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Read the Bible

Contemporary English Version

Job 12:17

God destroys counselors, turns judges into fools,

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflictions and Adversities;   Atheism;   God;   Philosophy;   Wisdom;   Thompson Chain Reference - Righteous-Wicked;   Wicked, the;   The Topic Concordance - God;   Government;   Nations;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Greatness of God;   Hypocrisy;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Job;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Barefoot;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He leads counselors away barefootand makes judges go mad.
Hebrew Names Version
He leads counselors away stripped. He makes judges fools.
King James Version
He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.
English Standard Version
He leads counselors away stripped, and judges he makes fools.
New Century Version
God leads the wise away as captives and turns judges into fools.
New English Translation
He leads counselors away stripped and makes judges into fools.
Amplified Bible
"He makes [great and scheming] counselors walk barefoot And makes fools of judges.
New American Standard Bible
"He makes advisers walk barefoot And makes fools of judges.
World English Bible
He leads counselors away stripped. He makes judges fools.
Geneva Bible (1587)
He causeth the counsellers to goe as spoyled, and maketh the iudges fooles.
Legacy Standard Bible
He makes counselors walk barefootAnd makes fools of judges.
Berean Standard Bible
He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges.
Complete Jewish Bible
He leads counselors away captive, he makes fools of judges.
Darby Translation
He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and judges maketh he fools;
Easy-to-Read Version
He strips advisors of their wisdom and makes leaders act like fools.
George Lamsa Translation
He leads kings amazingly, and makes judges fools.
Good News Translation
He takes away the wisdom of rulers and makes leaders act like fools.
Lexham English Bible
He leads counselors away stripped, and he makes fools of judges.
Literal Translation
He causes wise men to go stripped; and He makes judges fools.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He carieth awaye the wyse men, as it were a spoyle, and bryngeth the iudges out of their wyttes.
American Standard Version
He leadeth counsellors away stripped, And judges maketh he fools.
Bible in Basic English
He takes away the wisdom of the wise guides, and makes judges foolish;
JPS Old Testament (1917)
He leadeth counsellors away stripped, and judges maketh He fools.
King James Version (1611)
He leadeth counsellers away spoiled, and maketh the Iudges fooles.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
He carieth away the wyse men as it were a spoyle, and bringeth the iudges out of their wittes.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
He leads counsellors away captive, and maddens the judges of the earth.
English Revised Version
He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and judges maketh he fools.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he bryngith conselours in to a fonned eende, and iugis in to wondryng, ethir astonying.
Update Bible Version
He leads counselors away stripped, And judges he makes fools.
Webster's Bible Translation
He leadeth counselors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.
New King James Version
He leads counselors away plundered, And makes fools of the judges.
New Living Translation
He leads counselors away, stripped of good judgment; wise judges become fools.
New Life Bible
He takes wisdom away from leaders and makes fools of judges.
New Revised Standard
He leads counselors away stripped, and makes fools of judges.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Who leadeth away counsellors as a spoil, and, judges, He befooleth:
Douay-Rheims Bible
He bringeth counsellors to a foolish end, and judges to insensibility.
Revised Standard Version
He leads counselors away stripped, and judges he makes fools.
Young's Literal Translation
Causing counsellors to go away a spoil, And judges He maketh foolish.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"He makes counselors walk barefoot And makes fools of judges.

Contextual Overview

12 and gain some wisdom from those who have lived a long time. 13 But God is the real source of wisdom and strength. 14 No one can rebuild what he destroys, or release those he has imprisoned. 15 God can hold back the rain or send a flood, 16 just as he rules over liars and those they lie to. 17 God destroys counselors, turns judges into fools, 18 and makes slaves of kings. 19 God removes priests and others who have great power— 20 he confuses wise, experienced advisors, 21 puts mighty kings to shame, and takes away their power.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

2 Samuel 15:31, 2 Samuel 17:14, 2 Samuel 17:23, Isaiah 19:12-14, Isaiah 29:14, 1 Corinthians 1:19, 1 Corinthians 1:20

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 20:32 - Thy servant Job 5:12 - disappointeth Isaiah 19:11 - the princes Daniel 9:12 - our judges

Cross-References

Genesis 12:14
As soon as Abram and Sarai arrived in Egypt, the Egyptians noticed how beautiful she was.
Genesis 12:15
The king's officials told him about her, and she was taken to his house.
1 Chronicles 16:21
God did not let anyone mistreat our people. Instead he protected us by punishing rulers
1 Chronicles 21:22
David said, "Would you sell me your threshing place, so I can build an altar on it to the Lord ? Then this disease will stop killing the people. I'm willing to pay whatever you say it's worth."
Job 34:19
And God created us all; he has no favorites, whether rich or poor.
Hebrews 13:4
Have respect for marriage. Always be faithful to your partner, because God will punish anyone who is immoral or unfaithful in marriage.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

He leadeth counsellors away spoiled,.... Such who have the greatest share of knowledge and wisdom in civil things, and are capable of giving advice to others, and are very useful in commonwealths, in cities, towns, and neighbourhoods; wherefore it is a judgment on a people when such are removed, Isaiah 3:3; these God can spoil at once of all their wisdom and knowledge, and render them unfit to give advice and counsel to others; or he can confound their schemes, disappoint their devices, carry their counsel headlong, and make it of none effect, and so spoil them of their ends and views, and of their fame, credit, and reputation:

and maketh the judges fools; men of great parts, abilities, and capacities, whereby they are qualified to sit upon the bench, preside in courts of judicature, and judge in all matters of controversy that come before them; and it is a happiness to a country to have such persons, as it is a judgment to have them removed, see Isaiah 3:2; yet God can take away the wisdom of such men, deprive them of their natural abilities, and so infatuate them, that they shall not be able to understand a cause, but pass a foolish sentence, to their own shame and disgrace, as well as to the injury of others; see Isaiah 40:23.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He leadeth counsellors away spoiled - Plundered or captive. That is, the counsels of wise and great men do not avail against God. Statesmen who promised themselves victory as the result of their plans he disappoints, and leads away into captivity. The object of this is to show that God is superior over all, and also that people are not dealt with in exact accordance with their character and rank. God is a sovereign, and he shows his sovereignty when defeating the counsels and purposes of the wisest of men, and overturning the plans of the mighty.

And maketh the judges fools - He leaves them to distracted and foolish plans. He leaves them to the adoption of measures which result in their own ruin. He is a sovereign, having control over the minds of the great, and power to defeat all their counsels, and to render them infatuated. Nothing can be clearer than this. Nothing has been more frequently illustrated in the history of nations. In accordance with this belief is the well-known expression:

Quem Deus vult perdere prius dementat.

“Whom God purposes to destroy, he first infatuates.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 12:17. 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?


 
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