God’s Word Translation
Job 12:14
14When he tears ⌞something⌟ down, it cannot be rebuilt. When he puts someone in prison, that person cannot be freed.
Job 12:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
- New International Version (NIV)What he tears down cannot be rebuilt; those he imprisons cannot be released.
- English Standard Version (ESV)If he tears down, none can rebuild; if he shuts a man in, none can open.
- New King James Version (NKJV)If He breaks a thing down, it cannot be rebuilt; If He imprisons a man, there can be no release.
Context of Job 12:14
12“Wisdom is with the ancient one. The one who has had many days has insight. 13God has wisdom and strength. Advice and insight are his. When he tears ⌞something⌟ down, it cannot be rebuilt. When he puts someone in prison, that person cannot be freed. 15When he holds back the waters, there is a drought. When he releases them, they flood the earth. 16“God has power and priceless wisdom. He owns ⌞both⌟ the deceiver and the person who is deceived.
Read all of Job 12Job 12:14 word by word
הֵ֣ן יַ֭הֲרוֹס וְלֹ֣א יִבָּנֶ֑ה יִסְגֹּ֥ר עַל־אִ֝֗ישׁ וְלֹ֣א יִפָּתֵֽחַ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 12:14
- Job 9:12He takes something away, ⌞but⌟ who can stop him? Who is going to ask him, ‘What are you doing?’
- Job 11:10If God comes along and imprisons ⌞someone⌟ and then calls a court into session, who can stop him?
- Isaiah 14:23“It will become the possession of herons. It will become pools of water. I’ll sweep it with the broom of destruction,” declares the Lord of Armies.
- Jeremiah 51:58This is what the Lord of Armies says: The thick walls of Babylon will be leveled, and its high gates will be set on fire. People exhaust themselves for nothing. The nations wear themselves out only to have a fire.
- Malachi 1:4“The descendants of Esau may say, ‘We have been beaten down, but we will rebuild the ruins.’ “Yet, this is what the Lord of Armies says: They may rebuild, but I will tear it down. They will be called ‘the Wicked Land’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is always angry.’
- Job 16:11God handed me over to unjust people and threw me into the hands of wicked people.
- 1 Samuel 17:46Today the Lord will hand you over to me. I will strike you down and cut off your head. And this day I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals. The whole world will know that Israel has a God.
- 1 Samuel 24:18Today you have proved how good you’ve been to me. When the Lord handed me over to you, you didn’t kill me.
- 1 Samuel 26:8Abishai said to David, “Today God has turned your enemy over to you. Please let me nail him to the ground with one stab of the spear. I won’t have to do it twice!”
- Isaiah 22:22I will place the key of the house of David around his neck. What he opens no one will shut. What he shuts no one will open.
- Romans 11:32God has placed all people into the prison of their own disobedience so that he could be merciful to all people.
- Revelation 3:7“To the messenger of the church in Philadelphia, write: The one who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens ⌞a door⌟ that no one can shut, and who shuts ⌞a door⌟ that no one can open, says:
Commentaries on Job 12:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14He breaketh down - He alone can create, and he alone can destroy. Nothing can be annihilated but by the same Power that created it. This is a most remarkable fact. No power, skill, or cunning of man can annihilate the smallest particle of matter. Man, by chemical agency, may change its form; but to reduce it to nothing belongs to God alone. In the course of his providence God breaks down, so that it cannot be built up again. See proofs of this in the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14Behold, he breaketh down - None can repair what he pulls down. Cities and towns he can devote to ruin by fire, or earthquake, or the pestilence, and so completely destroy them that they can never be rebuilt. We may now refer to such illustrations as Sodom, Babylon, Petra, Tyre, Herculaneum, and Pompeii, as full proof of what is here affirmed. He shutteth up a man - He can shut up a man in such difficulties and straits that he cannot extricate himself; see…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-25Verses 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…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. shutteth up--(Is 22:22). Job refers to Zophar's "shut up" (Job 11:10).Read the comment
Topics related to Job 12:14
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Job 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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