True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His.
Parallel translations
- WEB With him is strength and wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are his.
- KJV With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.
- NKJV With Him are strength and prudence. The deceived and the deceiver are His.
- NASB “Strength and sound wisdom are with Him. One who goes astray and one who leads astray belong to Him.
- NLT Yes, strength and wisdom are his; deceivers and deceived are both in his power.
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
With God are strength and sound wisdom, and both the deceived and the deceiver belong to Him. Job affirms God's rule over all, even deception.
Overview
Job declares that God possesses strength and effective wisdom, and that both those who mislead and those misled fall under His sovereign sway. This is a profound assertion of God's rule over all human affairs, including human folly and sin, without making God the author of evil (Proverbs 21:1; Acts 2:23). It assures us that no scheme escapes God's overruling purpose, which He bends toward good in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Ezek 14:9But if the prophet is enticed to speak a message, then it was I the LORD who enticed him, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel.
- Job 12:13Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His.
- 1 Kgs 22:22–23And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ ‘You will surely entice him and prevail,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’
- Job 13:9Would it be well when He examined you? Could you deceive Him like a man?
- Matt 6:13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
- Job 13:7Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf or speak deceitfully for Him?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 12:16 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.