Job 30 12

Job 30:12 kjv

Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction.

Job 30:12 nkjv

At my right hand the rabble arises; They push away my feet, And they raise against me their ways of destruction.

Job 30:12 niv

On my right the tribe attacks; they lay snares for my feet, they build their siege ramps against me.

Job 30:12 esv

On my right hand the rabble rise; they push away my feet; they cast up against me their ways of destruction.

Job 30:12 nlt

These outcasts oppose me to my face.
They send me sprawling
and lay traps in my path.

Job 30 verses

Job 30 12 Meaning

Job 30:12 expresses Job's deep distress and humiliation as he describes his profound reversal of fortune. He laments that lowly, contemptible youth, whom he once scorned or considered beneath him, are now aggressively asserting themselves against him. They metaphorically assault his stability, disrupt his life's path, and deliberately construct avenues to bring about his utter ruin. This signifies a complete loss of status, respect, and control, coming from the least expected and most humiliating sources, exacerbating his physical suffering with social degradation.

Job 30 12 Context

Job 30:12 is embedded within Job's extended lamentation in chapters 29-31. After recalling his former eminence and the widespread respect he commanded (ch. 29), Job contrasts it sharply with his current degraded state in chapter 30. He describes not only physical affliction but also extreme social humiliation. The preceding verses (30:1-8) speak of the lowest and most disreputable members of society, "men of no name" whose fathers he "would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock," now mocking and rising against him. Verse 12 specifically describes their active assault on his stability and the deliberate malevolence of their actions. Historically and culturally, respect for elders and established social order was paramount in ancient Near Eastern societies. For "youth" (especially those of base origin) to rise up against a patriarch like Job was an utter subversion of societal norms, a profound dishonor and a clear sign of God's hand allowing his downfall, according to Job's understanding.

Job 30 12 Word analysis

• Upon my right hand: al yemiynî (עַל־יְמִינִ֨י). The right hand (yemin) frequently symbolizes strength, authority, favor, or the seat of power (e.g., God's right hand of power). Here, the attack comes from a place where one might expect support or personal control, making the aggression intensely personal and invasive. It's a direct challenge to his strength and integrity.
• rise: qāmû (קָ֥מוּ), from the root qum. This verb implies an active, hostile standing up, an insurrection or defiant challenge, not merely appearing. It indicates a deliberate act of aggression, a positioning for confrontation.
• the youth: pirḥaḥ (פִּרְחַ֖ח). While sometimes meaning "new shoot" or "bud," in this context, especially following Job 30:1-8's description of "viler than the earth" and "children of outcasts," it refers to worthless, base individuals, contemptible ruffians or scoundrels. The humiliation for Job is precisely that those without status or virtue are rising against him.
• they push away: shi ləḥu (שִׁלְּח֥וּ), from shalach. It signifies an act of expelling, driving away, thrusting out. It's forceful and disruptive, aimed at dislodging him from his footing or position.
• my feet: ragli (רַגְלִ֑י). While literally "feet," it symbolizes stability, the ability to stand, walk, or pursue a path in life. To "push away my feet" means to destabilize him, to cause him to stumble or fall, to undermine his very foundation and progress.
• and they raise up against me: wayəsalləlûālay` (וַיְסַלְּל֖וּ עָלַ֥י), from the root salal. This term means "to lift up," "cast up," or "heap up," often referring to the building of a highway or causeway. Here, it signifies deliberately creating a path or avenue for action against him. It's not spontaneous chaos but a prepared assault, a clearing of the way for their destructive intentions.
• the ways of their destruction: darkēy ăḇaddām (דֵּרְכֵ֣י אֲבָֽדָֽם׃). Darkey (ways, paths, conduct) indicates methods, courses of action, or established approaches. Abaddam (their destruction/ruin) specifies the outcome. This phrase means they are meticulously preparing or engaging in strategies that will lead to Job's utter devastation and ruin. Their actions are premeditated and oriented towards his total collapse.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• Upon my right hand rise the youth: This phrase paints a picture of an unexpected and offensive challenge. The "right hand" symbolizes personal strength and dignity; for "youth" (specifically the contemptible sort) to rise there implies an utter disregard for societal hierarchy and Job's personal stature. It is a deeply personal and insulting act of usurpation.
• they push away my feet: This is an immediate, direct consequence of their rising up. It denotes an act of physical and metaphorical destabilization. Job's ability to stand firm, to progress, to maintain his life's course is violently overthrown. His security, dignity, and independence are being actively removed.
• and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction: This final clause describes the nature and intent of their actions. It implies not just spontaneous assault but a calculated and structured effort to bring about Job's complete ruin. They are actively paving the way for his downfall, devising methods and opportunities to ensure his utter destruction.

Job 30 12 Bonus section

• The particular insult of being attacked by "youth" (pirhaḥ) from the lowest societal strata is crucial to understanding Job's anguish. These were individuals whose very existence on his land, even as vagrants or outcasts (Job 30:1-8), was previously dismissed by Job as inconsequential, or whom he might have scorned for their moral depravity and worthlessness. Their elevation to assail him signifies the most complete reversal of status imaginable.
• This verse contributes to the core tension of the Book of Job: the righteous sufferer. Why would God allow His servant to be brought to such a shameful state by such contemptible means? Job feels abandoned by God and subjected to an inexplicable and undeserved social nightmare.
• The phrase "raise up...the ways of their destruction" could also evoke imagery of military sieges, where earthen ramps or causeways are built to approach a fortified city for its destruction. This suggests a sustained, engineered campaign rather than a spontaneous riot, underscoring the methodical malice Job feels directed against him.

Job 30 12 Commentary

Job 30:12 distills Job's profound anguish into a stark image of humiliation and persecution. It moves beyond mere physical suffering to a visceral description of social degradation, where the established order is inverted, and the venerable elder is assailed by the most despicable members of society. This reversal highlights the completeness of Job's fall and his sense of utter vulnerability. His "right hand"—symbol of strength and honor—is where the contemptible rise; his "feet"—symbol of stability and progress—are dislodged. The language implies an intentional, even organized, malice. It's not random attacks, but a deliberate "raising up of ways of their destruction," suggesting a systematic effort to ensure his ruin. For Job, who understood blessings and suffering largely through a retributive lens, this specific nature of suffering (unjust, from inferiors, orchestrated) amplifies his bewilderment and plea to God. The verse is a powerful testament to the multifaceted nature of suffering: physical pain combined with acute social shame and a sense of cosmic injustice.