Job 12:19

19 Causing ministers to go away a spoil And strong ones He overthroweth.

Job 12:19 Meaning and Commentary

Job 12:19

He leadeth princes away spoiled
Of their principalities and dominions, of their wealth and riches, and of their honour and glory; or "priests" ^F21, as some choose to render the word, against whom God has indignation for their sins, and leads them into captivity with others; so the Septuagint version, "he leads the priests captives"; for no office, ever so sacred, can protect wicked men, see ( Lamentations 2:6 ) ( Jeremiah 14:18 ) ; and from these sometimes the law perishes, and they are spoiled of their wisdom and knowledge, and made unfit to instruct the people, and so of their credit and reputation among them. Sephorno interprets it of the priests spoiled of their prophesying, they prophesying false things to kings:

and overthroweth the mighty;
the mighty angels from heaven when they sinned, and mighty men on earth, kings and princes, whom he puts down from their seats of majesty and grandeur. Sephorno interprets this of kings, whose ways are perverted, by being led by false prophets, as Ahab was. Some ^F23 understand this of ecclesiastical men, mighty in word and doctrine, well grounded in theology, yet their wisdom being taken away from them, they turn aside into wicked paths, practices, and principles, and fall from their steadfastness in truth and holiness.

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 (Mynhk) "sacerdotes", V. L. Montanus, Tigurine version, Bolducius, Cocceius, Schmidt, Schultens.
F23 Schmidt, Michaelis, Schultens.

Job 12:19 In-Context

17 Causing counsellors to go away a spoil, And judges He maketh foolish.

18 The bands of kings He hath opened, And He bindeth a girdle on their loins.

19 Causing ministers to go away a spoil And strong ones He overthroweth.

20 Turning aside the lip of the stedfast, And the reason of the aged He taketh away.

21 Pouring contempt upon princes, And the girdle of the mighty He made feeble.