Job 12:19
in Job 12He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows the established.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He leadeth priests away stripped, And overthroweth the mighty.
KJV
He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.
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This verse in Job 12
Commentary
12 notes on this verseHe leadeth the priests inglorious, and overthroweth the mighty. The great glory of the priest is the righteousness of those that are subject to him. Whence the excellent preacher saith well to his disciples; For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord? But when the priests neglect the lives of their charge, and bring no fruit from their advancement before the presence of the Lord, what else is this but that they are called 'inglorious?'
This site's exposition
He leads counselors away barefoot
on Job 12:17-19
"He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges" begins a list of the offices society trusts, each brought low in turn. Priests and "the established" fall, no office too high to reach, an answer to the friends' confidence that God's rule follows a ladder of reward.
This site's exposition
He leads priests away barefoot
Barnes notes that the Hebrew word here usually means priests, as the Berean renders it, though some ancient interpreters took it as princes. Job's list moves through counselors, judges, kings and priests, and God humbles each in turn. The established fall with them.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
These words must not refer to the sons of Aaron, who did not live anymore at that time, but to priests such as Job himself and Melchizedek. If the narrative is about real and holy priests, how is it said that they are led away …
The Medieval Church1 voice
Priests excel by the reverence in which they are held, concerning which he adds, "he makes the priests inglorious." The first men and counselors in a kingdom or a city seem to excel in the prudence of their advice, and he says regarding them, "and …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Note, Kings are not exempt from God's jurisdiction. To us they are gods, but men to him, and subject to more than the common changes of human life. (3.) Those that were strong are strangely weakened, and it is God that weakens them (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these? 4 I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn. 5 He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
Strong bodies are weakened by age and sickness; powerful armies moulder and come to nothing, and their strength will not secure them from a fatal overthrow. No force can stand before Omnipotence, no, not that of Goliath. (4.) Those that were famed for eloquence, and entrusted with public business, are strangely silenced, and have nothing to say (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He leadeth princes away spoiled,.... Of their principalities and dominions, of their wealth and riches, and of their honour and glory; or "priests" (u), as some choose to render the word, against whom God has indignation for their sins, and leads them into captivity with others; so the Septuagint version, "he leads the priests captives"; for no office, ever so sacred, can protect wicked men, see Lam 2:6; and from these sometimes the law perishes, and they are spoiled of their wisdom and knowledge, and made unfit to instruct the people, and so of their credit and reputation among them.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
He leadeth princes away spoiled - That is, plundered. The word here rendered “princes” כהנים kôhênı̂ym means properly priests, and it is usually so rendered in the Scriptures. The ancient Hebrew interpreters suppose that the word sometimes also means prince. The Chaldee paraphrasist has not unfrequently so rendered it, using the word רבא to express it; Gen 41:45; Psa 110:4. In this place, the Vulgate renders it, “sacerdotes;” and the Septuagint, ἱερεῖς hiereis, “priests.” So Luther renders it, “Priester.” So Castellio.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
princes--rather, "priests," as the Hebrew is rendered (Ps 99:6). Even the sacred ministers of religion are not exempt from reverses and captivity. the mighty--rather, "the firm-rooted in power"; the Arabic root expresses ever-flowing water [UMBREIT].
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty - What multitudes of proofs of this does the history of the world present! Even the late disastrous war with the French republic and empire, which began in 1793, and continued without intermission till 1814, was afterwards renewed, and had a catastrophe that went nearly to ruin Europe. How many princes, or rather priests, כהנים cohanim, have been spoiled of their power, influence, and authority; and how many mighty men - captains, generals, admirals, etc., have been overthrown! But supposing that the writer of the Book of Job lived, as some think, after the captivity, how many priests were led away spoiled, both from Israel and Judah; and how many kings and mighty men were overthrown in the disastrous wars between the Assyrians, Babylonians, and Jews!
The words behind it
5 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מוֹלִ֣יךְ | molikh | [he is] leading away | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| כֹּהֲנִ֣ים | kohanim | priests | H3548 → | |
| שׁוֹלָ֑ל | sholal | barefoot | H7758 → | |
| וְאֵֽתָנִ֣ים | veetanim | and [people] long established | H386 → | |
| יְסַלֵּֽף׃ | yesalef | he overturns | H5557 → |
מוֹלִ֣יךְ[he is] leading away
molikhH1980 →1546 times
כֹּהֲנִ֣יםpriests
kohanimH3548 →
שׁוֹלָ֑לbarefoot
sholalH7758 →
וְאֵֽתָנִ֣יםand [people] long established
veetanimH386 →
יְסַלֵּֽף׃he overturns
yesalefH5557 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 45:1This is what the LORD says to Cyrus His anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings, to open the doors before him, so that the gates…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 51:20–24
“You are My war club, My weapon for battle. With you I shatter nations; with you I bring kingdoms to ruin.
- Isaiah 42:6
“I, the LORD, have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a…
- Isaiah 44:28
who says of Cyrus, ‘My shepherd will fulfill all that I desire,’ who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’ and of the temple, ‘Let its foundation be laid.’”
- Psalms 73:23
Yet I am always with You; You hold my right hand.
- Isaiah 41:13
For I am the LORD your God, who takes hold of your right hand and tells you: Do not fear, I will help you.
- Jeremiah 51:20–24
Through
Job 35:9Men cry out under great oppression; they plead for relief from the arm of the mighty.
it leads to
- Exodus 2:23
After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God.
- Exodus 2:23
Through
Joshua 10:24When they had brought the kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had accompanied him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks…
it leads to
- Romans 16:20
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
- Malachi 4:3
Then you will trample the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day I am preparing,” says the LORD of Hosts.
- Romans 16:20
About Job
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON JOB 12:19; Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book XI; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.