Job 8:13 (KJV)

What does Job 8:13 mean?

Job 8:13 warns that those who forget God and live hypocritically will find their hopes destroyed. The verse draws a direct line between turning away from God and the eventual collapse of any false security or expectation such people might have.

In this verse, Bildad is speaking to Job, insisting that suffering comes as a result of forgetting God or living as a hypocrite. Bildad claims that just as a plant without water withers, so too do the lives and hopes of those who do not truly honor God. This is part of Bildad’s argument that Job’s troubles must be the result of sin or neglect of God, reflecting the common thinking of Job’s friends throughout the book.

The Hebrew behind Job 8:13

• "paths" (אֹרְחוֹת, ’orchot): This word often means "ways" or "courses of life." Bildad is not just talking about a single action, but the entire way of life of those who forget God.
• "forget" (שָׁכַח, shakach): This verb means to neglect or ignore, not just a momentary lapse in memory. Bildad is describing a deliberate turning away from God.
• "hypocrite's" (חָנֵף, chaneph): This word refers to someone who is godless or morally corrupt, not just someone who pretends to be good. It carries a sense of deep-seated insincerity.
• "hope" (תִּקְוָה, tikvah): This is a strong word for expectation or something one relies on. Bildad says that the expectations of the godless are doomed.
• "perish" (אָבַד, avad): This verb means to be destroyed or to vanish completely, emphasizing the total loss of hope for those who turn from God.

Why Job 8:13 matters

• Job 8:13 clarifies that Bildad sees a direct connection between forgetting God and the collapse of all hope, which shapes his entire argument to Job.
• The verse highlights the strong language Bildad uses, showing how he equates hypocrisy with godlessness, not just insincerity.
• Understanding the original words shows that Bildad is speaking about a whole way of life, not just isolated mistakes, which helps explain the depth of his accusation against Job.