Job 18:16
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.

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.

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.

Majority Standard Bible
The roots beneath him dry up, and the branches above him wither away.

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.

World English Bible
His roots will be dried up beneath. His branch will be cut off above.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
From beneath his roots are dried up, "" And from above his crop is cut off.

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 Bible
Let 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 Bible
His 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 1917
His 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



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
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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.”

Romans 11:17-22
Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root, / do not boast over those branches. If you do, remember this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. / You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” ...

1 Corinthians 3:12-15
If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, / his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. / If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward. ...


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.

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Below Beneath Branch Branches Crop Cut Dried Dry Earth Roots Wither
Job 18
1. Bildad reproves Job for presumption and impatience
5. The calamities of the wicked














The roots beneath him dry up
This phrase suggests a foundational collapse, indicating a loss of stability and nourishment. In biblical symbolism, roots often represent one's foundation or source of life and strength. The drying up of roots implies a divine judgment or curse, as seen in other scriptures where God withholds sustenance (e.g., Jeremiah 17:5-6). In the context of Job, Bildad is speaking, suggesting that the wicked, like Job in his view, will lose their foundational support. This imagery can also be connected to the parable of the sower in the New Testament, where shallow roots lead to withering under trials (Matthew 13:5-6). Theologically, it reflects the idea that without a strong spiritual foundation, one cannot withstand adversity.

and the branches above him wither away
Branches symbolize outward expressions of life and productivity, such as one's actions, influence, and legacy. The withering of branches indicates a loss of vitality and fruitfulness, often seen as a consequence of divine judgment. This imagery is consistent with the biblical theme that a tree's health is dependent on its roots (Psalm 1:3). In the cultural context of the Ancient Near East, a tree was a common metaphor for a person's life and prosperity. The withering branches suggest that without a strong connection to a life-giving source, one's external life will falter. This can be seen as a type of Christ, who is the true vine, and apart from Him, one can do nothing (John 15:5-6). The withering branches serve as a warning of the consequences of being disconnected from God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Bildad the Shuhite
One 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 Wickedness
Bildad'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.(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).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The roots
שָֽׁרָשָׁ֣יו (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


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OT Poetry: Job 18:16 His roots shall be dried up beneath (Jb)
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