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Read the Bible

King James Version

Job 12:17

He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges 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.
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.
Contemporary English Version
God destroys counselors, turns judges into fools,
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 With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding. 13 With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. 14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening. 15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth. 16 With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his. 17 He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools. 18 He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle. 19 He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty. 20 He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged. 21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.

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
And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.
Genesis 12:15
The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.
Genesis 20:18
For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.
1 Chronicles 16:21
He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes,
1 Chronicles 21:22
Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto the Lord : thou shalt grant it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people.
Job 34:19
How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.
Hebrews 13:4
Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

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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