Job 12:13

13 “To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.

Job 12:13 in Other Translations

13 With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

13 "With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding.

13 “But true wisdom and power are found in God; counsel and understanding are his.

13 "True wisdom and real power belong to God; from him we learn how to live, and also what to live for.

13 Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His.

Job 12:13 Meaning and Commentary

Job 12:13

With him [is] wisdom and strength
Not with the ancient and long lived man, but with God, who has made the whole universe, and in whose hand and at whose dispose all creatures are, ( Job 12:9 Job 12:10 ) ; with him wisdom is originally, essentially, and inderivatively, as the fountain and fulness of it; he is the only and all wise God; his wisdom is displayed in making the world, and all things in it, in the beautiful manner they are set, and in their subserviency to each other; in all the dispensations of his providence, having all a "bathos", a depth of wisdom and knowledge in them, being all according to the counsel of his will; and in the work of redemption and salvation by Christ, in which he has abounded in all wisdom and prudence; in finding out and appointing a Redeemer, mighty and strong, equal to the work; in contriving and bringing it about, in such a manner as to glorify all his perfections; hence the Gospel, which is the publication of this grace, is called the wisdom of God: and with him is wisdom to communicate to his people, to direct them how to behave under every providence, in every station of life, in the church, and in the world, see ( James 1:5 ) ; and he has "strength", which he has shown in making the world out of nothing, in upholding it, and all things in it in being, in executing his designs, decrees, and purposes, in fulfilling his promises, and in supporting and strengthening his people, under all their trials and exercises, to withstand every enemy, and perform every duty; ancient men, though they may increase in wisdom, they decline in strength, but God has both, in infinite perfection:

he hath counsel and understanding;
his decrees and purposes, wisely formed within himself, are his counsels of old, and which are truly and punctually performed in time; his plan of peace, reconciliation, and salvation by Christ, may, with propriety, be called the counsel of peace between them both; and the Gospel, and the various doctrines of it, are the whole counsel of God, and so are the ordinances of it; and besides these, by which he counsels and advises his people, he has counsel with him, and which he gives unto them by his spirit, for which they bless his name; and so even did Christ as man and Mediator, ( Psalms 16:7 ) ; he has counsel to give, and does give in things temporal, relating to the common affairs of life, and in things concerning the good and welfare of immortal souls; all which comes from him who is "wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working", ( Isaiah 28:29 ) ; and he has an "understanding" that is infinite and unsearchable; he has an understanding of himself, his nature, perfections, and persons of all his creatures, and of all things past, present, and to come; the same things are said of Christ, the wisdom of God, ( Proverbs 8:14 ) . Job, having observed these things of God, passes on to discourse most admirably and excellently of the power and wisdom of God in various instances, especially in the dispensations of his providence, by which he appears to have known the secrets of wisdom, and not so ignorant as represented by Zophar.

Job 12:13 In-Context

11 Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes food?

12 Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?

13 “To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.

14 What he tears down cannot be rebuilt; those he imprisons cannot be released.

15 If he holds back the waters, there is drought; if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.

Cross References

• 1. Job 11:6; Proverbs 21:30; Isaiah 45:9
• 2. S Job 9:4; S Jeremiah 32:19; 1 Corinthians 1:24
• 3. S Numbers 23:19; 1 Kings 3:12; Job 32:8; Job 38:36; Proverbs 2:6; Isaiah 40:13-14; Daniel 1:17