Job 11:18

18 And thou shalt have confidence, because there shall be hope; and having searched about [thee], thou shalt take rest in safety.

Job 11:18 Meaning and Commentary

Job 11:18

And thou shall be secure
From coming into like darkness, difficulties, and distress again, and from every evil and enemy; nothing shall come nigh to disturb and hurt, nothing to be feared from any quarter, all around: or "shalt be confident" F25; have a strong faith and full assurance of it, in the love of God, in the living Redeemer, and in the promises which respect the life that now is, and that which is to come:

because there is hope;
of the mercy of God, of salvation by Christ, and of eternal glory and happiness, as well as of a continuance of outward prosperity; faith and hope mutually assist each other; faith is the substance of things hoped for, and hope of better and future things on a good foundation encourages faith and confidence:

yea, thou shalt dig [about thee];
to let in stakes for the pitching and fixing of tents to dwell in, and for more commodious pasturage; or for wells of water, for the supply both of the family and the flocks; or rather, for ditches and trenches to secure from thieves and robbers, or for drains to carry off floods of water:

[and] thou shalt take thy rest in safety;
lie down on the bed and sleep in the night season in peace and quietness, having nothing to fear; being well entrenched, and secure from depredations and inundations; and, more especially being hedged about and protected by the power and providence of God; see ( Psalms 3:5 ) ( 4:8 ) ; the Targum is,

``thou shall prepare a grave, and lie down, and sleep secure.''


FOOTNOTES:

F25 (txjbw) "et confides", Mercerus, Piscator, Schmidt; "et habebis fiduciam", V. L.

Job 11:18 In-Context

16 For thou shalt forget misery; as waters that are passed away shalt thou remember it;
17 And life shall arise brighter than noonday; though thou be enshrouded in darkness, thou shalt be as the morning,
18 And thou shalt have confidence, because there shall be hope; and having searched about [thee], thou shalt take rest in safety.
19 Yea, thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; and many shall seek thy favour.
20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and [all] refuge shall vanish from them, and their hope [shall be] the breathing out of life.
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.