Job 12
1Then Job replied: 2“Doubtless you are the only people who matter,and wisdom will die with you! 3But I have a mind as well as you;I am not inferior to you.Who does not know all these things? 4“I have become a laughingstock to my friends,though I called on God and he answered—a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless! 5Those who are at ease have contempt for misfortuneas the fate of those whose feet are slipping. 6The tents of marauders are undisturbed,and those who provoke God are secure—those God has in his hand. 7“But ask the animals, and they will teach you,or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; 8or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,or let the fish in the sea inform you. 9Which of all these does not knowthat the hand of the Lord has done this? 10In his hand is the life of every creatureand the breath of all mankind. 11Does not the ear test wordsas the tongue tastes food? 12Is not wisdom found among the aged?Does not long life bring understanding? 13“To God belong wisdom and power;counsel and understanding are his. 14What he tears down cannot be rebuilt;those he imprisons cannot be released. 15If he holds back the waters, there is drought;if he lets them loose, they devastate the land. 16To him belong strength and insight;both deceived and deceiver are his. 17He leads rulers away strippedand makes fools of judges. 18He takes off the shackles put on by kingsand ties a loincloth around their waist. 19He leads priests away strippedand overthrows officials long established. 20He silences the lips of trusted advisersand takes away the discernment of elders. 21He pours contempt on noblesand disarms the mighty. 22He reveals the deep things of darknessand brings utter darkness into the light. 23He makes nations great, and destroys them;he enlarges nations, and disperses them. 24He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason;he makes them wander in a trackless waste. 25They grope in darkness with no light;he makes them stagger like drunkards.
Study Context for Job 12
As you study Job 12, keep in mind the overarching themes of this old testament book: Suffering, Sovereignty, Trust. Observe how the specific events or teachings in this chapter contribute to the book's broader message.
SufferingSovereigntyTrust
Observation: What does Job 12 reveal about the character and nature of God? What does it reveal about humanity?
Application: How does the truth presented in this chapter change how you should live, think, or pray today?
Study introductions and prompts are supplementary aids, not Scripture. They do not replace prayerful reading, the authority of Scripture, a faithful local church, or pastoral care.
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