Job 8:9 Meaning and Explanation
“(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Bildad admits human life is brief and fleeting, like a passing shadow.
What Does Job 8:9 Mean?
In a rare moment of humility, Bildad confesses how small a single lifetime is. We are creatures of yesterday who know almost nothing, our days on earth no more lasting than a shadow that lengthens and is gone. This is why he leans on the older generations.
The image of life as a shadow runs all through Scripture and is wholly true. Our brief span should make us humble and send us to the Eternal One who alone abides. Bildad sees the shortness of life but not its full lesson, using it to exalt human tradition rather than to cast himself on God. The believer takes the same truth and learns to number his days, that he may gain a heart of wisdom.
Job 8:9 in the Original Language
tsel (צֵל), 'shadow' -- a passing shade, a frequent picture of how fleeting human life is.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 8:9
What does Job 8:9 mean?
Bildad admits human life is brief and fleeting, like a passing shadow.