What does Job 18:8 mean?
What is the meaning of Job 18:8?

For his own feet

“ For his own feet ” (Job 18:8) underscores personal responsibility. The wicked man is not pushed by outside forces; he chooses his steps.

Psalm 9:15 echoes this truth: “The nations have sunk into the pit they made; their foot is snared in the net they have hidden.”

Proverbs 5:22 reminds us, “The iniquities of a wicked man entrap him; the cords of his sin hold him fast.”

Galatians 6:7 affirms that “God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap.”

Taken together, Scripture portrays sin as a voluntary path that inevitably circles back on the sinner.


Lead him into a net

“ Lead him into a net ” (Job 18:8) paints the picture of a hunter’s trap closing in.

Psalm 140:5 shows wicked schemes at work: “The proud hide a snare for me; they spread out the cords of their net.”

Ezekiel 12:13 illustrates divine justice: “I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare.”

• The imagery signals inevitable consequences: the wicked man’s own momentum drives him straight into judgment. He thinks he directs his life, yet every step tightens the Lord’s preset trap of justice.


And he wanders into its mesh

“ And he wanders into its mesh ” (Job 18:8) portrays confusion and deeper entanglement.

Proverbs 1:17–19 warns how greed blinds one to danger even though the snare is obvious.

Isaiah 59:4–8 describes wayward paths that lead to “webs” of deceit and violence, leaving no lasting peace.

• The wandering suggests wasted motion: running in circles, he only twists the cords tighter. Sin promises freedom but delivers bondage, and the more he struggles, the more helpless he becomes.


summary

Job 18:8 teaches that the wicked are self-snared: their own choices guide their steps, those steps walk straight into God’s righteous trap, and their restless striving only entangles them further. Scripture consistently affirms this moral order—sin is its own snare, but it is also the instrument of divine justice. The verse calls readers to wise, obedient living, trusting God’s warning that our paths always have consequences.

What historical context is necessary to understand Job 18:7?
Top of Page
Top of Page