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Job 12:6 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

6 There is wealth in the tents of those who make destruction, and those by whom God is moved to wrath are safe; even those whose god is their strength.

Cross Reference

Job 9:24 BBE

The land is given into the power of the evil-doer; the faces of its judges are covered; if not by him, then who has done it?

Job 21:7-15 BBE

Why is life given to the evil-doers? why do they become old and strong in power? Their children are ever with them, and their offspring before their eyes. Their houses are free from fear, and the rod of God does not come on them. Their ox is ready at all times to give seed; their cow gives birth, without dropping her young. They send out their young ones like a flock, and their children have pleasure in the dance, They make songs to the instruments of music, and are glad at the sound of the pipe. Their days come to an end without trouble, and suddenly they go down to the underworld. Though they said to God, Go away from us, for we have no desire for the knowledge of your ways. What is the Ruler of all, that we may give him worship? and what profit is it to us to make prayer to him?

Psalms 73:11-12 BBE

And they say, How will the Lord see this? is there knowledge in the Most High? Truly, such are the sinners; they do well at all times, and their wealth is increased.

Job 22:18 BBE

Though he made their houses full of good things: but the purpose of the evil-doers is far from me!

Psalms 17:14 BBE

With your hand, O Lord, from men, even men of the world, whose heritage is in this life, and whom you make full with your secret wealth: they are full of children; after their death their offspring take the rest of their goods.

Psalms 37:1 BBE

<Of David.> Do not be angry because of the wrongdoers, or have envy of the workers of evil.

Psalms 37:35 BBE

I have seen the evil-doer in great power, covering the earth like a great tree.

Jeremiah 5:27 BBE

As the fowl-house is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: for this reason they have become great and have got wealth.

Commentary on Job 12 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 12

FIRST SERIES.

Job 12:1-14:22. Job's Reply to Zophar

2. wisdom shall die with you—Ironical, as if all the wisdom in the world was concentrated in them and would expire when they expired. Wisdom makes "a people:" a foolish nation is "not a people" (Ro 10:19).

3. not inferior—not vanquished in argument and "wisdom" (Job 13:2).

such things as these—such commonplace maxims as you so pompously adduce.

4. The unfounded accusations of Job's friends were a "mockery" of him. He alludes to Zophar's word, "mockest" (Job 11:3).

neighbour, who calleth, &c.—rather, "I who call upon God that he may answer me favorably" [Umbreit].

5. Rather, "a torch" (lamp) is an object of contempt in the thoughts of him who rests securely (is at ease), though it was prepared for the falterings of the feet [Umbreit] (Pr 25:19). "Thoughts" and "feet" are in contrast; also rests "securely," and "falterings." The wanderer, arrived at his night-quarters, contemptuously throws aside the torch which had guided his uncertain steps through the darkness. As the torch is to the wanderer, so Job to his friends. Once they gladly used his aid in their need; now they in prosperity mock him in his need.

6. Job shows that the matter of fact opposes Zophar's theory (Job 11:14, 19, 20) that wickedness causes insecurity in men's "tabernacles." On the contrary, they who rob the "tabernacles" ("dwellings") of others "prosper securely" in their own.

into whose hand, &c.—rather, "who make a god of their own hand," that is, who regard their might as their only ruling principle [Umbreit].

7, 8. Beasts, birds, fishes, and plants, reasons Job, teach that the violent live the most securely (Job 12:6). The vulture lives more securely than the dove, the lion than the ox, the shark than the dolphin, the rose than the thorn which tears it.

8. speak to the earth—rather, "the shrubs of the earth" [Umbreit].

9. In all these cases, says Job, the agency must be referred to Jehovah, though they may seem to man to imply imperfection (Job 12:6; 9:24). This is the only undisputed passage of the poetical part in which the name "Jehovah" occurs; in the historical parts it occurs frequently.

10. the soul—that is, the animal life. Man, reasons Job, is subjected to the same laws as the lower animals.

11. As the mouth by tasting meats selects what pleases it, so the ear tries the words of others and retains what is convincing. Each chooses according to his taste. The connection with Job 12:12 is in reference to Bildad's appeal to the "ancients" (Job 8:8). You are right in appealing to them, since "with them was wisdom," &c. But you select such proverbs of theirs as suit your views; so I may borrow from the same such as suit mine.

12. ancient—aged (Job 15:10).

13. In contrast to, "with the ancient is wisdom" (Job 12:12), Job quotes a saying of the ancients which suits his argument, "with Him (God) is (the true) wisdom" (Pr 8:14); and by that "wisdom and strength" "He breaketh down," &c., as an absolute Sovereign, not allowing man to penetrate His mysteries; man's part is to bow to His unchangeable decrees (Job 1:21). The Mohammedan saying is, "if God will, and how God will."

14. shutteth up—(Isa 22:22). Job refers to Zophar's "shut up" (Job 11:10).

15. Probably alluding to the flood.

16. (Eze 14:9).

18. He looseth the bond of kings—He looseth the authority of kings—the "bond" with which they bind their subjects (Isa 45:1; Ge 14:4; Da 2:21).

a girdle—the cord, with which they are bound as captives, instead of the royal "girdle" they once wore (Isa 22:21), and the bond they once bound others with. So "gird"—put on one the bonds of a prisoner instead of the ordinary girdle (Joh 21:18).

19. princes—rather, "priests," as the Hebrew is rendered (Ps 99:6). Even the sacred ministers of religion are not exempt from reverses and captivity.

the mighty—rather, "the firm-rooted in power"; the Arabic root expresses ever-flowing water [Umbreit].

20. the trusty—rather, "those secure in their eloquence"; for example, the speakers in the gate (Isa 3:3) [Beza].

understanding—literally, "taste," that is, insight or spiritual discernment, which experience gives the aged. The same Hebrew word is applied to Daniel's wisdom in interpretation (Da 2:14).

21. Ps 107:40 quotes, in its first clause, this verse and, in its second, Job 12:24.

weakeneth the strength—literally, "looseth the girdle"; Orientals wear flowing garments; when active strength is to be put forth, they gird up their garments with a girdle. Hence here—"He destroyeth their power" in the eyes of the people.

22. (Da 2:22).

23. Isa 9:3; Ps 107:38, 39, which Psalm quotes this chapter elsewhere. (See on Job 12:21).

straiteneth—literally, "leadeth in," that is, "reduces."

24. heart—intelligence.

wander in a wilderness—figurative; not referring to any actual fact. This cannot be quoted to prove Job lived after Israel's wanderings in the desert. Ps 107:4, 40 quotes this passage.

25. De 28:29; Ps 107:27 again quote Job, but in a different connection.