The big picture
Job 25 opens in verse 1 with “Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,”, reaches its middle movement near verse 3 with “Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom doth not his light arise?”, and closes in verse 6 with “How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?” Repeated or prominent terms include worm, arise, armies, Bildad, born. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Job · King James Version · 6Job 25:1-6
1–6: Answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
Job 25:1–6 opens with “Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,” and reaches “How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Job 25 develops its own movement around worm, arise, armies, Bildad, born, with particular weight carried by worm, arise, armies.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 3 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
Job 25:1-6
King James Version1Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
2Dominion and fear are with him, he maketh peace in his high places.
3Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom doth not his light arise?
4How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?
5Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight.
6How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Job 25:1 begins with “Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,”
Where the chapter turns
Job 25:3 forms a natural hinge: “Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom doth not his light arise?”
The final note
Job 25:6 leaves the reader with “How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?”
A word trail through the chapter
The words worm, arise, armies, Bildad, born, clean help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What fulfills the earlier promise concerning Ishmael?
The named twelve princes and the account of his descendants.
What family pattern increases the twins' conflict?
Isaac favors Esau and Rebekah favors Jacob.
KJV words made clear
- dominion
- responsibility or rule
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- doth
- does
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.