New King James Version
Job 12:18
18He loosens the bonds of kings, And binds their waist with a belt.
Job 12:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
- New International Version (NIV)He takes off the shackles put on by kings and ties a loincloth around their waist.
- English Standard Version (ESV)He looses the bonds of kings and binds a waistcloth on their hips.
- New Living Translation (NLT)He removes the royal robe of kings. They are led away with ropes around their waist.
Context of Job 12:18
16With Him are strength and prudence. The deceived and the deceiver are His. 17He leads counselors away plundered, And makes fools of the judges. He loosens the bonds of kings, And binds their waist with a belt. 19He leads princes away plundered, And overthrows the mighty. 20He deprives the trusted ones of speech, And takes away the discernment of the elders.
Read all of Job 12Job 12:18 word by word
מוּסַ֣ר מְלָכִ֣ים פִּתֵּ֑חַ וַיֶּאְסֹ֥ר אֵ֝ז֗וֹר בְּמָתְנֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 12:18
- 2 Chronicles 33:11Therefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze fetters, and carried him off to Babylon.
- Jeremiah 52:31Now it came to pass in the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-fifth day of the month, that Evil-Merodach king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah and brought him out of prison.
- Daniel 2:21And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.
- Revelation 19:16And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Commentaries on Job 12:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18He looseth the bond of kings - He takes away their splendid robes, and clothes them with sackcloth; or, he dissolves their authority, permits their subjects to rebel and overthrow the state, to bind them as captives, and despoil them of all power, authority, and liberty. Many proofs of this occur in the Israelitish history and in the history of the principal nations of the earth, and not a few in the history of Britain.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18He looseth the bond of kings - The bond of kings (מוּסר mûsâr ) here means that by which they bind others. Their power over others he loosens or takes away. And girdeth their loins with a girdle - That is, he girds them with a rope or cord, and leads them away as prisoners. The whole series of remarks here refers to the reverses and changes in the conditions of life. The meaning here is, that the bonds of authority which they imposed on others are…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
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18When God removes the royal robe of kings, he takes away their symbols of authority (compare 19:9). It can also mean "God loosens the bonds of kings," referring to the control they have imposed on others.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. He looseth the bond of kings--He looseth the authority of kings--the "bond" with which they bind their subjects (Is 45:1; Ge 14:4; Da 2:21). a girdle--the cord, with which they are bound as captives, instead of the royal "girdle" they once wore (Is 22:21), and the bond they once bound others with. So "gird"--put on one the bonds of a prisoner instead of the ordinary girdle (Joh 21:18).Read the comment
Topics related to Job 12:18
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries