Job 12 · Verse 17

Job 12:17

He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.
Job 12:17, King James Version

Job 12:17 in other translations

BSBHe leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges.
WEBHe leads counselors away stripped. He makes judges fools.
ASVHe leadeth counsellors away stripped, And judges maketh he fools.
YLTCausing counsellors to go away a spoil, And judges He maketh foolish.
DARBYHe leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and judges maketh he fools;
BBEHe takes away the wisdom of the wise guides, and makes judges foolish;
WebsterHe leadeth counselors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

What does Job 12:17 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 17 He leadeth counsellors away spoiled - The events of war are also in his hand. It is he who gives victory; through him even the counsellors - the great men and chief men, are often led into captivity, and found among the spoils. And maketh the judges fools - He infatuates the judges. Does this refer to the foolish conduct of some of the Israelitish judges, such as Samson?

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 12:17 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.

מוֹלִ֣יךְmo.Likh[he is] leading awayH1980
יוֹעֲצִ֣יםyo.'a.TzimcounselorsH3289
שׁוֹלָ֑לsho.LalbarefootH7758
וְֽשֹׁפְטִ֥יםve.sho.fe.Timand judgesH8199
יְהוֹלֵֽל\׃ye.ho.Lelhe makes look foolishH1984

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

Cross references for Job 12:17

  • Isaiah 29:14

    Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

  • 1 Corinthians 1:19-20

    For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

  • 2 Samuel 17:23

    And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

  • 2 Samuel 17:14

    And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom.

  • Job 9:24

    The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?

  • 2 Samuel 15:31

    And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

  • Isaiah 19:12-14

    Where are they? where are thy wise men? and let them tell thee now, and let them know what the Lord of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt. The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof. The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit.

  • Job 3:14

    With kings and counsellors of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves;

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Sa 15:31; 17:14,23; Isa 19:12-14; 29:14; 1Co 1:19,20

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

Context

  • Job 12:16

    With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

  • Job 12:17

    He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

  • Job 12:18

    He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.

Read all of Job 12

Job 12:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		El hace andar á los consejeros desnudos de consejo, y hace enloquecer á los jueces.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Il emmène captifs les conseillers, et rend fous les juges;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Er führt Räte beraubt hinweg, und Richter macht er zu Narren.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Adducit consiliarios in stultum finem, et judices in stuporem.