He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.
He taketh {H3920} the wise {H2450} in their own craftiness {H6193}: and the counsel {H6098} of the froward {H6617} is carried headlong {H4116}.
trapping the crafty in their own tricks and foiling quickly the plans of the false.
He catches the wise in their craftiness, and sweeps away the plans of the cunning.
He taketh the wise in their own craftiness; And the counsel of the cunning is carried headlong.
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Psalms 9:15
The heathen are sunk down in the pit [that] they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken. -
Psalms 9:16
The LORD is known [by] the judgment [which] he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah. -
1 Corinthians 3:19
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. -
Luke 1:51
He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. -
1 Corinthians 1:19
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. -
1 Corinthians 1:20
Where [is] the wise? where [is] the scribe? where [is] the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? -
Psalms 18:26
With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.
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
Linguistic Insights
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: