Job 18:17 Meaning and Explanation
“His remembrance shall perish from the earth, and he shall have no name in the street.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The memory of the wicked vanishes; his name is forgotten in the public places.
What Does Job 18:17 Mean?
Bildad turns to the loss of name and legacy. The 'remembrance' of the wicked 'shall perish from the earth,' and he will have 'no name in the street' no honored reputation in the public square where a man's name was spoken and remembered. To be forgotten utterly was, in that world, a fate worse than death.
A lasting name was the ancient hope of immortality, and Bildad declares the wicked stripped even of that. The promise of Scripture, however, is that God remembers His own when the world forgets them. He has the names of His people written in heaven, in a book that cannot be erased. The memory that endures is not carved in earthly streets but kept by the Lord, who says, 'I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.'
Job 18:17 in the Original Language
zeker (זֵכֶר), 'remembrance' -- the memory or memorial of a person, the trace of one's name kept alive after death.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 18:17
What does Job 18:17 mean?
The memory of the wicked vanishes; his name is forgotten in the public places.