TRV
See on the biblical-era map
Study This Verse
Commentary on Job 12 verses 12–25
This is a noble discourse of Job's concerning the wisdom, power, and sovereignty of God, in ordering and disposing of all the affairs of the children of men, according to the counsel of his own will, which none dares gainsay or can resist. Take both him and them out of the controversy in which they were so warmly engaged, and they all spoke admirably well; but, in that, we sometimes scarcely know what to make of them. It were well if wise and good men, that differ in their apprehensions about minor things, would see it to be for their honour and comfort, and the edification of others, to dwell most upon those great things in which they are agreed. On this subject Job speaks like himself. Here are no passionate complaints, no peevish reflections, but every thing masculine and great.
I. He asserts the unsearchable wisdom and irresistible power of God. It is allowed that among men there is wisdom and understanding, Job 12:12. But it is to be found only with some few, with the ancient, and those who are blessed with length of days, who get it by long experience and constant experience; and, when they have got the wisdom, they have lost their strength and are unable to execute the results of their wisdom. But now with God there are both wisdom and strength, wisdom to design the best and strength to accomplish what is designed. He does not get counsel or understanding, as we do, by observation, but he has it essentially and eternally in himself, Job 12:13. What is the wisdom of ancient men compared with the wisdom of the ancient of days! It is but little that we know, and less that we can do; but God can do every thing, and no thought can be withheld from him. Happy are those who have this God for their God, for they have infinite wisdom and strength engaged for them. Foolish and fruitless are all the attempts of men against him (Job 12:14): He breaketh down, and it cannot be built again. Note, There is no contending with the divine providence, nor breaking the measures of it. As he had said before (Job 9:12), He takes away, and who can hinder him? so he says again. What God says cannot be gainsaid, nor what he does undone. There is no rebuilding what God will have to lie in ruins; witness the tower of Babel, which the undertakers could not go on with, and the desolations of Sodom and Gomorrah, which could never be repaired. See Isa 25:2; Eze 26:14; Rev 18:21. There is no releasing those whom God has condemned to a perpetual imprisonment; if he shut up a man by sickness, reduce him to straits, and embarrass him in his affairs, there can be no opening. He shuts up in the grave, and none can break open those sealed doors - shuts up in hell, in chains of darkness, and none can pass that great gulf fixed.
II. He gives an instance, for the proof of this doctrine in nature, Job 12:15. God has the command of the waters, binds them as in a garment (Pro 30:4), holds them in the hollow of his hand (Isa 40:12); and he can punish the children of men either by the defect or by the excess of them. As men break the laws of virtue by extremes on each hand, both defects and excesses, while virtue is in the mean, so God corrects them by extremes, and denies them the mercy which is in the mean. 1. Great droughts are sometimes great judgments: He withholds the waters, and they dry up; if the heaven be as brass, the earth is as iron; if the rain be denied, fountains dry up and their streams are wanted, fields are parched and their fruits are wanted, Amo 4:7. 2. Great wet is sometimes a great judgment. He raises the waters, and overturns the earth, the productions of it, the buildings upon it. A sweeping rain is said to leave no food, Pro 28:3. See how many ways God has of contending with a sinful people and taking from them abused, forfeited, mercies; and how utterly unable we are to contend with him. If we might invert the order, this verse would fitly refer to Noah's flood, that ever memorable instance of the divine power. God then, in wrath, sent the waters out, and they overturned the earth; but in mercy he withheld them, shut the windows of heaven and the fountains of the great deep, and then, in a little time, they dried up.
III. He gives many instances of it in God's powerful management of the children of men, crossing their purposes and serving his own by them and upon them, overruling all their counsels, overpowering all their attempts, and overcoming all their oppositions. What changes does God make with men! what turns does he give them! how easily, how surprisingly!
1.In general (Job 12:16): With him are strength and reason (so some translate it), strength and consistency with himself: it is an elegant word in the original. With him are the very quintessence and extract of wisdom. With him are power and all that is; so some read it. He is what he is of himself, and by him and in him all things subsist. Having this strength and wisdom, he knows how to make use, not only of those who are wise and good, who willingly and designedly serve him, but even of those who are foolish and bad, who, one would think, could be made no way serviceable to the designs of his providence: The deceived and the deceiver are his; the simplest men that are deceived are not below his notice; the subtlest men that deceive cannot with all their subtlety escape his cognizance. The world is full of deceit; the one half of mankind cheats the other, and God suffers it to be so, and from both will at last bring glory to himself. The deceivers make tools of the deceived, but the great God makes tools of them both, wherewith he works, and none can hinder him. He has wisdom and might enough to manage all the fools and knaves in the world, and knows how to serve his own purposes by them, notwithstanding the weakness of the one and the wickedness of the other. When Jacob by a fraud got the blessing the design of God's grace was served; when Ahab was drawn by a false prophecy into an expedition that was his ruin the design of God's justice was served; and in both the deceived and the deceiver were at his disposal. See Eze 14:9. God would not suffer the sin of the deceiver, nor the misery of the deceived, if he knew not how to set bounds to both and bring glory to himself out of both. Hallelujah, the Lord God omnipotent thus reigns; and it is well he does, for otherwise there is so little wisdom and so little honesty in the world that it would all have been in confusion and ruin long ago.
2.He next descends to the particular instances of the wisdom and power of God in the revolutions of states and kingdoms; for thence he fetches his proofs, rather than from the like operations of Providence concerning private persons and families, because the more high and public the station is in which men are placed the more the changes that befal them are taken notice of, and consequently the more illustriously does Providence shine forth in them. And it is easy to argue, If God can thus turn and toss the great ones of the earth, like a ball in a large place (as the prophet speaks, Isa 22:18), much more the little ones; and with him to whom states and kingdoms must submit it is surely the greatest madness for us to contend. Some think that Job here refers to the extirpation of those powerful nations, the Rephaim, the Zuzim, the Emim, and the Horites (mentioned Gen 14:5, Gen 14:6; Deu 2:10, Deu 2:20), in which perhaps it was particularly noticed how strangely they were infatuated and enfeebled: if so, it is designed to show that whenever the like is done in the affairs of nations it is God that does it, and we must therein observe his sovereign dominion, even over those that think themselves most powerful, politic, and absolute. Compare this with that of Eliphaz, Job 5:12, etc. Let us gather up the particular changes here specified, which God makes upon persons, either for the destruction of nations and the planting of others in their room or for the turning out of a particular government and ministry and the elevation of another in its room, which may be a blessing to the kingdom; witness the glorious Revolution in our own land twenty years ago, in which we saw as happy an exposition as ever was given of this discourse of Job's. (1.) Those that were wise are sometimes strangely infatuated, and in this the hand of God must be acknowledged (Job 12:17): He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, as trophies of his victory over them, spoiled of all the honour and wealth they have got by their policy, nay, spoiled of the wisdom itself for which they have been celebrated and the success they promised themselves in their projects. His counsel stands, while all their devices are brought to nought and their designs baffled, and so they are spoiled both of the satisfaction and of the reputation of their wisdom. He maketh the judges fools. By a work on their minds he deprives them of their qualifications for business, and so they become really fools; and by his disposal of their affairs he makes the issue and event of their projects to be quite contrary to what they themselves intended, and so he makes them look like fools. The counsel of Ahithophel, one in whom this scripture was remarkably fulfilled, became foolishness, and he, according to his name, the brother of a fool. See Isa 19:13, The princes of Zoan have become fools; they have seduced Egypt, even those that are the stay of the tribes thereof. Let not the wise man therefore glory in his wisdom, nor the ablest counsellors and judges be proud of their station, but humbly depend upon God for the continuance of their abilities. Even the aged, who seem to hold their wisdom by prescription, and think they have got it by their own industry and therefore have an indefeasible title to it, may yet be deprived of it, and often are, by the infirmities of age, which make them twice children: He taketh away the understanding of the aged, Job 12:20. The aged, who were most depended on for advice, fail those that depended on them. We read of an old and yet foolish king, Ecc 4:13. (2.) Those that were high and in authority are strangely brought down, impoverished, and enslaved, and it is God that humbles them (Job 12:18): He looseth the bond of kings, and taketh from them the power wherewith they ruled their subjects, perhaps enslaved them and ruled them with rigour; he strips them of all the ensigns of their honour and authority, and all the supports of their tyranny, unbuckles their belts, so that the sword drops from their side, and then no marvel if the crown quickly drops from their head, on which immediately follows the girding of their loins with a girdle, a badge of servitude, for servants went with their loins girt. Thus he leads great princes away spoiled of all their power and wealth, and that in which they pleased and prided themselves, Job 12:19. Note, Kings are not exempt from God's jurisdiction. To us they are gods, but men to him, and subject to more than the common changes of human life. (3.) Those that were strong are strangely weakened, and it is God that weakens them (Job 12:21) and overthrows the mighty. Job 12:19. Strong bodies are weakened by age and sickness; powerful armies moulder and come to nothing, and their strength will not secure them from a fatal overthrow. No force can stand before Omnipotence, no, not that of Goliath. (4.) Those that were famed for eloquence, and entrusted with public business, are strangely silenced, and have nothing to say (Job 12:20): He removeth away the speech of the trusty, so that they cannot speak as they intended and as they used to do, with freedom and clearness, but blunder, and falter, and make nothing of it. Or they cannot speak what they intended, but the contrary, as Balaam, who blessed those whom he was called to curse. Let not the orator therefore be proud of his rhetoric, nor use it to any bad purposes, lest God take it away, who made man's mouth. (5.) Those that were honoured and admired strangely fall into disgrace (Job 12:21): He poureth contempt upon princes. He leaves them to themselves to do mean things, or alters the opinions of men concerning them. If princes themselves dishonour God and despise him, if they offer indignities to the people of God and trample upon them, they shall be lightly esteemed, and God will pour contempt upon them. See Psa 107:40. Commonly none more abject in themselves, nor more abused by others when they are down, than those who were haughty and insolent when they were in power. (6.) That which was secret, and lay hidden, is strangely brought to light and laid open (Job 12:22): He discovers deep things out of darkness. Plots closely laid are discovered and defeated; wickedness closely committed and artfully concealed is discovered, and the guilty are brought to condign punishment - secret treasons (Ecc 10:20), secret murders, secret whoredoms. The cabinet-councils of princes are before God's eye, Kg2 6:11. (7.) Kingdoms have their ebbings and flowings, their waxings and wanings; and both are from God (Job 12:23): He sometimes increases their numbers, and enlarges their bounds, so that they make a figure among the nations and become formidable; but after a while, by some undiscerned cause perhaps, they are destroyed and straitened, made few and poor, cut short and many of them cut off, and so they are rendered despicable among their neighbours, and those that were the head become the tail of the nations. See Psa 107:38, Psa 107:39. (8.) Those that were bold and courageous, and made nothing of dangers, are strangely cowed and dispirited; and this also is the Lord's doing (Job 12:24): He taketh away the heart cf the chief of the people, that were their leaders and commanders, and were most famed for their martial fire and great achievements; when any thing is to be done they are heartless, and ready to flee at the shaking of a leaf. Psa 76:5. (9.) Those that were driving on their projects with full speed are strangely bewildered and at a loss; they know not where they are nor what they do, are unsteady in their counsels and uncertain in their motions, off and on, this way and that way, wandering like men in a desert (Job 12:24), groping like men in the dark, and staggering like men in drink, Job 12:25. Isa 59:10. Note, God can soon nonplus the deepest politicians and bring the greatest wits to their wits' end, to show that wherein they deal proudly he is above them.
Thus are the revolutions of kingdoms wonderfully brought about by an overruling Providence. Heaven and earth are shaken, but the Lord sits King for ever, and with him we look for a kingdom that cannot be shaken.
18. Whereas every man that strives to deceive his neighbour is wicked, and ‘Truth’ saith to the wicked, I never knew you, depart from Me ye that work iniquity [Matt. 7, 23]; in what sense is it said here, that ‘the Lord knoweth the deceiver?’ But forasmuch as God’s ‘knowing’ sometimes means His taking cognizance, sometimes His approving, He at once knows a wicked man, in that in taking cognizance He judges him, (for He would never judge any wicked man, if He did not take cognizance of him,) and yet He does not know a wicked person, in that He does not approve his doings. And so He both knows him, in that He finds him out, and knows him not, in that He doth not acknowledge him in a likeness to His own Wisdom. As it is said of any truthful man, that he does not know falsehood, not because, when any thing false is said even by others, he is too blind to find fault with it, but this very falsehood he at once knows in the tracing out, and knows not in the affection of the heart, so as not to do that himself, which he condemns the doing of in others. And it may often happen that persons, busy in artful contrivances, spread the nets of their wickedness for another’s life, and when he, in ignorance of it, is seen to be taken by the snares, perchance it is questioned whether such things are seen from above, and men wonder, why it is, if God does see them, that He suffers them to be done. But He knoweth the deceiver and the deceived. For ‘He knoweth the deceiver,’ in that generally He sees former sins of his, and by a just judgment suffers him to fall into others also. ‘He knoweth the deceiver,’ in that, left in the hand of his own doings, He forsaketh him, that he may be precipitated into worse ones, as it is written, He that is unjust let him be unjust still, and he that is filthy let him, be filthy [Lat. grow filthy] still. [Rev. 22, 11] Moreover ‘He knoweth the deceived’ too, in that men often do evil things that they know; and therefore they are suffered to be ‘deceived,’ so as further to fall into evil things which they know not. However, this is used to be done to the deceived sometimes for their purifying, sometimes as the beginning of vengeance.
19. He bringeth counsellors also to a foolish end, when they do any thing good even, with no good purpose, but are going after the recompensing of a temporary reward. For, if the Only-begotten Son of the Most High Father, because hereby, that He was made Man, He preached eternal truths, is therefore called the Angel of great counsel, we rightly interpret ‘the counsellors,’ those preachers, who furnish the ‘counsel’ of life to their hearers. But when any preacher preaches the truths of eternity for this, that he may acquire temporal gains, assuredly he is ‘brought to a foolish end,’ in that he is aiming to reach that point by laborious effort, whence he ought to have fled in uprightness of mind.
20. And it is rightly added, And the judges to dulness. For all that are set over the examination of other men’s conduct, are rightly called ‘judges;’ but when he that has this oversight does not diligently examine the lives of those under his authority, nor acquaint himself whom he should correct, and how, ‘the judge is brought to dulness,’ in that he, who should have judged things that were ill done, never finds out those things which are to be judged.
When almighty God in the mystery of his mercy was made man, he first gave the lesson of mildness, and afterwards at the judgment he will show his strength. It is correct to say that in the place above, wisdom is mentioned before strength, as the thing is spoken of the only begotten Son of the Father, “With him is wisdom and strength.” In view of the fact that as he comes to judge, he will appear in the terribleness of his power, and the damned being cast off, he will manifest to his elect in his everlasting kingdom. How he is “the wisdom of the Father” is rightly said in the subsequent sentence, that with him is first “strength” and then “wisdom.” … Whereas everyone who strives to deceive his neighbor is wicked, “Truth” says to the wicked, “I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.” In what sense is it said here that “the Lord knows the deceiver”? But God’s “knowing” sometimes means his taking notice or acknowledging, sometimes his approving; God at once knows a wicked person, in that in taking notice of him he judges him (for he would never judge any wicked person, if he did not take notice of him), and yet he does not know a wicked person in that he does not approve of his actions. So, God both knows him, in that he finds him out, and doesn’t know him, in that he does not acknowledge him in a likeness of his own wisdom.… The only begotten Son of the most high Father, because he was made man and preached eternal truths, is therefore called the “Angel of great counsel.” We rightly interpret “the counselors” as those preachers who furnish the counsel of life to their hearers. However, when any preacher preaches the truths of eternity that he may acquire temporal gains, he is assuredly brought to a foolish end; he is aiming to reach that point by laborious effort. Hence, he ought to have fled in uprightness of mind. And it is rightly added, “And the judges to dullness.” For all that are set over the examination of other people’s conduct are rightly called “judges.” But when he who has this oversight does not diligently examine the lives of those under his authority or acquaint himself with whom he should correct, “the judge is brought to dullness,” in that he, who should have judged things that were ill, never finds out those things that are to be judged.
Continue studying Job 12:17 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Job 12:17 serves as a powerful declaration by Job regarding God's absolute and inscrutable sovereignty over all human wisdom, authority, and power. In his impassioned discourse, Job asserts that God can effortlessly dismantle the most esteemed human institutions and individuals, stripping counsellors of their sagacity and rendering judges foolish, thereby demonstrating the futility of relying on human insight or systems apart from divine will. This verse underscores the profound limitations of human authority in the face of God's omnipotence.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Job 12:17 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound message. The most prominent is Parallelism, specifically synonymous parallelism, where the second clause ("and maketh the judges fools") echoes and intensifies the meaning of the first ("He leadeth counsellors away spoiled"). Both clauses articulate God's absolute power to dismantle human authority and wisdom, thereby powerfully reinforcing the central theme of divine sovereignty over human institutions. The verse also utilizes Metaphor and Hyperbole to vividly describe God's actions. God does not literally "spoil" or "make fools" in a physical sense, but rather, He orchestrates circumstances that strip human authorities of their perceived wisdom and influence, exposing their inherent limitations and the futility of their efforts apart from Him. This vivid imagery serves to emphasize the dramatic, absolute, and often unexpected nature of God's control. Furthermore, the verse employs Anthropomorphism, attributing human-like actions ("leadeth," "maketh") to God, thereby making His divine intervention more relatable and impactful to the human audience, while simultaneously highlighting His active involvement in human affairs.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 12:17 stands as a powerful theological statement on the absolute sovereignty of God over all human wisdom, authority, and power. It challenges any notion that human intellect, political structures, or judicial systems can operate independently of divine will or withstand God's ultimate purposes. The verse affirms that true wisdom and justice reside solely with God, and He can, at His discretion, expose the folly of human attempts to govern or advise without His guidance. This serves as a crucial reminder that while human institutions have their place and can be instruments of good, they are ultimately subordinate to the divine plan and are inherently fallible. It teaches profound humility before God's incomprehensible wisdom and power, urging believers to place their ultimate trust not in human leaders or systems, but in the Lord who orchestrates all things, for He alone is truly wise and just.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 12:17 offers a profound and sobering truth for contemporary believers, particularly in a world that often places immense trust in human expertise, political leaders, scientific advancements, and judicial systems. This verse serves as a vital corrective, calling us to recognize the inherent limitations and fallibility of all human wisdom and authority when compared to the infinite wisdom and absolute sovereignty of God. This does not negate the value of seeking wise counsel or upholding justice within human frameworks, but it fundamentally reorients our ultimate reliance. It encourages a posture of humility, reminding us that what appears wise, stable, or unshakeable to human eyes can be easily overturned or exposed as foolish by God's sovereign hand. Therefore, our ultimate trust must always be in God, seeking His counsel through His Word and prayer above all else, and understanding that His will ultimately prevails, even when human systems seem to falter or fail. This perspective fosters a deeper reliance on divine providence, cultivates a discerning approach to human leadership and expert opinion, and strengthens our faith in the One who truly holds all things in His hand.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does this verse imply that all human wisdom and justice are inherently flawed or evil?
Answer: Not necessarily that they are inherently evil, but that they are inherently limited and fallible when compared to God's perfect wisdom and justice. Job 12:17 highlights God's absolute sovereignty, demonstrating that even the most esteemed human wisdom and systems of justice are entirely subject to His will. God can expose their limitations or even reverse their outcomes to achieve His greater purposes, which may be beyond human comprehension. This verse serves as a reminder that while human wisdom and justice have their place and are often gifts from God, they are never ultimate and should not be relied upon as such. True wisdom ultimately originates from and is perfected by God, as seen in Proverbs 2:6, and His judgments are always righteous, unlike those of fallible humans (Psalm 9:8).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 12:17, with its declaration of God's sovereignty over human wisdom and authority, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While Job speaks of God's power to humble human counsellors and judges, Christ Himself is the very embodiment of God's wisdom and power, who decisively exposed the folly and limitations of human systems. He stood before human judges, like Pilate, who, despite their earthly authority, were ultimately powerless against God's divine plan, for their power was given from above. The cross, which was considered foolishness by the world's wise (1 Corinthians 1:18), became the ultimate demonstration of God's wisdom and power, subverting all human expectations and logic. Through His death and resurrection, Christ disarmed the spiritual powers and authorities that held humanity captive (Colossians 2:15), demonstrating that His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36) and operates on a divine wisdom that transcends human understanding. Ultimately, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him (Matthew 28:18), confirming that He is the true and ultimate Counsellor (Isaiah 9:6) and Judge (John 5:22), before whom all earthly wisdom and power will ultimately bow.