Job 12:7-20

7 “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;

8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you.

9 Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?

10 In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.

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.

16 To him belong strength and insight; both deceived and deceiver are his.

17 He leads rulers away stripped and makes fools of judges.

18 He takes off the shackles put on by kings and ties a loincloth^[a] around their waist.

19 He leads priests away stripped and overthrows officials long established.

20 He silences the lips of trusted advisers and takes away the discernment of elders.

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Job 12:7-20 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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 28

1. Job 35:11 "fn"
2. Matthew 6:26
3. Job 18:3; Romans 1:20
4. Isaiah 1:3
5. S Job 9:24; Isaiah 41:20
6. Daniel 5:23
7. S Genesis 2:7; S Numbers 16:22; S Job 11:20; Job 27:3; Job 33:4; Acts 17:28
8. Job 34:3
9. S 1 Kings 4:2; Job 15:10
10. ver 20; Job 17:4; Job 32:7,9; Job 34:4,10
11. Job 11:6; Proverbs 21:30; Isaiah 45:9
12. S Job 9:4; S Jeremiah 32:19; 1 Corinthians 1:24
13. S Numbers 23:19; 1 Kings 3:12; Job 32:8; Job 38:36; Proverbs 2:6; Isaiah 40:13-14; Daniel 1:17
14. Job 16:9; Job 19:10
15. Deuteronomy 13:16; Job 37:7; Psalms 127:1; Isaiah 24:20; Isaiah 25:2; Ezekiel 26:14
16. S Job 9:3; Isaiah 22:22; Revelation 3:7
17. Job 28:25; Isaiah 40:12; 1 Kings 8:35
18. S Deuteronomy 28:22; S 1 Kings 17:1
19. S Genesis 7:24; Genesis 7:11
20. S Job 9:4
21. 2 Chronicles 18:22; Job 13:7,9; Job 27:4; Romans 2:11
22. ver 19; Job 19:9; Isaiah 20:4
23. S Job 3:14; 1 Corinthians 1:20
24. Psalms 107:14; Psalms 116:16; Nahum 1:13
25. ver 21; Job 34:18; Psalms 107:40; Isaiah 5:27; Isaiah 40:23
26. S ver 17
27. S Deuteronomy 24:15; S Job 9:24; Job 14:20; Job 22:8; Job 24:12,22; Job 34:20,28; Job 35:9; Isaiah 2:22; Isaiah 31:8; Isaiah 40:17,23; Jeremiah 25:18; Daniel 2:21,34; Luke 1:52
28. S ver 12,24; Daniel 4:33-34; Job 32:9

Footnotes 1

[a]. Or "shackles of kings" / "and ties a belt"