foliage will wither! It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it up by its roots. / Even if it is transplanted, will it flourish? Will it not completely wither when the east wind strikes? It will wither on the bed where it sprouted.’” Matthew 3:10 The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. Luke 3:9 The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” Psalm 37:2 For they wither quickly like grass and wilt like tender plants. Isaiah 40:24 No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner have their stems taken root in the ground, than He blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like stubble. Nahum 1:10 For they will be entangled as with thorns and consumed like the drink of a drunkard—like stubble that is fully dry. Matthew 7:19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Mark 11:20-21 As they were walking back in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from its roots. / Peter remembered it and said, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree You cursed has withered.” Treasury of Scripture His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off. roots Job 29:19 My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch. Isaiah 5:24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. Hosea 9:16 Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb. shall his branch Job 5:3,4 I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation… Job 15:30 He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away. Jump to Previous Below Beneath Branch Branches Crop Cut Dried Dry Earth Roots WitherJump to Next Below Beneath Branch Branches Crop Cut Dried Dry Earth Roots WitherJob 18 1. Bildad reproves Job for presumption and impatience5. The calamities of the wicked The roots beneath him dry up, Bildad portrays the wicked as a tree cut off at its source of life. What once gave strength, security, and prosperity is removed under God’s judgment, leaving the person unable to endure. Hos 9:16 Ephraim is struck down; their root is withered;… and the branches above him wither away. The ruin becomes visible in every part of life: influence, household, labor, and reputation fade. Bildad applies this picture to Job, wrongly assuming that Job’s suffering proves he belongs among the wicked. Jhn 15:6 If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch… Persons / Places / Events 1. Bildad the ShuhiteOne of Job's three friends who comes to comfort him. In this chapter, Bildad is speaking, offering a perspective on the fate of the wicked. 2. Job The central figure of the book, a man of great faith and patience who undergoes severe trials and suffering. 3. The Wicked In this context, Bildad is describing the fate of the wicked, implying that Job's suffering is due to some hidden sin. Teaching Points The Consequences of WickednessBildad's speech, though misapplied to Job, highlights a biblical truth that wickedness leads to destruction. We must examine our lives and ensure we are rooted in righteousness. The Importance of Deep Roots Just as a tree's health depends on its roots, our spiritual health depends on being deeply rooted in God's Word and His truth. Misapplication of Truth Bildad's error was applying a general truth to Job's specific situation. We must be careful not to misjudge others' circumstances without understanding God's broader purposes. Endurance in Trials Job's account reminds us that suffering is not always a result of personal sin. We are called to endure and trust God, even when we don't understand our trials. The Role of Friends in Suffering Bildad's approach teaches us the importance of compassion and wisdom when supporting friends in distress. We should seek to comfort rather than accuse. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Job 18:16?2. How does Job 18:16 illustrate the consequences of wickedness in one's life? 3. What does "roots dry up" in Job 18:16 symbolize about spiritual vitality? 4. How can we ensure our "branches wither" spiritually lessens through daily practices? 5. What scriptural connections exist between Job 18:16 and Psalm 1:3 regarding righteousness? 6. How can Job 18:16 encourage us to evaluate our spiritual health regularly? 7. How does Job 18:16 relate to the theme of divine justice in the Bible? 8. What historical context influences the interpretation of Job 18:16? 9. How does Job 18:16 challenge the belief in a benevolent God? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Job 18? (16) His roots shall be dried up.--With tacit allusion to what he had said in Job 8:12, and also to the destruction of Job's own offspring, which had already been accomplished.Verse 16. - His roots shall be dried up beneath. He shall be like a tree whose roots no moisture reaches, and which, therefore, withers and dries up (comp. Job 14:8, 9; Job 29:19). And above shall his branch be cut off; or, be withered (comp. Job 14:2, where the same verb is used). Job 18:16 delivers a vivid, literal picture of divine judgment: God dries up the hidden roots of the wicked, and their outward life inevitably dies as well. What starts in the unseen heart ends in visible ruin, underscoring that genuine, lasting vitality flows only from a right relationship with the Lord. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew The rootsשָֽׁרָשָׁ֣יו (šā·rā·šāw) Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 8328: A root beneath him מִ֭תַּחַת (mit·ta·ḥaṯ) Preposition-m Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of dry up, יִבָ֑שׁוּ (yi·ḇā·šū) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 3001: To be ashamed, confused, disappointed, to dry up, wither and the branches קְצִירֽוֹ׃ (qə·ṣî·rōw) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 7105: Severed, harvest, the crop, the time, the reaper, a limb above him וּ֝מִמַּ֗עַל (ū·mim·ma·‘al) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Adverb Strong's 4605: The upper part, with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top wither away. יִמַּ֥ל (yim·mal) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 5243: Branch to be cut down off, circumcise Additonal Resources Job 18:16 Blue Letter BibleJob 18:16 Bible Gateway Job 18:16 Bible.com Job 18:16 NIV |



