Job 12:19

_HE LEADETH PRINCES AWAY SPOILED, AND OVERTHROWETH THE MIGHTY._ Princes - rather, priests, as the Hebrew is rendered, Psalms 99:6 (Umbreit). Even the sacred ministers of religion are not exempt from reverses and captivity. [The idea of _ KOHEEN_ (H3548) is that of a mediating priest.] But in Job's days patriarch princes exercised this office. So that the English version is probably right. So David's sons (who certainly were not mediating priests) are called by this very Hebrew term, _ KOHANIYM_ (H3548) (2 Samuel 8:18), 'chief rulers.' THE MIGHTY - `the firm-rooted in power:' the Arabic root expresses overflowing water (Umbreit)....

12-25 This is a noble discourse of Job concerning the wisdom, power, and sovereignty of God, in ordering all the affairs of the children of men, according to the counsel of His own will, which none can resist. It were well if wise and good men, who differ about lesser things, would see how it is for their honour and comfort, and the good of others, to dwell most upon the great things in which they agree. Here are no complaints, or reflections. He gives many instances of God's powerful management of the children of men, overruling all their counsels, and overcoming all their oppositions. Having all strength and wisdom, God knows how to make use, even of those who are foolish and bad; otherwise there is so little wisdom and so little honesty in the world, that all had been in confusion and ruin long ago. These important truths were suited to convince the disputants that they were out of t...

Verse Job 12:19. _HE LEADETH PRINCES AWAY SPOILED, AND OVERTHROWETH THE_ _MIGHTY._] What multitudes of proofs of this does the history of the world present! Even the late disastrous war with the French republic and empire, which began in 1793, and continued without intermission till 1814, was afterwards renewed, and had a catastrophe that went nearly to ruin Europe. How many princes, or rather _priests_, כהנים cohanim, have been spoiled of their power, influence, and authority; and how many _mighty men _- captains, generals, admirals, c., have been overthrown! But supposing that the writer of the Book of Job lived, as some think, _after_ the _captivity_, how many _priests_ were led away spoiled, both from Israel and Judah and how many _kings_ and _mighty men_ were overthrown in the disastrous wars between the Assyrians, Babylonians, and J...

HE LEADETH PRINCES AWAY SPOILED - That is, plundered. The word here rendered “princes” כהנים _kôhênı̂ym_ means properly priests, and it is usually so rendered in the Scriptures. The ancient Hebrew interpreters suppose that the word sometimes also means prince. The Chaldee paraphrasist has not unfrequently so rendered it, using the word רבא to express it; Genesis 41:45; Psalms 110:4. In this place, the Vulgate renders it, “_sacerdotes_;” and the Septuagint, ἱερεῖς _hiereis_, “priests.” So Luther renders it, “Priester.” So Castellio. It can be applied to princes or statesmen only because priests were frequently engaged in performing the functions of

EXPOSITION The discourse of Job, here begun, continues through three chapters (Job 12:1; Job 13:1; Job 14:1.). It is thought to form the conclusion of the first day's colloquy. In it Job for the first time really pours scorn upon his friends, and makes a mock of them (see verses 2, 8, 20; Job 13:4). This, however, is a secondary matter; his main object is to justify his previous assertions, (1) that the whole course of mundane events, whether good or evil, must be attributed to God (verses 6-25); (2) that his sufferings entitle him to plead with God, and demand to know why he is so punished ...

HE LEADETH PRINCES AWAY SPOILED,.... Of their principalities and dominions, of their wealth and riches, and of their honour and glory; or "priests" u, as some choose to render the word, against whom God has indignation for their sins, and leads them into captivity with others; so the Septuagint version, "he leads the priests captives"; for no office, ever so sacred, can protect wicked men, see Lamentations 2:6; and from these sometimes the law perishes, and they are spoiled of their wisdom and knowledge, and made unfit to instruct the people, and so of their credit and reputation among them. Sephorno interprets it of the priests spoiled of their prophesying, they prophesying false things to kings: AND OVERTHROWETH THE MIGHTY; the mighty angels from heaven when they sinned, and mighty men on earth, kings and princes, whom he puts down from their seats of majesty and

CHAPTER S 12-14 JOB'S ANSWER TO ZOPHAR _ 1. His sarcasm (Job 12:1)_ 2. He describes God's power (Job 12:7) 3. He denounces his friends (Job 13:1) 4. He appeals to God (Job 13:14) 5. The brevity and trouble of life (Job 14:1) 6. The ray of light through hope of immortality (Job 14:7) Job 12:1. He answers not only Zophar but the others as well. Before this Job had expressed his

Eliphaz had appealed to revelation, Bildad to the wisdom of the ancients, Zophar assumes that he himself is the oracle of God's wisdom. Job answers this assumption. Firstly Zophar is not the only wise man in the world, and secondly, as to this wisdom of God, which explains everything, Job has himself studied the ways of God, and whatever wisdom there may be in them there is certainly also the most arbitrary exercise of Divine power. The friends take themselves to be the whole people (Job 12:2); in your own estimation, Job says, you-' re everybody (Peake). Job, however, is not behind them in wisdom: they are not its sole oracle (Job 12:3). JOB 12:4. According to Duhm an interpolation. They treat of the contrast between the fate of the

Job 12:7-10 referred to what one could _see_of God's power and wisdom in the world, these verses refer to what one might learn of them by _hearing_ancient men discourse regarding them. In ch. Job 13:1, where Job looks back upon this chapter, he refers to both channels of knowledge, his eye and his ear. He does not despise knowledge learned from the observation of others when it is pertinent, cf. ch. Job 21:29. And it is obvious that the description in Job 12:13 contains many allusions to catastrophes, both in nature and in human society, which Job could not have seen himself, but must have learned from tradition....

HE LEADETH PRINCES AWAY SPOILED— _He depriveth the priests of their understanding._ Schultens....