Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old.
Parallel translations
- WEB With aged men is wisdom, in length of days understanding.
- KJV With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
- BSB Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.
- NKJV Wisdom is with aged men, And with length of days, understanding.
- NASB “Wisdom is with the aged, And with long life comes understanding.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Job acknowledges that wisdom is found with the aged and understanding comes with length of days. He grants the value of accumulated experience.
Overview
Job affirms the common conviction that long life brings wisdom and understanding. Yet the following verse will redirect this, locating true wisdom supremely in God Himself. The verse honors the insight that often comes with age while reminding us that all genuine wisdom finally derives from and depends upon God (Proverbs 16:31; Job 12:13).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Christ at the center
Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.
How Job 12:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.