Job 12 · Verse 14

Job 12:14

Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
Job 12:14, King James Version

Job 12:14 in other translations

BSBWhat He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released.
WEBBehold, he breaks down, and it can’t be built again. He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.
ASVBehold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again; He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
YLTLo, He breaketh down, and it is not built up, He shutteth against a man, And it is not opened.
DARBYBehold, he breaketh down, and it is not built again; he shutteth up a man, and there is no opening.
BBETruly, there is no building up of what is pulled down by him; when a man is shut up by him, no one may let him loose.
WebsterBehold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

What does Job 12:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
14. shutteth up--(Is 22:22). Job refers to Zophar's "shut up" (Job 11:10).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
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, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 12:12-25

This is a noble discourse of Job concerning the wisdom, power, and sovereignty of God, in ordering all the affairs of the children of men, according to the counsel of His own will, which none can resist. It were well if wise and good men, who differ about lesser things, would see how it is for their honour and comfort, and the good of others, to dwell most upon the great things in which they agree. Here are no…

Read the full comment on Job 12:12-25 →

Job 12:14 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הֵ֣ןhenthere!H2005
יַ֭הֲרוֹסYa.ha.roshe tears downH2040
וְלֹ֣אve.Lo'and notH3808
יִבָּנֶ֑הyi.ba.Nehit will be rebuiltH1129
יִסְגֹּ֥רyis.Gorhe shutsH5462
עַל\־'al-onH5921
אִ֝֗ישׁ'Isha personH376
וְלֹ֣אve.Lo'and notH3808
יִפָּתֵֽחַ\׃yi.pa.Te.achit will be openedH6605

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Job 12:14

  • Isaiah 22:22

    And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

  • Revelation 3:7

    And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

  • Malachi 1:4

    Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the Lord of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever.

  • Job 11:10

    If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?

  • Job 37:7

    He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work.

  • 1 Samuel 26:8

    Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time.

  • Job 16:11

    God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.

  • Job 19:10

    He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.

  • 1 Samuel 17:46

    This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

  • Job 9:12-13

    Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou? If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

  • Jeremiah 51:58

    Thus saith the Lord of hosts; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary.

  • Jeremiah 51:64

    And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
he breaketh.
9:12,13; 11:10; Isa 14:23; Jer 51:58,64; Mal 1:4
he shutteth.
16:11; 1Sa 17:46; 24:18; 26:8; *marg:
Isa 22:22; Ro 11:32; *marg:
Re 3:7
up. Heb. upon.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 12:13

    With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

  • Job 12:14

    Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

  • Job 12:15

    Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

Read all of Job 12

Job 12:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		He aquí, él derribará, y no será edificado: encerrará al hombre, y no habrá quien le abra.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Voici, il démolit, et on ne rebâtit pas; il enferme un homme, et on ne lui ouvre pas.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Siehe, er reißt nieder, und es wird nicht wieder gebaut; er schließt über jemand zu, und es wird nicht aufgetan.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Si destruxerit, nemo est qui ædificet; si incluserit hominem, nullus est qui aperiat.