Job 12:15. He withholdeth the waters Which are reserved in the clouds, that they may not fall upon the earth; and they dry up Namely, the waters upon the earth, springs, brooks, and rivers dry up, as after the general deluge, to which here is a manifest allusion. read more
Job 12:16. With him is strength, &c. He doth the things mentioned in the foregoing and following verses so powerfully, that no creature can resist him and hinder his operations; and so wisely, that none can prevent him or frustrate his counsels. He had said the same thing before, (Job 12:13,) but he repeats it here to prepare the way for the following events, which are eminent instances both of his power and wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are his Wholly subject to his... read more
Job 12:17. He leadeth counsellors away spoiled The wise counsellors, or statesmen, by whom the affairs of kings and kingdoms are ordered, he leadeth away as captives in triumph, being spoiled either of that wisdom which they had, or seemed to have; or of that power and dignity which they had enjoyed. And maketh the judges fools By discovering their folly, and by infatuating their minds, and turning their own counsels to their ruin. read more
Job 12:18. He looseth the bond of kings He takes from them the power and authority wherewith they ruled their subjects; ruled them with rigour, perhaps tyrannised over and enslaved them: and he divests them of that majesty which he had stamped upon them, and by which they kept their people in awe. These God can, and often does, take away from them, and thereby free the people from their bonds, of which we have abundance of instances in the history of different nations; and girdeth their... read more
Job 12:20. He removeth away the speech of the trusty Of those wise and experienced counsellors that were trusted by the greatest princes. He either, 1st, Takes away from them the gift of utterance, or restrains them in the use of it; so that they are not able to express their thoughts with such clearness and force as they used to do. Or, 2d, He brings the affairs of their employers into such straits and difficulties, that they know not what to say or advise. Or, 3d, He takes away their... read more
Job 12:21-22. He poureth contempt upon princes That is, he makes them contemptible to their subjects and others; and weakeneth the strength of the mighty The word מזיח , meziach, here rendered strength, occurs also Psalms 109:19, where it is translated girdle. The clause might here have been rendered, He looseth the girdle of the mighty, a phrase which signifies weakness, Isaiah 5:27; as the girding of the girdle denotes strength and power, Isaiah 22:21; Isaiah 45:5. Both these... read more
Job’s reply to Zophar (12:1-14:22)The reply from Job opens with a sarcastic comment on the supposed wisdom of the three friends. They have merely been repeating general truths that everybody knows (12:1-3). They do not have the troubles Job has, and they make no attempt to understand how Job feels. A good person suffers while wicked people live in peace and security (4-6).Job does not argue with the fact that all life is in God’s hands. What worries him is the interpretation of that fact... read more
Him: i.e. Jehovah (Job 12:9 ). read more
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 . shutteth . . . opening. Hebrew idiom for exercising authority. Compare Revelation 3:7 . Figure of speech Paroemia. App-6 . read more
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Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Job 12:14
Job 12:14. Behold, he breaketh down Houses, castles, cities; and it cannot be built again It is not in the power of any creature to repair what he designs utterly to destroy. He shutteth up a man In prison, or in straits and troubles; and there can be no opening Without his permission and providence. Yea, he shuts up in the grave, and none can break open those sealed doors. He shuts up in hell, in chains of darkness, and none can pass that great gulf. read more