With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.
Parallel translations
- WEB “With God is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding.
- BSB Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His.
- NKJV “With Him are wisdom and strength, He has counsel and understanding.
- NASB ¶“Wisdom and might are with Him; Advice and understanding belong to Him.
- NLT “But true wisdom and power are found in God; counsel and understanding are his.
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 declares that with God are wisdom, might, counsel, and understanding. He locates true and complete wisdom in God alone.
Overview
Turning from human wisdom, Job confesses that perfect wisdom, power, counsel, and understanding belong to God. This anchors the great hymn to God's sovereignty that follows. These very attributes are gathered up in Christ, who is called the wisdom and power of God and in whom all wisdom's treasures are hidden (1 Corinthians 1:24; Colossians 2:3).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 21
- Job 9:4He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?
- Job 36:5Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.
- Prov 2:6–7For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
- Job 28:20–28Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
- Jas 1:5If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
- Ps 147:5Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
- Prov 8:14Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
- Eph 1:11In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
- Dan 2:20Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
- Job 11:6And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.
- Col 2:3In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
- Eph 1:8Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
- Job 38:36Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?
- Isa 46:10Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
- Isa 40:13–14Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?
- Jer 10:12He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.
- Rom 11:34For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
- 1 Cor 1:24But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
- Luke 21:15For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
- Job 12:16With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.
- Job 32:6–9And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 12:13 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.