Job 12:20 · Bible study
Job 12:20 Commentary: God's Sovereignty Over Human Eloquence
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine Job 12:20 where God removes speech from the trusted and understanding from elders. Learn what this reveals about divine sovereignty over human wisdom.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God actively removes the gift of speech from those normally trusted (faithful counsellors) and takes away discernment from elders, demonstrating His absolute sovereignty over human wisdom.
- Key words: śāp̄â (lip/speech), ne’emānîm (trusted/faithful ones), ṭa‘am (taste/judgment), zəqēnîm (elders). The verb mēsîr (Hiphil participle of H5493) indicates causative removal.
- Main debate: Whether the removal is judicial punishment (Clarke, God infatuates those He will destroy) or a general sovereign demonstration (Barnes, Keil & Delitzsch). The line between the two is thin; most agree it can be either.
- Theological theme: God’s sovereignty and human dependence. Human wisdom is a gift, not a possession; it can be withdrawn to humble pride and redirect trust to God alone.
- Best use: Teaching on God’s control over history and institutions; comfort for those disillusioned with human leaders; call to humility before God’s wisdom (Job 12:13).
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
He deprives the trusted of speech and takes away the discernment of elders.
WEB World English Bible 2000
He removes the speech of those who are trusted, and takes away the understanding of the elders.
KJV King James Version 1769
He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
He removeth the speech of the trusty, And taketh away the understanding of the elders.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Turning aside the lip of the stedfast, And the reason of the aged He taketh away.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
He depriveth of speech the trusty, and taketh away the judgment of the elders;
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
He changeth the speech of the true speakers, and taketh away the doctrine of the aged.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
El impide el labio á los que dicen verdad, y quita á los ancianos el consejo.
Ele tira a fala daqueles a quem os outros confiam, e tira o juízo dos anciãos.
Il ôte la parole à ceux qui ont de l’assurance;
Er entzieht die Sprache den Bewährten und nimmt weg den Verstand der Alten.
Hij beneemt den getrouwen de spraak, en der ouden oordeel neemt Hij weg.
Priva della parola i più eloquenti, e toglie il discernimento ai vecchi.
Odejmuje usta krasomówcom, a rozsądek starym odbiera.
отнимает язык у велеречивых и старцев лишает смысла;
他廢去 忠信人的 講論，又奪去 老人 的聰明。
He makes the words of responsible persons without effect, and takes away the good sense of the old;
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Job 12:20
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree this verse sits within Job's broader argument that God holds absolute sovereignty over human hierarchies and their apparent wisdom. The Hebrew verb mēsîr (from H5493, Hiphil form) indicates causative removal, God actively makes speech depart. The word for “speech” is literally “lip” (śāp̄â), a common metonymy for eloquence. “Those who are trusted” (ne’emānîm) is a Niphal participle of H0539 ‘āman, meaning faithful, reliable persons, likely counsellors or orators. “Understanding” (ṭa‘am) literally means “taste,” then figuratively judgment or discernment. “Elders” (zəqēnîm) carries both age and authority.
Clarke connects the verse to the proverbial “God infatuates those whom He is determined to destroy,” and points to Isaiah 3:1, 3. Barnes sees it as God disappointing the wisest schemes of experienced counsellors. Gill stresses that even faithful ministers of God can have their speech taken away, as with Zechariah. Matthew Henry frames the entire passage (Job 12:13, 25) as a “noble discourse” on God’s wisdom and power. Cambridge Bible notes that Job relies on traditional knowledge he learned by hearing, showing he does not despise the wisdom of the aged. All agree: human eloquence and discernment are gifts that God may grant or withdraw at His pleasure.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Judicial punishment: Clarke reads the verse as God infatuating those He will destroy, drawing on Isaiah 3:1–3 and the Latin proverb 'Quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat.'
- Sovereign demonstration: Barnes, Keil & Delitzsch emphasize that God simply shows His control over human affairs; the removal is not always punitive but displays that human wisdom is contingent on God's sustaining hand.
What is clear: God is sovereign over human speech and understanding; He can remove the gifts He gives, and no human wisdom is autonomous.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of 'the trusted' (ne'emānîm) | All agree these are persons normally considered reliable, faithful, or eloquent. | Gill sees them as faithful ministers of God; Barnes and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown view them as wise counsellors or those secure in eloquence; Clarke calls them 'faithful counsellors' and 'orators'. |
| Nature of God's action | God actively removes speech and understanding; it is a sovereign act. | Clarke interprets it as judicial punishment (God infatuates those He will destroy). Barnes and Keil & Delitzsch emphasize it as a general demonstration of control, not necessarily punitive. |
| Connection to Job's argument | The verse is part of Job's defence that God is sovereign over human wisdom, contrary to the friends' claim that suffering proves sin. | Some (retribution theology advocates) would see the removal as proof of hidden sin; Job uses it to argue that suffering and reversal can happen to the righteous, so it is not a reliable sign of God's disfavour. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The Book of Job belongs to Old Testament wisdom literature, likely composed during the monarchy period, though set in patriarchal times. Chapter 12 is Job’s response to his three friends who insisted that suffering always results from personal sin. In verses 13, 25, Job counters by cataloguing how God systematically reverses human power structures: counselors are led away stripped (v.17), judges become fools (v.17), kings are unbound and bound (v.18), priests are stripped (v.19). Verse 20 fits this pattern, God removes the speech of the trusted and takes understanding from elders.
In ancient Israel, the “trusted” (ne’emānîm) were those whose counsel nations relied upon: members of the royal court, wise advisors, and those known for faithful testimony. The “elders” (zəqēnîm) were not simply the old, but the official leaders who sat at the gate and rendered judgment (cf. Exodus 3:16; Deuteronomy 21:19). Their authority was grounded in God’s gift of wisdom, not in inherent ability.
Job draws on a theme found elsewhere in the ancient Near East: the deity can confound human wisdom at will. Isaiah 3:1, 3 describes the Lord removing every support from Jerusalem, including the counselor, the elder, and the prudent speaker. Job 12:24 repeats the idea: God takes away understanding from chiefs and makes them wander in a trackless wilderness. Job’s point is devastating to his friends’ theology: if traditional wisdom (the very thing the friends claim to possess) can be removed by God, then their arguments are not automatically trustworthy. Human wisdom, even when ancient and honoured, stands under God’s sovereign control.
This is no abstract doctrine for Job. He is living the reversal, a man once respected among elders now derided (Job 12:4). Yet he does not abandon trust in God; instead, he insists that God alone holds true wisdom and strength (Job 12:13, 16).
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Job 12:20. The Hebrew text (MT) reads consistently across manuscripts, and the major English translations (KJV, ASV, BSB, YLT, Darby, Douay) all convey the same meaning of God removing speech from the trusted and understanding from elders.
Reception History
Christian commentary from the 16th through 19th centuries, represented by the Geneva Bible (1599), Matthew Henry (1710), Wesley (1754), Gill (1748), Clarke (1826), Barnes (1832), and Keil & Delitzsch (1876), has consistently read this verse as demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty over human eloquence and wisdom. These interpreters, spanning Reformed, Baptist, Methodist, and Lutheran traditions, saw the verse as a warning against pride in human intellect and as a call to recognize that all gifts of speech and understanding come from God and can be withdrawn at His will. The verse has also been cited in pastoral contexts to explain moments when wise leaders fail or experienced voices are silenced, pointing congregations back to dependence on God's revealed Word.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God removes the speech we trust. The “trusted” are those we naturally rely on: seasoned counsellors, faithful pastors, experienced advisors. God can silence them, not to be cruel, but to remind us that no human eloquence is self-sustaining.
- God takes the understanding we revere. The “elders” represent accumulated wisdom. God can withdraw their discernment, proving that age and experience do not guarantee insight apart from His active gift.
- God calls us to depend on Him, not on human gifts. The purpose of these reversals is not chaos but humility. When our most trusted voices fail, we are forced to seek God directly, the only source of lasting wisdom (Job 12:13).
Five-point outline
- The source of speech and understanding. Both are gifts from God, not innate human achievements (James 1:17).
- The trusted are not exempt. Even those with a track record of faithfulness can find their words falter or their counsel fall flat.
- The elders can be silenced. Age and office do not guarantee permanent wisdom; God can overshadow them.
- God acts in history to confound human pride. From Babel (Genesis 11) to the cross (1 Corinthians 1:27), God repeatedly overturns human confidence in its own wisdom.
- The call to lean on God’s revelation. When human voices fail, Scripture and prayer remain sure. This verse urges us to store up God’s words, not merely human traditions.
Illustration hooks
- A trusted CEO suddenly struggles to articulate strategy in a board meeting, or a seasoned pastor loses his fluency mid-sermon due to illness. These moments can feel like divine silencing, reminding us that speech is a gift, not a given.
- An elderly scholar whose memory begins to fail, the wisdom they once shared becomes fragmented. Their family struggles: who now guides them? The loss points to God as the true keeper of wisdom.
- A government advisor whose economic predictions fail repeatedly, despite his expertise. Christians can recognize that no human foresight is infallible.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God removes wisdom from the wise, how can we trust any human leader or counsel?
- Does this verse mean that when a pastor speaks foolishly, it is always God’s judgment?
- How should this change the way we listen to teachers, politicians, and elders?
Leading a Discussion
Job 12:20 forces us to confront a difficult truth: the eloquence and insight we admire in others are gifts God can withdraw. In your group, take time to sit with the unsettling nature of this verse. Job is not saying God is arbitrary or cruel; rather, he is insisting that nothing, not even the wisest human counsel, stands outside God’s sovereign plan. Let the passage chasten any overconfidence we place in human leaders or our own understanding.
Discussion questions
- Read Job 12:13, 25 aloud. What pattern do you notice in the types of people God reverses?
- In verse 20, “the trusted” and “the elders” are normally respected. Why does Job include them in this list? What point is he making to his friends?
- The Hebrew word for “understanding” (ṭa‘am) literally means “taste.” How does that imagery help you grasp the idea of God “taking away” discernment?
- Can you think of a time when a trusted leader gave poor advice, or when an elder’s wisdom suddenly seemed off? How did that affect your trust in human wisdom?
- Job himself is an elder whose circumstances have been reversed (Job 12:4). How does his personal experience give weight to his words here?
- If God can remove speech and understanding, how should we approach church leadership, political leaders, or family elders? Does this make us cynical, or humble?
- How does this verse point you to depend more fully on God’s wisdom in Scripture and prayer?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Job 12:24 | He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. |
| Job 17:4 | For you have hidden their heart from understanding, therefore you will not exalt them. |
| Job 32:9 | It is not the great who are wise, nor the aged who understand justice. |
| Job 39:17 | because God has deprived her of wisdom, neither has he imparted to her understanding. |
| Proverbs 10:21 | The lips of the righteous feed many, but the foolish die for lack of understanding. |
| Proverbs 12:19 | Truth’s lips will be established forever, but a lying tongue is only momentary. |
| Proverbs 12:22 | Lying lips are an abomination to Yahweh, but those who do the truth are his delight. |
| Isaiah 3:1 | For, behold, the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, takes away from Jerusalem and from Judah supply and support, the whole supply of bread, and the whole supply of water; |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that God first makes those he plans to destroy forget what to say. The wise elders cannot save such a nation even though they have great knowledge.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that God removes the ability of those who are trusted for their wisdom to give good advice. Their most careful plans fail because they cannot understand God’s purposes.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges notes that the events described in Job 12:13 to 25 are references to past disasters. These disasters happened long before Job lived so he learned about them from what others told him.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes emphasize God's direct sovereignty over human counsel: He actively silences faithful advisors and strips the elderly of their discernment. This is not mere misfortune but God's deliberate work, showing that both wise speech and sound judgment depend entirely on His permission.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that God can silence those who are trusted to speak the truth (Job 12:20). He also says God may take away speech from elders or leaders so they are no longer able to give wise counsel.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Some who rely on their clever speech are secure. Experience gives the old people insight and spiritual discernment.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch explain that שׁולל means stripped of clothes by force rather than merely barefoot. They also say that מוּסר refers to discipline or rule rather than chains. You may find hope in the fact that all temporary power belongs to God.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees Job's majestic description of God's power as a night-scene that actually reflects Job's own despair, letting him see God only as destructive and distant. The fleeting hope of life after death is nothing more than a momentary dream, soon extinguished because no promise of Scripture yet shines into his soul.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that God alone controls all human affairs (Job 12:19) and removes wisdom from both the old and the young. He believes this shows God’s power over life and knowledge.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley gives two possible meanings for the same phrase: either God restrains people's ability to speak, or He takes away the understanding that guides their speech. He identifies the "trusty" as the wise, experienced counsellors that the greatest princes relied upon.