Behold, he breaks down, and it can’t be built again. He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.
Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up. Again, he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.
With him is strength and wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are his.
He leads counselors away stripped. He makes judges fools.
He loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt.
He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.
He removes the speech of those who are trusted, and takes away the understanding of the elders.
He pours contempt on princes, and loosens the belt of the strong.
He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.
He increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.
He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
They grope in the dark without light. He makes them stagger like a drunken man.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv16, 18, 20, 23 He showeth that there is nothing done in this…
He showeth that there is nothing done in this world without God’s will and ordinance, for else he should not be Almighty.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv14–25 Job 12:14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot…
Job 12:14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
Ver. 14. Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again] As he did the old world, Sodom and Gomorrah, many monarchies and empires, the tower of Babel, and other castles and houses which now live by fame only, if at all. If God have a mind to ruin these, who shall raise or repair them? Julian, the apostate, in spite of the Christians, set the Jews to work to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem, but they could never effect it by reason of a terrible earthquake, that slew the workmen and marred the materials (Am. Marcel., Socrat. 3, Theod., Ruffin.). The Arian bishops held a second council at Nice, with the purpose of having abolished the memory of the first together with the Nicene Creed, and to have established Arianism (Func.); but God disappointed them, and sent them packing thence by a huge earthquake, which overturned a great part of that city, and killed a number of people. Constans, nephew to Heraclius, the Greek emperor, and (three hundred years after him) Otho, emperor of Germany, endeavoured, but in vain, to make Rome the seat of their empires, as anciently it had been (Theophanes, Zonares, Cedrenus). God would not allow it so to be, saith Genebrard, because the kingdom of the Church, foretold by Daniel, was to have its seat there. If he had said, the kingdom of Antichrist, foretold by Paul and John the divine, he had hit the nail on the very head.
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He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening] He clappeth him up close prisoner, as Manasseh, Zedekiah, Bajazet, Boniface VIII, &c., or fasteneth him to his bed by some chronic disease (as he did Abimelech, Ahaziah, Asa, Aeneas, Act 9:33), or otherwise straiteneth him, that he knows not how to help himself, as he did Pharaoh, Saul (when the Philistines were upon him on every side), those refractories in Isaiah, Isa 9:2, and shall do the whore of Babylon, Rev 18:9-19, when her lovers shall bewail her, but not be able to help her, Job 12:9-10. For when God shutteth up any in this sort, they must lie by it till he please to release them and extricate them, as he did Joseph, Jehoshaphat, David, Peter, Valentinian, and many others, when they were even forsaken by their hopes.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv14–25 He breaketh down, to wit, houses, castles, cities, which…
He breaketh down, to wit, houses, castles, cities, which God designeth to destroy utterly.
He shutteth up; if he will shut up a man in prison, or in any straits or troubles.
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There can be no opening, without God’s permission and providence.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv14–24 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up,....…
Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up,.... Or "lays a restraint in" or "on the waters" (s); either in the ocean, as he did at the creation, when he gathered the waters that were upon the face of the earth into one place, and restrained them there, even in the decreed place he broke up for them, called the sea, and set bars and doors to keep them within bounds, whereby the places they left became dry and the dry land appeared called earth; and so at the time of the flood, when the waters which covered the earth and drowned the world were called off again, the face of it was dry, and so it remains, the waters of the great ocean being restrained from overflowing it; and also when God rebukes the see, and smites the waves of it, or withholds the ebbing and flowing of the tides brooks and rivers of water dry up; see Nah 1:4; or else this may be understood of God's withholding and restraining the waters in the clouds, and not suffering them to let down rain on the earth; when not only brooks dry up, as the brook Cherith did, where Elijah abode for sometime, but the fruits of the earth, trees, plants, and herbs dry up, wither and die; see Kg1 17:7; and this is an emblem in a spiritual sense of God's withholding the word and ordinances, the waters of the sanctuary the means of grace, and of fruitfulness; which when he does, the consequence of it is barrenness and unfruitfulness in kingdoms, cities, towns, families, sad particular persons; and of his withholding the communications of his grace, often compared to water in Scripture, even from his people; the effect of which is, that they are in, withering circumstances, the things that revive seem ready to die, though they shall not; love waxes cold, faith is ready to fail, and hope and strength seem perishing from the Lord:
also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth; as at the time of the flood, when the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened, and such vast quantities of water issued out as overflowed the whole world, by which it was overturned; and as the Apostle Peter says, "perished", Pe2 3:5; though this is also true of inundations that may have been since, which though not universal as that, yet so far as they have reached have overturned all in their way, and carried off the fruits of the earth, the habitations of men, and men themselves; whole countries, cities and towns, have been carried away by the waters of the sea, or sunk into it, particularly all that space. Where now is the Atlantic sea, as Pliny (t), from Plato, relates. It is well when the grace of God flows, and overflows, and superabounds abounding sin, and overpowers and overcomes carnal, earthly, and sensual lusts, and reigns where sin did, and teaches to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to mortify the members on the earth.
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(s) "detinebit in aquis", Montanus, Bolducius; "si contineat, vel cohibeat, q. d. imperium exerceat in aquas", Michaelis. (t) Nat. Hist. l. 2. c. 90, 92.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25 No opening - Without God's permission. Yea, he shuts…
No opening - Without God's permission. Yea, he shuts up in the grave, and none can break open those sealed doors. He shuts up in hell, in chains of darkness, and none can pass that great gulf.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv14–25 Verse 14. He breaketh down] He alone can create,…
Verse 14. He breaketh down] He alone can create, and he alone can destroy. Nothing can be annihilated but by the same Power that created it. This is a most remarkable fact. No power, skill, or cunning of man can annihilate the smallest particle of matter. Man, by chemical agency, may change its form; but to reduce it to nothing belongs to God alone. In the course of his providence God breaks down, so that it cannot be built up again. See proofs of this in the total political destruction of Nineveh, Babylon, Persepolis, Tyre, and other cities, which have broken down never to be rebuilt; as well as the Assyrian, Babylonian, Grecian, and Roman empires, which have been dismembered and almost annihilated, never more to be regenerated.
He shutteth up a man] He often frustrates the best laid purposes, so that they can never be brought to good effect.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 23 Job 12:14. Behold, he breaketh down — Houses, castles,…
Job 12:14. Behold, he breaketh down — Houses, castles, cities; and it cannot be built again — It is not in the power of any creature to repair what he designs utterly to destroy. He shutteth up a man — In prison, or in straits and troubles; and there can be no opening — Without his permission and providence. Yea, he shuts up in the grave, and none can break open those sealed doors. He shuts up in hell, in chains of darkness, and none can pass that great gulf.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv14–25 Behold, he breaketh down - None can repair what…
Behold, he breaketh down - None can repair what he pulls down. Cities and towns he can devote to ruin by fire, or earthquake, or the pestilence, and so completely destroy them that they can never be rebuilt. We may now refer to such illustrations as Sodom, Babylon, Petra, Tyre, Herculaneum, and Pompeii, as full proof of what is here affirmed.
He shutteth up a man - He can shut up a man in such difficulties and straits that he cannot extricate himself; see Job 11:10. The Chaldee renders this, “he shuts up a man in the grave (בקבורתא) and it cannot be opened.” But the more correct idea is, that God has complete control over a man, and that he can so hedge up his way that he cannot help himself.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv17–24 To a. Hebrew, "to be despoiled" of their wisdom…
To a. Hebrew, "to be despoiled" of their wisdom and riches. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "into captivity." (Haydock) --- Crafty plotters at last fall into such misconduct, as to be derided by men of the meanest capacity. (Worthington)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 shutteth up-- (Isa 22:22). Job refers to Zophar's "shut…
shutteth up-- (Isa 22:22). Job refers to Zophar's "shut up" (Job 11:10).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 14. Shutteth up a man — In the sense…
14. Shutteth up a man — In the sense of closing over. This is explained by the nature of the prisons among the Hebrews, which were subterranean excavations, whose mouth was covered with a stone. Lam_3:53. The Chaldee renders it, “He shuts man up in the grave, and it cannot be opened.”
Saint Gregory moralizes upon this clause: “Evil deeds build a prison for man in the depths of his conscience. Habit bars the doors, and blindness of understanding darkens the windows. Thus God shuts him in. If ever the desire arise to break forth from his dungeon, he is not able.” But all this tends to depreciate the grace of the gospel, which is powerful to break any prison bar that habit or appetite has forged.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv14–25 14. breaketh down] e.g. fenced cities, devoting them to…
14. breaketh down] e.g. fenced cities, devoting them to ruin, cf. ch. Job_15:28.
shutteth up a man] In prison, as captive kings and the like, cf. Jer_22:24 seq., 2Ki_25:27 seq.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv14, 18, 19, 23 (14) Behold, he breaketh down . . .—God has…
(14) Behold, he breaketh down . . .—God has equal power over the moral and physical world.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv14–25 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built…
Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again. Professor Lee thinks that the allusion is to the cities of the plain. (Gen_19:24-29) But the sentiment is so general, that we may well doubt if particular instances were in Job"s mind. At any rate, the destructive agencies of nature must be as much included as any supernatural acts. He shutteth up a man. (comp. Job_11:10) God "shutsup" men when be hedges them in with calamities or other circumstances, which take away from them all freedom of action (Job_3:23 Job_19:8) When he does this, the result followsThere can be no opening. No other power can give release.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v20 Taketh away the understanding of the aged.
Job_12:20
Taketh away the understanding of the aged.
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Insanity
The text is part of an address in which Job enumerates a variety of events in which, more or less prominently, the interference of Divine providence was to be traced.
I. The peculiar dispensation which the text brings before us. Job is not stating here a general rule of the Divine procedure, but only alluding to an event of occasional occurrence.
1. The nature of the calamity referred to. It deals with the mind. The operations of the mind are deranged and disabled. This is the heaviest calamity to which human nature is subject. We cannot conceive of a more pitiable object than a man bereft of understanding.
2. The subject of the calamity. The aged. Not exclusively. It often overtakes persons in the meridian of life.
3. The author of the calamity. In some cases the individual himself, by evil propensities. Sometimes the loss of understanding is occasioned by the conduct of others. The Divine interference must be recognised as permitting the calamity, but in the text it is treated as the occasion of it. It may be a part of that plan which God has formed, in unerring wisdom and infinite love, as best calculated to secure the attainment of His benevolent designs.
II. Some probable reasons for which such dispensations may occur. The understanding may sometimes be taken away--
1. As a just penalty for a perverted and injurious use of the intellectual faculties. Scripture teaches that we may often calculate on the loss of a privilege as the just penalty of its abuse; nor can human reason question the propriety of this.
2. To exhibit, in the most striking manner, human frailty, and the entire dependence of all upon God Himself. We can scarcely conceive of any case which so forcibly impresses us with these truths.
3. As a means of important instruction and salutary discipline to those more immediately connected with the sufferers.
4. To show the danger of procrastination on the subject of personal religion. How many persons are satisfying themselves in a present neglect of the soul and eternity, under a determination to regard these points more seriously in advancing years! But they cannot be sure of the continued exercise of those mental faculties, the continuance of which would be essential to carrying their salutary resolutions into effect. (Essex Congregational Remembrancer.)
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The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv16, 19, 22, 24 With him are strength and wisdom
With him are strength and wisdom
The abstract nouns "strength" and "wisdom" can be expressed with the words "strong" and "wise." AT: "God is strong and wise" (See: Abstract Nouns)
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people who are deceived and the deceiver are both in his power
Being in God's power represents God ruling over them. AT: "people who believe a lie and people who lie to others are both in his power" or "God rules over both people who believe lies and people who lie to others"
He leads counselors away barefoot
Leading counselors away barefoot represents taking away their wisdom and authority. (See: Metaphor)
in sorrow
The abstract noun "sorrow" can be expressed with the words "sad" or "grieve" AT: "and they feel very sad" or "and they grieve" (See: Abstract Nouns)
he turns judges into fools
"he makes judges become foolish"
He takes off the chain of authority from kings
Possible meanings are that 1) this is a metonym for causing kings to no longer have authority. AT: "He takes away the authority of kings" or 2) this is a metonym for setting people free from the chains that kings have put on them. AT: "He takes off the bonds that kings have put on people" (See: Metonymy)
he wraps a cloth about their waists
This cloth is probably what a slave wears. To put these cloths on kings represents making the kings slaves. AT: "he makes kings wear the clothing of slaves" or "he makes them slaves" (See: Metonymy)
translationWords
wise
deceive
power
advice
judge, judges
fool
authority
king
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 25 12:17 stripped of good judgment: The NLT adds “of…
12:17 stripped of good judgment: The NLT adds “of good judgment” for clarity. In this image, God metaphorically strips leaders of their abilities. It could also refer to being stripped of the symbols of office or to becoming naked captives (12:18-19).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.