Job 12:20 kjv
He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.
Job 12:20 nkjv
He deprives the trusted ones of speech, And takes away the discernment of the elders.
Job 12:20 niv
He silences the lips of trusted advisers and takes away the discernment of elders.
Job 12:20 esv
He deprives of speech those who are trusted and takes away the discernment of the elders.
Job 12:20 nlt
He silences the trusted adviser
and removes the insight of the elders.
Job 12 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Job 12:21 | He pours contempt on princes and loosens the belt of the strong. | God humbles rulers and strong. |
| Isa 3:2-3 | ...the judge and the prophet, the diviner and the elder... the wise magician and the expert enchanter. | God removes society's pillars, including the wise and elders. |
| Isa 19:11-12 | The princes of Zoan are utterly foolish; the wisest counselors of Pharaoh give stupid counsel... | God confounds the wisdom of worldly counselors. |
| Isa 29:14 | Therefore, behold, I will again do amazing things... and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish... | God destroys the wisdom of the wise. |
| Isa 44:25 | ...who frustrates the signs of liars and makes fools of diviners; who turns wise men back and makes their knowledge foolish; | God makes human knowledge and wisdom foolish. |
| 1 Cor 1:19 | For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” | God directly nullifies human wisdom. |
| 1 Cor 1:20 | Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? | God proves the wisdom of the world foolish. |
| 1 Cor 3:19 | For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness.” | Worldly wisdom is folly before God. |
| Pro 21:30 | No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord. | No human wisdom stands against God. |
| Psa 33:10 | The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. | God frustrates human plans and counsel. |
| Psa 75:6-7 | For not from the east or from the west... but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another. | God controls exultation and humiliation. |
| Psa 113:7-8 | He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap... | God raises up the lowly and brings down the proud. |
| Jas 4:6 | But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” | God resists the proud. |
| Dan 4:35 | ...and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand... | God's absolute sovereignty. |
| Jer 9:23 | Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might...” | Humans should not boast in their own abilities. |
| Gen 11:7 | Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech. | God confuses human speech (Babel). |
| Exo 4:11 | Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?" | God's power over human speech and senses. |
| Luke 1:52 | He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; | God humbles the mighty and exalts the humble. |
| Eph 1:11 | In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will... | God works all things by His counsel. |
| Rom 11:33 | Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! | God's unsearchable wisdom and judgments. |
Job 12 verses
Job 12 20 Meaning
Job 12:20 asserts God's absolute sovereignty over human wisdom, counsel, and authority. It declares that God is able to strip away the articulate speech from those considered trustworthy and silence the discernment of the wise elders. This demonstrates His power to disrupt human systems and humble those who rely on their own intellect or established positions, revealing that true wisdom and capability originate solely from Him.
Job 12 20 Context
Job 12 is part of Job's profound and challenging response to his three friends, specifically following Zophar's speech in chapter 11. In this chapter, Job critiques his friends for assuming they understand God's ways and for misrepresenting His justice. He argues that God's power is absolute and operates beyond human comprehension or predictable moral formulas. Job uses examples from creation and societal figures (kings, priests, eloquent speakers, elders) to demonstrate God's sovereignty over all aspects of life, including the fate of nations and the wisdom of individuals. Verse 20 specifically highlights God's ability to nullify human wisdom and counsel, implying that no human authority or intelligence can stand against His will. This serves to bolster Job's central argument that his suffering is not simply a direct consequence of some specific sin, as his friends insist, but is subject to God's inscrutable and supreme will.
Job 12 20 Word analysis
- He takes away (יָסִיר - yasir, Hiphil imperfect of סוּר - sûr): This verb means "to remove," "to turn aside," "to take away," "to depart." In the Hiphil stem, it indicates a causative action: "He causes to be removed" or "He causes to depart." It signifies direct divine intervention and control over human faculties, showing God as the active agent stripping away what humans value or rely upon.
- speech (שְׂפַת - sephath, construct state of שָׂפָה - saphah): Literally "lip," but metaphorically used to mean language, speech, articulate utterance, or power of speaking. In this context, it refers to eloquence or the ability to communicate effectively.
- of the eloquent (נֶאֱמָנִים - ne'emanim): A plural participle from אָמַן - aman, meaning "to be firm," "faithful," "trustworthy," "reliable." Depending on the nuance, it refers to those whose speech is considered firm, credible, reliable, or those who are themselves considered faithful and trustworthy in their declarations. In the context of "speech," it emphasizes the quality of trustworthiness or persuasiveness that is now being removed. They are individuals known for their sound, trustworthy words.
- and takes away (וְטַעַם יִקַּח - weta'am yiqqach): The verb יִקַּח (yiqqach) means "to take," "to grasp," "to receive." This is parallel to yasir ("He takes away"), emphasizing God's active removal or seizure of the specific attribute. The repetition highlights the comprehensive nature of God's action.
- the discernment (טַעַם - ṭa'am): This noun signifies "taste," "judgment," "discernment," "reason," "prudence," or "sense." It refers to the internal faculty of understanding, perceiving, and making sound judgments. It represents not just outward expression but inward wisdom.
- of the elders (זְקֵנִים - zeqenim): Refers to "old men" or "elders," who in ancient Near Eastern society were traditionally respected for their accumulated experience, wisdom, and counsel. They held positions of authority and were consulted for their judgment in important matters.
- "He takes away the speech... and takes away the discernment": This double action underscores the completeness of God's power. He doesn't just silence but also removes the very faculty of understanding. It is a dual assault on human pride in intellect and effective communication. It signifies total incapacitation from a position of perceived strength.
- "speech of the eloquent... discernment of the elders": This grouping identifies two key pillars of societal authority and wisdom. "Eloquent/Trustworthy ones" represent persuasive communication and reliability, while "elders" represent traditional wisdom, experience, and judicial understanding. God's ability to dismantle both shows that no human source of power, counsel, or authority is independent of Him. It specifically targets areas where humans typically find security and pride in their capabilities.
Job 12 20 Bonus section
This verse carries a profound implication about God's governance, not just over the individual but over nations and leadership. When the "eloquent" and "elders" lose their capacity, it points to a wider societal disruption that God can orchestrate. This echoes biblical patterns where God allows rulers or wise men to become foolish (Isa 19:11-12) to serve His larger redemptive or judgmental purposes. It illustrates that reliance on human institutions, however esteemed, is ultimately a misplaced trust if it fails to acknowledge God's ultimate control. It further sets the stage for the New Testament's teaching that God deliberately chose to make the wisdom of the world foolish through the cross, so that no human might boast before Him (1 Cor 1:27-29).
Job 12 20 Commentary
Job 12:20 serves as a potent declaration of divine sovereignty over all human endeavors, particularly over human wisdom and authority. Job, through this verse, contends that God's power is not confined to mere physical creation or destruction but extends to the intellectual and societal structures of mankind. He can render those who are considered articulate and trustworthy, as well as the revered elders, utterly speechless and devoid of discernment. This profound truth highlights the fragility and dependence of all human abilities on God's sustaining will. It counters the friends' theological premise that divine justice is predictable and based on a human understanding of actions. Instead, Job posits that God’s actions, including allowing suffering, operate on a plane far removed from human grasp, and can involve the arbitrary (from a human perspective) removal of esteemed human qualities and positions. This should humble all who boast in their own understanding and encourage absolute reliance on God.