13 With him there is wisdom and strength; power and knowledge are his.
By whom has the spirit of the Lord been guided, or who has been his teacher? Who gave him suggestions, and made clear to him the right way? who gave him knowledge, guiding him in the way of wisdom?
For the Lord gives wisdom; out of his mouth come knowledge and reason: He has salvation stored up for the upright, he is a breastplate to those in whom there is no evil;
And Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, made answer and said, I am young, and you are very old, so I was in fear, and kept myself from putting my knowledge before you. I said to myself, It is right for the old to say what is in their minds, and for those who are far on in years to give out wisdom. But truly it is the spirit in man, even the breath of the Ruler of all, which gives them knowledge. It is not the old who are wise, and those who are full of years have not the knowledge of what is right.
From where then does wisdom come, and where is the resting-place of knowledge? For it is kept secret from the eyes of all living, unseen by the birds of the air. Destruction and Death say, We have only had word of it with our ears. God has knowledge of the way to it, and of its resting-place; For his eyes go to the ends of the earth, and he sees everything under heaven. When he made a weight for the wind, measuring out the waters; When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the thunder-flames; Then he saw it, and put it on record; he gave it its fixed form, searching it out completely. And he said to man, Truly the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to keep from evil is the way to knowledge.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Job 12
Commentary on Job 12 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 12
In this and the two following chapters we have Job's answer to Zophar's discourse, in which, as before, he first reasons with his friends (see 13:19) and then turns to his God, and directs his expostulations to him, from thence to the end of his discourse. In this chapter he addresses himself to his friends, and,
Job 12:1-5
The reproofs Job here gives to his friends, whether they were just or no, were very sharp, and may serve for a rebuke to all that are proud and scornful, and an exposure of their folly.
Job 12:6-11
Job's friends all of them went upon this principle, that wicked people cannot prosper long in this world, but some remarkable judgment or other will suddenly light on them: Zophar had concluded with it, that the eyes of the wicked shall fail, ch. 11:20. This principle Job here opposes, and maintains that God, in disposing men's outward affairs, acts as a sovereign, reserving the exact distribution of rewards and punishments for the future state.
Job 12:12-25
This is a noble discourse of Job's concerning the wisdom, power, and sovereignty of God, in ordering and disposing of all the affairs of the children of men, according to the counsel of his own will, which none dares gainsay or can resist. Take both him and them out of the controversy in which they were so warmly engaged, and they all spoke admirably well; but, in that, we sometimes scarcely know what to make of them. It were well if wise and good men, that differ in their apprehensions about minor things, would see it to be for their honour and comfort, and the edification of others, to dwell most upon those great things in which they are agreed. On this subject Job speaks like himself. Here are no passionate complaints, no peevish reflections, but every thing masculine and great.
Thus are the revolutions of kingdoms wonderfully brought about by an overruling Providence. Heaven and earth are shaken, but the Lord sits King for ever, and with him we look for a kingdom that cannot be shaken.