Job 12:10-20

10 In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?

11 Does not the ear test words And the mouth taste its food?

12 Wisdom is with aged men, And with length of days, understanding.

13 "With Him are wisdom and strength, He has counsel and understanding.

14 If He breaks a thing down, it cannot be rebuilt; If He imprisons a man, there can be no release.

15 If He withholds the waters, they dry up; If He sends them out, they overwhelm the earth.

16 With Him are strength and prudence. The deceived and the deceiver are His.

17 He leads counselors away plundered, And makes fools of the judges.

18 He loosens the bonds of kings, And binds their waist with a belt.

19 He leads princes away plundered, And overthrows the mighty.

20 He deprives the trusted ones of speech, And takes away the discernment of the elders.

Job 12:10-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 12

In this and the two following chapter Job makes answer to Zophar's discourse in the former; who having represented him as an ignorant man, he resents it, and begins his defence with a biting sarcasm on him and his friends, as being self-conceited, and having an high opinion of their own wisdom, as if none had any but themselves, Job 12:1,2; and puts in his claim for a share with them, as being not at all inferior to them, Job 12:3; and then refutes their notions, that it always goes well with good men, and ill with bad men; whereas the reverse is the truth, Job 12:4-6; and which they might learn from the brute creatures; or he sends them to them, to observe to them, that the best things they had knowledge of concerning God and his providence, and of his wisdom therein, were common notions that everyone had, and might be learned from beasts, birds, and fishes; particularly, that all things in the whole universe are made by God, and sustained by him, and are under his direction, and at his disposal, Job 12:7-10; and such things might as easily be searched, examined, and judged of, as sounds are tried by the ear, and food by the mouth, Job 12:11; and seeing it is usual among men, at least it may be expected that men in years should have a considerable share of wisdom and knowledge, it might be strongly inferred from thence, without any difficulty, that the most perfect and consummate wisdom was in God, Job 12:12,13; whence he passes on to discourse most admirably and excellently of the wisdom and power of God in the dispensations of his providence, in a variety of instances; which shows his knowledge of his perfections, ways, and works, was not inferior to that of his friends, Job 12:14-25.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally priests, but not in the technical sense