JOB 12:17 Parallel View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. This view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on the version abbreviation to see the verse in more of its context.

Key: yellow:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT He is the one leading counselors away naked,
⇔ and judges he makes foolish.

UST God is so powerful that he can remove royal advisors from their positions,
⇔ and he can cause judges to become fools.

BSB He leads counselors away barefoot
⇔ and makes fools of judges.

OEB The wise men of earth He makes foolish;
⇔ The judges He turns into madmen.

WEB He leads counselors away stripped.
⇔ He makes judges fools.

NET He leads counselors away stripped
 ⇔ and makes judges into fools.

LSV Causing counselors to go away [as] a spoil,
Indeed, He makes fools of judges.

FBV He leads counselors away stripped of their wisdom, he makes judges into fools.

T4T He sometimes causes the king’s officials to no longer be wise,
⇔ and he causes judges to become foolish.

LEB • and he makes fools of judges.

BBE He takes away the wisdom of the wise guides, and makes judges foolish;

MOF No MOF JOB book available

JPS He leadeth counsellors away stripped, and judges maketh He fools.

ASV He leadeth counsellors away stripped,
 ⇔ And judges maketh he fools.

DRA He bringeth counsellors to a foolish end, and judges to insensibility.

YLT Causing counsellors to go away a spoil, And judges He maketh foolish.

DBY He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and judges maketh he fools;

RV He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and judges maketh he fools.

WBS He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and judges maketh he fools.

KJB He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.
(He leadeth council/counselors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.)

BB He carieth away the wyse men as it were a spoyle, and bringeth the iudges out of their wittes.
(He carried away the wise men as it were a spoyle, and bringeth the judges out of their wittes.)

GNV He causeth the counsellers to goe as spoyled, and maketh the iudges fooles.
(He causeth the council/counselers to go as spoyled, and maketh the judges fooles.)

CB He carieth awaye the wyse men, as it were a spoyle, and bryngeth the iudges out of their wyttes.
(He carried away the wise men, as it were a spoyle, and bringeth/brings the judges out of their wyttes.)

WYC And he bryngith conselours in to a fonned eende, and iugis in to wondryng, ethir astonying.
(And he bryngith conselours in to a fonned eende, and judges in to wondryng, ethir astonying.)

LUT Er führet die Klugen wie einen Raub und machet die Richter toll.
(Er führet the Klugen like a Raub and machet the Richter toll.)

CLV Adducit consiliarios in stultum finem, et judices in stuporem.
(Adducit consiliarios in stultum finem, and yudices in stuporem.)

BRN He leads counsellors away captive, and maddens the judges of the earth.

BrLXX Διάγων βουλευτὰς αἰχμαλώτους, κριτὰς δὲ γῆς ἐξέστησε.
(Diagōn bouleutas aiⱪmalōtous, kritas de gaʸs exestaʸse.)

TTN Tyndale Theme Notes:

Counsel from Others

The book of Proverbs teaches that many counselors are good because they provide safety (Prov 11:14; 24:6) and improve our odds of success (Prov 15:22). The book of Job shows that counselors can also mislead, even when their theology is evidently orthodox (Job 12:17; 26:3).

Job’s friends initially joined with Job in his suffering, sitting silently in grief with him for seven days (Job 2:11-13). But as soon as they opened their mouths, their consolation ended. Job’s comforters repeatedly elaborated on the biblical principle of sowing and reaping, which was deeply embedded in the covenant (Lev 26; Deut 28; Prov 1:31; 22:8; Hos 8:7; see also Gal 6:7-8). We can’t simply reject their words because much of what they said is correct teaching about God’s nature and his ways of working with human beings. However, Job’s friends misapplied this principle (see Job 4:8). They didn’t look at Job’s life, point out where he had sown evil, and then threaten divine judgment. Instead, they ignored Job’s faithful pattern of life, focused on his torment, and concluded that he was reaping the effects of sin. God eventually called these counselors liars, reminding us that right theology must be rightly applied in order to please God and build up others (Prov 15:2-4, 23; 25:11; Isa 50:4; Eph 4:29).

While it is good to weigh advice from various sources, we must compare the counsel of others with what we believe to be right before God (see, e.g., Acts 20:22; 21:4, 11, 13). God might use human counselors to help us define his will, but God himself also guides us through his Spirit (John 16:13-15). Jesus Christ is our “Wonderful Counselor” (Isa 9:6; see Isa 28:29), who embodies “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:3). And when we have opportunities to come alongside others in moments of grief, we must be cautious and tactful in how we apply scriptural principles. Often, our silent presence is the most helpful counsel we can offer.

Passages for Further Study

2 Sam 17:1-23; 1 Kgs 12:3-17; 22:15-28; Job 2:9-10; 4:8; 12:17; 16:2; Prov 1:5; 9:9; 11:14; 12:15; 15:2-4, 22-23; 19:20; 20:18; 24:6; 25:11; 27:9; Isa 9:6; 28:29; 50:4; Rom 8:14; Eph 4:29; Col 2:3

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-pronouns

מוֹלִ֣יךְ יוֹעֲצִ֣ים שׁוֹלָ֑ל

leads_~_away counselors stripped

The pronoun one refers to God. It may be helpful to clarify this for your readers, and it may be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: “God leads counselors away naked”

Note 2 topic: translate-symaction

מוֹלִ֣יךְ יוֹעֲצִ֣ים שׁוֹלָ֑ל

leads_~_away counselors stripped

To lead someone away naked, as victorious armies did to prisoners of war at this time, was a symbolic action that demonstrated that the conqueror had deprived the captive of his former status in his culture. In the case of a royal counselor, his power and authority were previously represented by his robe of office. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could explain the significance of this action. Alternate translation: “God takes away from counselors the robes that represent the authority and power of their office”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

מוֹלִ֣יךְ יוֹעֲצִ֣ים שׁוֹלָ֑ל

leads_~_away counselors stripped

Job is speaking as if God literally leads counselors away naked. He means that God’s wisdom is so great that it discredits the wisdom of even the wisest humans, as if to put them out of office. If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “God’s wisdom is so great that it discredits the wisdom of even the wisest humans”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וְֽ⁠שֹׁפְטִ֥ים יְהוֹלֵֽל

and,judges makes_fools_of

The implication is probably that God makes judges seem foolish by being so much wiser than they are, and not that God affects the minds of judges so that they can no longer think intelligently. You could indicate that in your translation if it would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: “and God makes judges seem foolish by being so much wiser than they are”

Parallel JOB 12:17