Bible Strands
Job 12:17
He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Job speaks to his companions during a dispute over divine justice, positioning himself as a witness to God’s active governance over human leadership. The words — מוֹלִ֣יךְ (mo.Likh) translates as [he is] leading away, and שׁוֹלָ֑ל (sho.Lal) means barefoot, describing the forced removal of status from those in authority. The thread — The text records God stripping counselors and judges of dignity, a pattern echoed in Isaiah 29:14 and 1 Corinthians 1:19 regarding the confounding of human wisdom, and demonstrated in 2 Samuel 17:23 when rejected counsel leads to ruin. Why it lands — The passage requires readers to acknowledge that God sovereignly controls or dismantles human expertise and legal authority, demanding a recalibration of trust away from institutional power toward divine sovereignty.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 29:14 Therefore I will again confound these people with wonder upon wonder. The wisdom of the wise will vanish, and the intelligence of the intelligent will be hidden.”
- 1 Corinthians 1:19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
- 2 Samuel 17:23 When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his affairs in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
- 2 Samuel 15:31 Now someone told David: “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David pleaded, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”
- 2 Samuel 17:14 Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had purposed to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.
- Job 3:14 with kings and counselors of the earth, who built for themselves cities now in ruins,
- Job 9:24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He blindfolds its judges. If it is not He, then who is it?
- Isaiah 19:12 Where are your wise men now? Let them tell you and reveal what the LORD of Hosts has planned against Egypt.