Job 12:25

They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like [a] drunken [man].

They grope {H4959} in the dark {H2822} without light {H216}, and he maketh them to stagger {H8582} like a drunken {H7910} man.

They grope in unlit darkness; he makes them stagger like drunks.

They grope in the darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunkards.

They grope in the dark without light; And he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

Commentary

Job 12:25, part of Job's profound discourse on God's omnipotence and sovereignty, uses vivid imagery to describe the state of those whom God chooses to confound. This verse encapsulates the helplessness and confusion that can befall even the seemingly wise or powerful when divine judgment or divine permission removes their understanding and direction.

Context

This verse is found within Job's lengthy response to his friends, particularly countering their simplistic theology that suffering is always a direct result of personal sin. In Job 12, Job asserts God's absolute control over all creation, including human leaders, counselors, and the wise. He argues that God can strip the powerful of their understanding and make them wander aimlessly, demonstrating that God's ways are often beyond human comprehension. Verses 24-25 specifically highlight God's ability to make the leaders of the earth lose their way, symbolizing a state of divine judgment or a removal of insight.

Key Themes

  • God's Sovereignty and Judgment: The verse emphasizes God's ultimate power to influence and even control human destiny, including the intellectual and physical stability of individuals. The "he" in "he maketh them to stagger" refers directly to God, showcasing His capacity to humble the proud and bring confusion upon those who think themselves wise or secure. This aligns with broader biblical themes of God's unchallengeable will and authority.
  • Spiritual Blindness and Confusion: The imagery of "groping in the dark without light" powerfully conveys a state of profound spiritual or intellectual blindness. It speaks to a loss of direction, inability to discern truth, and a general state of bewilderment. This condition is not accidental but divinely orchestrated, indicating a removal of divine guidance or wisdom, leading to moral and intellectual disorientation.
  • Human Helplessness: The comparison to a "drunken man" highlights extreme instability, loss of control, and an inability to maintain balance or purpose. It underscores the fragility of human wisdom and strength when confronted with God's overwhelming power. Even the most capable can be rendered utterly helpless and without direction when God chooses to remove their understanding, as seen in God's confounding of the wisdom of the wise.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "grope" is mashash (ืžึธืฉึทืืฉื), which literally means to feel or search by touch, emphasizing the complete absence of visual light and the struggle to find one's way. "Dark" is choshek (ื—ึนืฉึถืืšึฐ), denoting deep obscurity. The term for "stagger" is ta'ah (ืชึธึผืขึธื”), which also means to wander, stray, or err, reinforcing the idea of losing one's path and being led astray, much like a person under the influence of alcohol cannot walk a straight line.

Practical Application

Job 12:25 serves as a powerful reminder of God's absolute sovereignty over all human affairs, including the wisdom and understanding of individuals and nations. It encourages humility, recognizing that human intellect and power are limited and depend entirely on God's allowance. For believers, it underscores the importance of relying on God's light and guidance rather than trusting in worldly wisdom or one's own perceived strength. When we find ourselves or others "groping in the dark," it prompts us to seek divine revelation and direction, acknowledging that true insight comes from Him. This verse also offers a perspective on divine judgment, reminding us that God can, and sometimes does, allow confusion and instability to humble the proud or to bring about His purposes, as seen in various instances of spiritual blindness for those who reject His truth.

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Cross-References

  • Job 5:14 (6 votes)

    They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope in the noonday as in the night.

  • Psalms 107:27 (5 votes)

    They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end.

  • Isaiah 19:14 (4 votes)

    The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken [man] staggereth in his vomit.

  • Isaiah 24:20 (4 votes)

    The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.

  • 1 John 2:11 (2 votes)

    But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

  • Acts 13:11 (2 votes)

    And now, behold, the hand of the Lord [is] upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

  • Genesis 19:11 (2 votes)

    And they smote the men that [were] at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.