Job 5:13

Context

Job 5:13 is a powerful statement made by Eliphaz the Temanite, one of Job's three friends, during his first speech. While Eliphaz's overall theological framework for understanding Job's suffering is later revealed to be flawed (he incorrectly assumes Job's suffering is due to sin), this particular verse expresses a profound and timeless truth about God's character and His interaction with humanity. It serves as a proverb-like observation, asserting God's ultimate control over human wisdom and wickedness, a theme common in biblical wisdom literature.

Key Themes

• Divine Sovereignty Over Human Cunning: The verse highlights God's absolute authority and superior wisdom. "He taketh the wise in their own craftiness" means that God can and does outwit those who rely on their own shrewdness, cunning, or manipulative schemes. Their clever plans, often devised for selfish or malicious ends, are turned against them by divine intervention. God's wisdom far surpasses any human intellect.
• Frustration of Wicked Plans: The latter part, "the counsel of the froward is carried headlong," emphasizes that the plans and intentions of the perverse or deceitful are brought to a swift, disastrous end. God ensures that evil machinations do not ultimately succeed. Their schemes collapse, often in a way that exposes their folly and brings about their own downfall.

Linguistic Insights

• The Hebrew word for "craftiness" is 'ormah (עָרְמָה), which can mean shrewdness or prudence. However, in this context, especially when paired with "wise" (referring to those who rely on their own intellect apart from God), it carries the negative connotation of cunning, deceit, or trickery.
• "Froward" translates the Hebrew niphtal (נִפְתָּל), meaning twisted, perverse, or deceitful in character. It describes someone whose intentions or actions are morally crooked.
• "Carried headlong" comes from the Hebrew nimharah (נִמְהֲרָה), suggesting being rushed, hurried, or brought to ruin swiftly and disastrously. It implies a sudden and decisive overthrow of their plans.

Related Scriptures

This verse is so foundational that it is directly quoted in the New Testament. The Apostle Paul directly quotes Job 5:13 in 1 Corinthians 3:19, affirming that "the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness." This demonstrates the enduring truth of God's power to frustrate human schemes. The concept of God frustrating the plans of the wicked is also echoed in Psalm 33:10: "The LORD frustrates the counsel of the nations; he thwarts the plans of the peoples."

Practical Application

Job 5:13 carries profound implications for our lives today:

• A Warning Against Self-Reliance and Deceit: For those tempted to rely on their own cleverness, manipulation, or deceit to get ahead or achieve their goals, this verse serves as a stark warning. It reminds us that God sees through all schemes, and He has the power to turn our own devices against us, leading to our downfall. True wisdom comes from God, not from human cunning.
• A Comfort for the Righteous: For those who face injustice, oppression, or the cunning plots of others, this verse offers immense comfort and hope. It assures believers that God is ultimately in control. When confronted with the malicious plans of the "froward," we can rest in the knowledge that God is sovereign and will cause their own evil intentions to defeat them. This encourages trust in divine justice rather than resorting to human retaliation or despair, reminding us that vengeance belongs to the Lord.