Job 8:17 it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks and looks for a place among the stones.

◄ Job 8:17 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks and looks for a place among the stones.

English Standard Version
His roots entwine the stone heap; he looks upon a house of stones.

New American Standard Bible
"His roots wrap around a rock pile, He grasps a house of stones.

King James Bible
His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
His roots are intertwined around a pile of rocks. He looks for a home among the stones.

International Standard Version
Its roots weave around a pile of stones, seeking to entrench itself among the rocks.

American Standard Version
His roots are wrapped about the'stone -heap, He beholdeth the place of stones.

Douay-Rheims Bible
His roots shall be thick upon a heap of stones, and among the stones he shall abide.

Darby Bible Translation
His roots are entwined about the stoneheap; he seeth the place of stones.

Young's Literal Translation
By a heap his roots are wrapped, A house of stones he looketh for.

Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

8:8-19 Bildad discourses well of hypocrites and evil-doers, and the fatal end of all their hopes and joys. He proves this truth of the destruction of the hopes and joys of hypocrites, by an appeal to former times. Bildad refers to the testimony of the ancients. Those teach best that utter words out of their heart, that speak from an experience of spiritual and divine things. A rush growing in fenny ground, looking very green, but withering in dry weather, represents the hypocrite's profession, which is maintained only in times of prosperity. The spider's web, spun with great skill, but easily swept away, represents a man's pretensions to religion when without the grace of God in his heart. A formal professor flatters himself in his own eyes, doubts not of his salvation, is secure, and cheats the world with his vain confidences. The flourishing of the tree, planted in the garden, striking root to the rock, yet after a time cut down and thrown aside, represents wicked men, when most firmly established, suddenly thrown down and forgotten. This doctrine of the vanity of a hypocrite's confidence, or the prosperity of a wicked man, is sound; but it was not applicable to the case of Job, if confined to the present world.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

17. seeth the place of stones—Hebrew, "the house of stones"; that is, the wall surrounding the garden. The parasite plant, in creeping towards and over the wall—the utmost bound of the garden—is said figuratively to "see" or regard it.