Job 12

Job · Chapter 12

Job 12:21

1And Job answered and said,2No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.3But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?4I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.5He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.6The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.7But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:8Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.9Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?10In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.11Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?12With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.13With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.14Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.15Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.16With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.17He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.18He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.19He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.20He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.21He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.22He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.23He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.24He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.25They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
21He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty.He poureth contempt upon princes, And looseth the belt of the strong.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
[he is] pouringשׁוֹפֵ֣ךְsho-FEKHH8210G
to pour: pour

שָׁפַךְ (sha.phakh) : pour 1) to pour, pour out, spill 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to pour, pour out 1a2) to shed (blood) 1a3) to pour out (anger or heart) (fig) 1b) (Niphal) to be poured out, be shed 1c) (Pual) to be poured out, be shed 1d) (Hithpael) 1d1) to be poured out 1d2) to pour out oneself

contemptבּ֭וּזbuzH0937
contempt

בּוּז (buz) 1) contempt 1a) springing from evil 1b) springing from prosperity 1c) springing from judgment

onעַל־'al-H5921A
upon

עַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) …

noble [people]נְדִיבִ֑יםne-di-VIMH5081H
noble: willing

נָדִיב (na.div) : willing n m 1) noble one adj 2) inclined, willing, noble, generous 1a) incited, inclined, willing 1b) noble, princely (in rank) 1c) noble (in mind and character) Also means: na.div (נָדִיב ": noble" H5081H) § A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12

and [the] belt ofוּמְזִ֖יחַu-me-ZI-achH4206B
belt

מְזִיחַ (ma.zi.ach) girdle Another spelling of me.zach (מֵ֫זַח "belt" H4206A)

strong peopleאֲפִיקִ֣ים'a-fi-KIMH0650
channel

אָפִיק (a.phiq) 1) channel 2) ravine 3) of hollow bones (fig.)

he loosensרִפָּֽה׃ri-PAHH7503
to slacken

רָפָה (ra.phah) 1) to sink, relax, sink down, let drop, be disheartened 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to sink down 1a2) to sink, drop 1a3) to sink, relax, abate 1a4) to relax, withdraw 1b) (Niphal) idle (participle) 1c) (Piel) to let drop 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to let drop, abandon, relax, refrain, forsake 1d2) to let go 1d3) to refrain, let alone 1d4) to be quiet 1e) (Hithpael) to show oneself slack

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.