New King James Version
Job 12:23
23He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides them.
Job 12:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.
- New International Version (NIV)He makes nations great, and destroys them; he enlarges nations, and disperses them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)He makes nations great, and he destroys them; he enlarges nations, and leads them away.
- New Living Translation (NLT)He builds up nations, and he destroys them. He expands nations, and he abandons them.
Context of Job 12:23
21He pours contempt on princes, And disarms the mighty. 22He uncovers deep things out of darkness, And brings the shadow of death to light. He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides them. 24He takes away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth, And makes them wander in a pathless wilderness. 25They grope in the dark without light, And He makes them stagger like a drunken man.
Read all of Job 12Job 12:23 word by word
מַשְׂגִּ֣יא לַ֭גּוֹיִם וַֽיְאַבְּדֵ֑ם שֹׁטֵ֥חַ לַ֝גּוֹיִ֗ם וַיַּנְחֵֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 12:23
- Exodus 1:7But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.
- Psalms 107:38He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly; And He does not let their cattle decrease.
- Isaiah 9:3You have multiplied the nation And increased its joy; They rejoice before You According to the joy of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
- Isaiah 26:15You have increased the nation, O Lord, You have increased the nation; You are glorified; You have expanded all the borders of the land.
- Isaiah 27:6Those who come He shall cause to take root in Jacob; Israel shall blossom and bud, And fill the face of the world with fruit.
- Isaiah 51:2Look to Abraham your father, And to Sarah who bore you; For I called him alone, And blessed him and increased him.”
- Isaiah 60:22A little one shall become a thousand, And a small one a strong nation. I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time.”
- Jeremiah 30:19Then out of them shall proceed thanksgiving And the voice of those who make merry; I will multiply them, and they shall not diminish; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.
- Jeremiah 33:22As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, nor the sand of the sea measured, so will I multiply the descendants of David My servant and the Levites who minister to Me.’ ”
- Zechariah 10:8I will whistle for them and gather them, For I will redeem them; And they shall increase as they once increased.
Commentaries on Job 12:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23He increaseth the nations - Mr. Good translates, He letteth the nations grow licentious. Pride, fullness of bread, with extensive trade and commerce, produce luxury; and this is ever accompanied with profligacy of manners. When, then, the cup of this iniquity is full, God destroys the nation, by bringing or permitting to come against it a nation less pampered, more necessitous, and inured to toil. He enlargeth the nations - Often permits a nation to…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them - He has entire control over them. The sources of prosperity are in his hand, and at his pleasure he can visit them with famine, pestilence, or war, and diminish their numbers and arrest their prosperity. Dr. Good renders this very improperly, “He letteth the nations grow licentious;” but the word שׂגא śâgâ' never has this sense. It means, to make great; to multiply; to increase. And straiteneth them again…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. 23-24Compare Daniel 2:21. He deprives the earth’s leaders of reason: See Job 12:18; compare Daniel 4:23, 32–33. He… makes them wander in a trackless wasteland: This is like the "nobles" in Psalm 107:40 (see Job 12:21).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. Is 9:3; Psa 107:38, 39, which Psalm quotes this chapter elsewhere. (See on Job 12:21). straiteneth--literally, "leadeth in," that is, "reduces."Read the comment
Topics related to Job 12:23
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