Job 12:18
16 True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His.
17 He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges.
He loosens the bonds placed by kings and fastens a belt around their waists.
19 He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows the established.
20 He deprives the trusted of speech and takes away the discernment of elders.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- He loosens the bonds placed by kings and fastens a belt around their waists.
- KJV
- He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
- WEB
- He loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt.
- ASV
- He looseth the bond of kings, And he bindeth their loins with a girdle.
- DARBY
- He weakeneth the government of kings, and bindeth their loins with a fetter;
- BLB
- The bond of kings He loosens, and He binds a waistband around their loins.
- ÅB
- Kongers tvangsbånd løser han og binder rep om deres lender.
- OTB
- Han fjerner kongers lenker
og binder et lendeklede rundt deres midje. - B1930
- Kongers tvangsbånd løser han og binder rep om deres lender.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Daniel 2:21
He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
Read in contextPsalms 116:16
Truly, O LORD, I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have broken my bonds.
Read in contextJeremiah 52:31–34
On the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month of the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the first year of the reign of Evil-merodach king of Babylon, he pardoned Jehoiachin king of Judah and released him from prison.
Read in context2 Chronicles 33:11–14
So the LORD brought against them the military commanders of the king of Assyria, who captured Manasseh, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon.
Read in contextRevelation 19:16
And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Read in context