Job 12 5

Job 12:5 kjv

He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

Job 12:5 nkjv

A lamp is despised in the thought of one who is at ease; It is made ready for those whose feet slip.

Job 12:5 niv

Those who are at ease have contempt for misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.

Job 12:5 esv

In the thought of one who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; it is ready for those whose feet slip.

Job 12:5 nlt

People who are at ease mock those in trouble.
They give a push to people who are stumbling.

Job 12 verses

Job 12 5 Meaning

Job 12:5 presents Job's biting critique of his friends, portraying their privileged and secure mindset. It reveals how those who are comfortable and prosperous tend to look down upon, even despise, those who are facing severe adversity and are on the brink of ruin. Job implies that their scorn stems from a shallow understanding that attributes suffering to sin, and thus, they dismiss the afflicted person's plight and even their very being.

Job 12 5 Context

Job 12:5 is part of Job's extended response to his friends, specifically challenging their simplistic and rigid theological framework. In Chapters 4-11, Job's friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, repeatedly argue that Job's suffering must be a direct consequence of his sin, aligning with the common "retribution theology" prevalent in the ancient Near East: the righteous prosper, the wicked suffer.

Job 12, following Zophar's counsel, begins Job's sarcastic and passionate rebuttal. Job highlights their flawed wisdom and lack of true understanding, asserting that their "wisdom" is merely inherited dogma that does not account for the complexities of life or the mysterious ways of God. In Job 12:5, Job turns their logic against them, suggesting that their very comfort and security (being "at ease") prevent them from truly empathizing with or understanding his plight. They, from their secure vantage point, look down with disdain upon the one who is truly struggling, misinterpreting his condition as a sign of divine disfavor, thus "despising his lamp." Job emphasizes that prosperity can breed spiritual blindness and a judgmental spirit, revealing the cold heart behind the friends' theological pronouncements.

Job 12 5 Word analysis

• He that is ready to slip with his feet:

  • Hebrew: nati mo'ed le raglayim (נטֶה מָעֲדָה לְרָגְלָיו). Nati implies "inclining," "swaying," or "tottering." Mo'ed means "a stumble," "a slip." Raglayim are "feet."
  • Significance: This phrase paints a vivid picture of a person in an extremely precarious and unstable situation, on the verge of utter collapse or ruin. It speaks of profound vulnerability, representing Job himself in his desolate state. It is not just about physical slipping but represents the loss of well-being, reputation, health, and status.

• is as a lamp despised:

  • Hebrew: nir buzah (נִיר בּוּזָה). Nir (or Ner) means "lamp," symbolizing life, prosperity, hope, guidance, a family lineage, or a person's vitality. Buzah means "despised," "scorned," or "treated with contempt."
  • Significance: A lamp that is "despised" implies it is worthless, out of oil, broken, or has lost its light and utility. To treat a person's life or very being as a "despised lamp" means to regard their existence as futile, a nuisance, or deserving of dismissal, without compassion. This is a powerful metaphor for the profound lack of respect or empathy shown towards the suffering individual by those who are comfortable.

• in the thought of him that is at ease:

  • Hebrew: le'ashot sha'anan (לְעַשְׁתּוֹת שַׁאֲנָן). Le'ashot comes from a root suggesting "thoughts," "counsel," or "devices." Sha'anan means "secure," "prosperous," "at ease," "complacent," or "carefree."
  • Significance: This crucial part of the verse reveals the inward attitude. The scorn is not merely an outward act but a deep-seated conviction within the mind ("thoughts") of the secure person. It highlights the dangerous complacency and insensitivity that can accompany a life of ease and perceived prosperity, leading one to attribute another's suffering to personal failing rather than acknowledging the inscrutable ways of God or the randomness of life.

• "He that is ready to slip...is as a lamp despised...":

  • This phrase contrasts two realities: profound vulnerability and severe contempt. It emphasizes how the perception of those "at ease" can be warped; instead of offering help or compassion to one in distress, they view the sufferer's very state as a cause for disdain, judging their existence as "despised."

• "...in the thought of him that is at ease.":

  • This group of words pinpoints the source and nature of the scorn: it originates from a heart unaffected by adversity. It suggests that comfort can foster a spiritual arrogance and a rigid worldview, leading individuals to spiritualize their prosperity and demonize the misfortunes of others, all within their own undisturbed internal world.

Job 12 5 Bonus section

The irony embedded in Job 12:5 is striking: Job’s friends came to "comfort" him, yet Job perceives their counsel as judgmental and scornful. Their comfortable worldview prevents them from offering genuine solace, instead, leading them to diminish his plight. This verse also implicitly warns against spiritual pride that can develop from sustained prosperity, where one might mistakenly interpret their success as definitive proof of righteousness and others' misfortunes as sure evidence of divine displeasure. This tendency creates a barrier to true fellowship and empathetic understanding within the community of believers.

Job 12 5 Commentary

Job 12:5 is a sharp and poignant indictment from Job against the shallow theology and profound lack of empathy displayed by his friends. He asserts that those who are "at ease" and secure in their lives – like his friends – fail to comprehend the depth of suffering and tend to regard the struggling individual ("ready to slip with his feet") as worthless and deserving of contempt ("a lamp despised"). This "despised lamp" imagery is powerful, as it strips the afflicted person of their dignity, vitality, and even their right to exist in the eyes of the comfortable observer. Job reveals that the friends' judgment stems not from deep wisdom, but from a complacent security that makes them arrogant and unable to look beyond a simplistic retribution principle. The verse serves as a timeless warning against the spiritual blindness and coldness that can afflict those insulated by their comfort and prosperity, urging compassion over condemnation when encountering suffering.