Job 5:13
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He catches the wise in their craftiness, and sweeps away the plans of the cunning.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Eliphaz, in the foregoing chapter, for the making good of his charge against Job, had vouched a word from heaven, sent him in a vision. In this chapter he appeals to those that bear record on earth, to the saints, the faithful witnesses of God's truth in all ages (Job 5:1). They will testify, I. That the sin of sinners is their ruin (Job 5:2-5). II. That yet affliction is the common lot of mankind (Job 5:6, Job 5:7). III. That when we are in affliction it is our wisdom and duty to apply to God, for he is able and ready to help us (Job 5:8-16). IV. That the afflictions which are borne well will end well; and Job particularly, if he would come to a better temper, might assure himself that God had great mercy in store for him (Job 5:17-27). So that he concludes his discourse in somewhat a better humour than he began it.
Open source ↗5:13 God traps the wise in the cleverness of their words (Prov 12:13). Paul alluded to this verse in his rejection of worldly wisdom (1 Cor 1:19).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”
He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
But when it came before the king, he commanded by letter that the wicked scheme which Haman had devised against the Jews should come back upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.
to the pure You show Yourself pure, but to the crooked You show Yourself shrewd.
So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the fury of the king subsided.
Now someone told David: “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David pleaded, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”
for the LORD detests the perverse, but He is a friend to the upright.
When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his affairs in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
But you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me if you return to the city and say to Absalom: ‘I will be your servant, my king; in the past I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant.’