One of Job's three friends
Bildad
Named in 5 verses of Job, first in Job 2:11.
בִּלְדַּדBildad
The name means “old friendship.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869
About Bildad Written by AI
Bildad the Shuhite was one of the three friends who came to comfort Job during his time of intense suffering (Job 2:11). Along with Eliphaz the Temanite and Zophar the Naamathite, Bildad engaged in a series of dialogues with Job, attempting to explain the cause of his afflictions and offering advice. Bildad's speeches emphasize the justice and righteousness of God, suggesting that Job's suffering must be a result of his sin (Job 8:1 to 22). He argues that God does not pervert justice and that if Job were to seek God and plead for mercy, he would be restored if he were truly pure and upright (Job 8:5 to 7). However, like the other friends, Bildad fails to grasp the true reason behind Job's suffering and mistakenly accuses him of wrongdoing. In the end, God rebukes Bildad and the other friends for not speaking what is right about Him, unlike Job (Job 42:7 to 9). Despite his misguided attempts to explain Job's situation, Bildad's presence and dialogue with Job highlight the complexities of human suffering and the importance of faith in the face of adversity.
Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.
Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897
Son of contention, one of Job’s friends. He is called “the Shuhite,” probably as belonging to Shuah, a district in Arabia, in which Shuah, the sixth son of Abraham by Keturah, settled (Gen. 25:2). He took part in each of the three controversies into which Job’s friends entered with him (Job 8:1; 18:1; 25:1), and delivered three speeches, very severe and stern in their tone, although less violent than those of Zophar, but more so than those of Eliphaz.
M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.
Where the Bible names him
- Job 2:11
Now when Job’s three friends—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite—heard about all this adversity that had come upon him, each of them came from his home, and they met together to go and sympathize with Job and comfort him.
- Job 8:1
Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:
- Job 18:1
Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:
- Job 25:1
Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:
- Job 42:9
So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the LORD had told them; and the LORD accepted Job’s prayer.
From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.