Job 12:14

KJV

Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

KJV (with Strong's)

Behold, he breaketh down {H2040}, and it cannot be built again {H1129}: he shutteth up {H5462} a man {H376}, and there can be no opening {H6605}.

Complete Jewish Bible

When he breaks something down, it can't be rebuilt; when he imprisons someone, he can't be released.

Berean Standard Bible

What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released.

American Standard Version

Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again; He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 12:14 stands as a profound declaration by Job concerning the absolute and unchallengeable sovereignty of God. In this powerful statement, Job asserts that when the Almighty acts, His decrees are final and utterly irreversible by any human endeavor or power. He employs vivid metaphors of demolition and confinement to underscore the divine prerogative: God's capacity to dismantle what no human can ever reconstruct, and His authority to imprison an individual from which there is no earthly means of release. This verse encapsulates the core of Job's argument regarding God's incomprehensible wisdom and irresistible might, challenging his friends' simplistic theological frameworks.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Job 12:14 is situated within Job's extended response to his three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, particularly following Zophar's speech in chapter 11. Throughout chapters 12-14, Job systematically refutes their attempts to explain his suffering as a direct consequence of sin, arguing instead for God's inscrutable wisdom and unassailable power. He acknowledges God's justice but emphasizes that divine actions often transcend human understanding and moral calculus. Job's aim is not to accuse God, but to highlight the immense, unchallengeable nature of God's sovereignty, which operates far beyond human logic or attempts to confine Him within predictable cause-and-effect systems. This verse serves as a climactic statement on God's omnipotence, setting the stage for Job's continued grappling with the mystery of divine governance in the face of his inexplicable suffering.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The book of Job is set in the patriarchal era, likely in the land of Uz, a region possibly east of Palestine. In the ancient Near East, kings and deities were often depicted with absolute power, their decrees unchangeable, and their might irresistible. The concept of a god who could "break down" cities or "shut up" individuals was not foreign, reflecting the realities of warfare, conquest, and imprisonment. However, Job's depiction of Yahweh's power transcends mere earthly kingship, portraying a cosmic sovereignty that governs all of creation and human destiny. The cultural understanding of justice often linked suffering directly to sin, a common theological framework that Job's friends rigidly adhered to. Job's radical assertion of God's power, even when it seems to defy human notions of justice, challenges this conventional wisdom, pushing beyond a transactional view of divine interaction to a more profound mystery of God's absolute control.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Job and biblical theology. Firstly, it profoundly underscores **God's Absolute Sovereignty**, asserting His ultimate authority and control over all creation and human affairs. When God "breaketh down," it signifies an act of divine judgment, dismantling, or destruction that no human effort can reverse or rebuild, highlighting the finality of God's decrees. Secondly, it emphasizes **Human Helplessness and Limitation** in contrast to God's power, illustrating humanity's utter inability to counteract or undo God's actions. What God has broken, humanity cannot repair; whom God has confined, humanity cannot release. This theme calls for profound humility before the divine. Thirdly, it speaks to **Divine Control Over Destiny and Circumstances**, as the phrase "he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening" refers not only to literal imprisonment but also to metaphorical states of being trapped by illness, adversity, or spiritual bondage, from which only God can provide an escape. This echoes themes found throughout Scripture, such as God's declaration of the end from the beginning in [Isaiah 46:10](/isaiah/46-10 "Isaiah 46:10 - God Declares the End from the Beginning"), or Hannah's prayer affirming God's power to bring down and raise up in [1 Samuel 2:6](/1_samuel/2-6 "1 Samuel 2:6 - Hannah's Prayer: God Brings Down and Raises Up").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Breaketh down (Hebrew, _hāras'_):** This verb (הָרַס) means "to tear down," "to overthrow," "to demolish," or "to destroy." It implies a complete and irreversible act of dismantling. In the context of God's action, it signifies a divine judgment or intervention that utterly nullifies human plans, structures, or even lives, leaving no possibility of human restoration or reconstruction. It speaks to the finality and totality of God's destructive power.
* **Shutteth up (Hebrew, _sāgar'_):** This verb (סָגַר) means "to shut," "to close," "to lock," or "to deliver up." When God "shuts up" a man, it conveys an absolute confinement, restriction, or imprisonment. This is not merely a temporary closure but a sealing off that human effort cannot penetrate or undo. It illustrates God's complete control over a person's freedom, circumstances, and even their fate, whether in a literal sense of physical confinement or a metaphorical sense of being trapped by adversity.
* **Opening (Hebrew, _pataḥ'_):** This noun (פָּתַח), derived from the verb "to open," refers to an "opening," "entrance," or "release." Its negation in the verse – "there can be no opening" – powerfully reinforces the absolute and irreversible nature of God's act of "shutting up." It emphasizes that once God has confined or restricted, no human strength, wisdom, or intervention can create an escape or provide relief. The absence of an "opening" highlights human powerlessness in the face of divine decree.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Behold, he breaketh down":** This opening phrase immediately draws attention to the divine actor ("he," referring to God) and His decisive, destructive power. The word "Behold" (הֵן, _hen_) serves as an emphatic interjection, calling the listener to witness and acknowledge the profound truth being stated. God is portrayed as the active agent, initiating the demolition of whatever stands in His way or against His will.
* **"and it cannot be built again":** This clause immediately follows the first, stating the irreversible consequence of God's action. What God demolishes, human hands are utterly incapable of rebuilding or restoring. This highlights the absolute nature of divine power, contrasting it sharply with human limitations and the futility of opposing God's will. It underscores the finality of His decrees.
* **"he shutteth up a man":** Shifting from general demolition to specific human confinement, this clause reiterates God's direct control over individual lives and destinies. The divine "he" is again the subject, demonstrating God's authority to restrict, imprison, or otherwise limit a person's freedom and circumstances, whether physically, socially, or spiritually.
* **"and there can be no opening":** This final clause, mirroring the structure of the second, emphasizes the absolute nature of the confinement imposed by God. Once God "shuts up" a person, no human effort, plea, or intervention can bring about release or provide a way out. This reinforces the theme of human helplessness and God's unassailable authority, leaving no room for human agency to counter divine action.

#### Literary Devices
Job 12:14 is rich in **Parallelism**, specifically a form of **Synonymous Parallelism** with an intensifying effect. The two clauses, "he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again" and "he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening," convey similar ideas of divine power and human impotence, but the second clause often feels more personal and immediate, focusing on the individual. The verse employs powerful **Imagery** and **Metaphor**: "breaking down" evokes the collapse of structures or systems, while "shutting up" conjures an image of impenetrable confinement, like a sealed prison. These concrete images serve as potent metaphors for God's absolute control over all circumstances and destinies. The use of **Repetition** in the negative consequences ("cannot be built again," "no opening") serves as a form of **Emphasis**, underscoring the irreversible and absolute nature of God's actions. This rhetorical strategy leaves no doubt about the finality of divine decree, highlighting the vast chasm between God's omnipotence and human limitations.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 12:14 serves as a foundational text for understanding God's absolute sovereignty, a theological concept central to the biblical narrative. It asserts that God's power is not merely superior but qualitatively different from human power, operating on a plane where human efforts to reverse or circumvent His will are utterly futile. This verse challenges any anthropocentric view that attempts to limit God's actions to human understanding or predictable patterns of justice. It underscores the biblical truth that God is the ultimate orchestrator of all things, able to bring down empires and elevate the humble, to open doors no one can shut and shut doors no one can open. This divine prerogative, while awe-inspiring, can also be perplexing to human reason, especially in the context of suffering, as Job himself grapples with. Yet, it ultimately calls for profound humility and trust in the One whose ways are higher than our ways.

* [Isaiah 46:10](/isaiah/46-10 "Isaiah 46:10 - God Declares the End from the Beginning"): "Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure."
* [1 Samuel 2:6](/1_samuel/2-6 "1 Samuel 2:6 - Hannah's Prayer: God Brings Down and Raises Up"): "The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up."
* [Daniel 4:35](/daniel/4-35 "Daniel 4:35 - God's Dominion Over All"): "And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?"

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 12:14 compels us to confront the profound reality of God's unassailable sovereignty and our inherent limitations. In a world that often champions human autonomy and self-sufficiency, this verse serves as a powerful corrective, reminding us that our plans, ambitions, and even our very lives are ultimately subject to the divine will. It calls us to cultivate a deep sense of humility and reverence before the Almighty, acknowledging that His wisdom and power far transcend our comprehension. When we face circumstances that seem utterly broken beyond repair, or feel "shut up" with no apparent escape, this verse encourages us to remember that only God possesses the ultimate power to dismantle or confine, and by extension, also the power to rebuild and open. It invites us to surrender our illusion of control and place our trust in the One who holds all things in His hands, finding peace not in understanding every "why," but in the assurance of His ultimate authority and goodness, even when His ways are mysterious.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does acknowledging God's absolute sovereignty, as described in Job 12:14, challenge your own assumptions about control and self-sufficiency in your life?**
* **In what areas of your life do you feel "broken down" or "shut up" with no apparent opening? How might this verse encourage you to re-evaluate your perspective on these challenges?**
* **What practical steps can you take to cultivate a deeper sense of humility and trust in God's will, even when it seems contrary to your desires or understanding?**
* **How does the finality of God's actions, as presented here, impact your prayer life and your approach to seeking divine intervention?**

### FAQ
**Does this verse imply that God is arbitrary or capricious in His actions?**

Answer: No, this verse emphasizes God's absolute power and sovereignty, not His arbitrariness. While Job struggles to understand the *reason* for his suffering, he never questions God's ultimate authority or goodness. The point is that God's actions are beyond human reversal or comprehension, not that they are without purpose or justice. The book of Job ultimately reveals that God's wisdom is far deeper than human wisdom, and His ways, though mysterious to us, are always just and purposeful, even if we cannot discern them. Job's later confession in [Job 42:2](/job/42-2 "Job 42:2 - Job's Confession of God's Omnipotence") affirms, "I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee."

**How does this verse reconcile with human free will and responsibility?**

Answer: This verse primarily speaks to God's ultimate, overarching sovereignty over all things, including the consequences of human actions and the broader circumstances of life. It does not negate human free will, but rather places it within the larger framework of divine power. While humans make choices and bear responsibility for them, God retains the ultimate ability to "break down" or "shut up" situations, meaning that no human plan or effort can ultimately thwart His sovereign purposes. The Bible often holds these two truths – divine sovereignty and human responsibility – in tension, without fully explaining their reconciliation, affirming both as true.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 12:14, with its stark declaration of God's unchallengeable power to "break down" and "shut up," finds its ultimate fulfillment and profound reinterpretation in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While the Old Testament verse emphasizes God's raw, irresistible power, the New Testament reveals this power exercised redemptively through the Son. Jesus, as God incarnate, perfectly embodies this divine authority. He demonstrated the power to "break down" the strongholds of sin and death, not through physical demolition, but through His sacrificial death on the cross, which utterly disarmed the powers of darkness ([Colossians 2:15](/colossians/2-15 "Colossians 2:15 - Christ Disarmed the Powers")). What sin and death had "built up" as an insurmountable barrier between humanity and God, Christ irrevocably "broke down," tearing the temple veil from top to bottom at His crucifixion, signifying open access to God's presence ([Matthew 27:51](/matthew/27-51 "Matthew 27:51 - The Temple Veil Torn")). Furthermore, Jesus holds the "keys of hell and of death" ([Revelation 1:18](/revelation/1-18 "Revelation 1:18 - Christ Holds the Keys of Death and Hades")), signifying His ultimate power to "shut up" death and the grave, and conversely, to "open" them for resurrection life. He is the One who "opens, and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens" ([Revelation 3:7](/revelation/3-7 "Revelation 3:7 - Christ, Who Holds the Key of David")). Through His resurrection, He definitively "broke down" the power of the grave, and through His ascension, He "opened" the way for all believers to enter into God's presence, a path previously "shut up" by sin ([Hebrews 10:19-20](/hebrews/10-19 "Hebrews 10:19-20 - New and Living Way Through Christ")). Thus, Job's awe-inspiring declaration of God's unassailable power is fully realized in Christ's redemptive work, where divine sovereignty is revealed not only as absolute control but as absolute love, conquering all that separates us from God.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Isaiah 22:22

And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

Revelation 3:7

¶ And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

Malachi 1:4

Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.

1 Samuel 17:46

This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

Job 37:7

He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work.

Jeremiah 51:58

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary.

1 Samuel 26:8

Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not [smite] him the second time.