Job 18:4
New International Version
You who tear yourself to pieces in your anger, is the earth to be abandoned for your sake? Or must the rocks be moved from their place?

New Living Translation
You may tear out your hair in anger, but will that destroy the earth? Will it make the rocks tremble?

English Standard Version
You who tear yourself in your anger, shall the earth be forsaken for you, or the rock be removed out of its place?

Berean Standard Bible
You who tear yourself in anger—should the earth be forsaken on your account, or the rocks be moved from their place?

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

New King James Version
You who tear yourself in anger, Shall the earth be forsaken for you? Or shall the rock be removed from its place?

New American Standard Bible
“You who tear yourself in your anger— Should the earth be abandoned for your sake, Or the rock moved from its place?

NASB 1995
“O you who tear yourself in your anger— For your sake is the earth to be abandoned, Or the rock to be moved from its place?

NASB 1977
“O you who tear yourself in your anger— For your sake is the earth to be abandoned, Or the rock to be moved from its place?

Legacy Standard Bible
O you who tear yourself in your anger— For your sake is the earth to be forsaken, Or the rock to be moved from its place?

Amplified Bible
“You who tear yourself apart in anger, Is the earth to be abandoned for your sake, Or the rock to be moved out of its place?

Christian Standard Bible
You who tear yourself in anger — should the earth be abandoned on your account, or a rock be removed from its place?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You who tear yourself in anger— should the earth be abandoned on your account, or a rock be removed from its place?

American Standard Version
Thou that tearest thyself in thine anger, Shall the earth be forsaken for thee? Or shall the rock be removed out of its place?

Contemporary English Version
You cut yourself in anger. Will that shake the earth or even move the rocks? *

English Revised Version
Thou that tearest thyself in thine anger, shall the earth be forsaken for thee? or shall the rock be removed out of its place?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Why do you rip yourself apart in anger? Should the earth be abandoned for your sake or a boulder be dislodged?

Good News Translation
You are only hurting yourself with your anger. Will the earth be deserted because you are angry? Will God move mountains to satisfy you?

International Standard Version
You're tearing yourself to pieces in your anger. Will the land be abandoned because of you, or the rock be moved from its place?"

Majority Standard Bible
You who tear yourself in anger—should the earth be forsaken on your account, or the rocks be moved from their place?

NET Bible
You who tear yourself to pieces in your anger, will the earth be abandoned for your sake? Or will a rock be moved from its place?

New Heart English Bible
You who tear yourself in your anger, shall the earth be forsaken for you? Or shall the rock be removed out of its place?

Webster's Bible Translation
He teareth himself in his anger: shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of its place?

World English Bible
You who tear yourself in your anger, will the earth be forsaken for you? Or will the rock be removed out of its place?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
He is tearing himself in his anger. Is earth forsaken for your sake? And is a rock removed from its place?

Young's Literal Translation
(He is tearing himself in his anger.) For thy sake is earth forsaken? And removed is a rock from its place?

Smith's Literal Translation
He rent his soul in his anger: shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed from its place?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou that destroyest thy soul in thy fury, shall the earth be forsaken for thee, and shall rocks be removed out of their place?

Catholic Public Domain Version
You, who ruins your own soul in your fury, will the earth be forsaken because of you, and will the cliffs be moved from their place?

New American Bible
You who tear yourself in your anger— shall the earth be neglected on your account or the rock be moved out of its place?

New Revised Standard Version
You who tear yourself in your anger— shall the earth be forsaken because of you, or the rock be removed out of its place?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Shall the earth be forsaken for your sake? And shall the mountain be removed out of its place?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
He kills his soul in his wrath. Behold, because of you shall the Earth be forsaken, and a mountain move from its place?
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Thou that tearest thyself in thine anger, Shall the earth be forsaken for thee? Or shall the rock be removed out of its place?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Anger has possessed thee: for what if thou shouldest die; would the earth under heaven be desolate? or shall the mountains be overthrown from their foundations?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Bildad: God Punishes the Wicked
3Why are we regarded as cattle, as stupid in your sight? 4You who tear yourself in anger— should the earth be forsaken on your account, or the rocks be moved from their place? 5Indeed, the lamp of the wicked is extinguished; the flame of his fire does not glow.…

Cross References
Psalm 104:5
He set the earth on its foundations, never to be moved.

Isaiah 40:15-17
Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are considered a speck of dust on the scales; He lifts up the islands like fine dust. / Lebanon is not sufficient for fuel, nor its animals enough for a burnt offering. / All the nations are as nothing before Him; He regards them as nothingness and emptiness.

Isaiah 24:19-20
The earth is utterly broken apart, the earth is split open, the earth is shaken violently. / The earth staggers like a drunkard and sways like a shack. Earth’s rebellion weighs it down, and it falls, never to rise again.

Proverbs 21:30
There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.

Ecclesiastes 1:4
Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.

Isaiah 2:12-17
For the Day of the LORD of Hosts will come against all the proud and lofty, against all that is exalted—it will be humbled— / against all the cedars of Lebanon, lofty and lifted up, against all the oaks of Bashan, / against all the tall mountains, against all the high hills, ...

Isaiah 45:9
Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker—one clay pot among many. Does the clay ask the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘He has no hands’?

Jeremiah 4:23-26
I looked at the earth, and it was formless and void; I looked to the heavens, and they had no light. / I looked at the mountains, and behold, they were quaking; all the hills were swaying. / I looked, and no man was left; all the birds of the air had fled. ...

Psalm 75:3
When the earth and all its dwellers quake, it is I who bear up its pillars. Selah

Isaiah 13:13
Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken from its place at the wrath of the LORD of Hosts on the day of His burning anger.

Romans 9:20-21
But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why did You make me like this?” / Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use?

1 Corinthians 1:25
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

James 4:14
You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

1 Corinthians 3:19
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”

Romans 11:34
“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?”


Treasury of Scripture

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

teareth

Job 5:2
For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.

Job 13:14
Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?

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.

himself.

Job 40:8
Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?

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.

the rock

Job 14:18
And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.

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.

Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

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Job 18
1. Bildad reproves Job for presumption and impatience
5. The calamities of the wicked














You who tear yourself in anger—
This phrase captures Bildad's rebuke to Job, highlighting the self-destructive nature of Job's response to his suffering. The Hebrew word for "tear" (פָּרַע, para) conveys a sense of violent action, often associated with mourning or deep distress. In the ancient Near Eastern context, tearing one's clothes or oneself was a common expression of intense grief or anger. Bildad is accusing Job of being consumed by his emotions, suggesting that his anger is not only self-harming but also irrational. From a conservative Christian perspective, this serves as a reminder of the dangers of allowing anger to control us, emphasizing the need for faith and trust in God's sovereignty even amidst suffering.

should the earth be forsaken on your account
Here, Bildad uses rhetorical questions to challenge Job's perspective. The Hebrew word for "forsaken" (עָזַב, azab) implies abandonment or leaving something behind. Bildad is questioning whether the natural order of the world should be disrupted for the sake of one man's suffering. This reflects the ancient belief in a divinely ordered universe, where human affairs are part of a larger cosmic balance. From a theological standpoint, this phrase underscores the idea that God's creation operates according to His divine wisdom and purpose, which transcends individual circumstances. It invites believers to consider their place within God's grand design and to trust that He is in control, even when life seems chaotic.

or the rocks be moved from their place?
The imagery of rocks being moved signifies a disruption of the natural order. In the Hebrew text, the word for "rocks" (צֻר, tsur) often symbolizes stability and permanence. Bildad's use of this metaphor suggests that Job's expectation for the world to change because of his suffering is unreasonable. In the biblical context, rocks are frequently associated with God's strength and faithfulness, as seen in passages like Deuteronomy 32:4, where God is described as "the Rock." This serves as a powerful reminder of God's unchanging nature. For conservative Christians, this phrase reinforces the belief that while human life is fraught with change and uncertainty, God's character and His promises remain steadfast. It encourages believers to anchor their faith in the unmovable nature of God, trusting that He is their refuge and strength amidst life's trials.

(4) He teareth himself in his anger.--As Eliphaz had charged Job (Job 15:4) with the evil tendencies of his speeches, so Bildad here compares him to a maniac, and assumes that the effect of his teaching will be to banish God from the earth, and remove the strength and hope of man. The last clause is a direct quotation from Job in Job 14:18; it looks, therefore, very much like a wilful perversion of Job's words, for it is clear that he used them very differently. Even if there were no intentional misrepresentation Bildad applies Job's words to his own purposes. The drift of his question is, "Can you expect the course of God's providence to be altered for you? On the contrary, the retribution that awaits the wicked is sure and swift; for verily (Job 18:5) the light of the wicked shall be put out."

Verse 4. - He teareth himself in his anger. The Hebrew idiom, which allows of rapid transitions from the second to the third person, and vice versa, cannot be transferred without harshness to our modern speech. Our Revisers have given the true force of the original by discarding the third person, and translating, "Thou that tearest thyself in thine anger." There is probably an allusion to Job 16:9, where Job had represented God as "tearing him in his wrath." Bildad says it is not God who tests him - he tears himself. Shall the earth be forsaken for thee? i.e. "Shall the course of the world be altered to meet thy wishes, to suit thy case?" Job had wished for all manner of impossible things (Job 3:3-6; Job 9:32-35; Job 13:21, 22; Job 16:21; Job 17:3). Bildad's reproach is thus not wholly unjust. But he makes no allowance for the wild utter-shoes of one who is half distraught. And shall the rock be removed out of his place? Shall that which is most solid and firm give way, and alter its nature?

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
You who tear
טֹֽרֵ֥ף (ṭō·rêp̄)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 2963: To pluck off, pull to pieces, to supply with food

yourself
נַפְשׁ֗וֹ (nap̄·šōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

in anger—
בְּאַ֫פּ֥וֹ (bə·’ap·pōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 639: The nose, nostril, the face, a person, ire

should the earth
אָ֑רֶץ (’ā·reṣ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

be forsaken
תֵּעָ֣זַב (tê·‘ā·zaḇ)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5800: To loosen, relinquish, permit

on your account,
הַ֭לְמַעַנְךָ (hal·ma·‘an·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 4616: Purpose -- intent

or the rocks
צ֝֗וּר (ṣūr)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6697: A cliff, a rock, boulder, a refuge, an edge

be moved
וְיֶעְתַּק־ (wə·ye‘·taq-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6275: To remove, to grow old, to transcribe

from their place?
מִמְּקֹמֽוֹ׃ (mim·mə·qō·mōw)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4725: A standing, a spot, a condition


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OT Poetry: Job 18:4 You who tear yourself in your anger (Jb)
Job 18:3
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