“With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job contrasts human wisdom with God's, pointing out that while age might bring experience, true wisdom and power belong entirely to God. This isn't just about God having wisdom; it’s about Him being its exclusive source and possessor, making Him the ultimate authority in how the world works, beyond human comprehension.
“With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job is responding to his friends, particularly Bildad, who argued that wisdom and understanding come with age. Job agrees that the ancients might possess wisdom, but he redirects the focus to God, asserting that true, perfect wisdom and strength belong solely to Him. This statement sets the stage for Job to explain how God's supreme wisdom and might govern the world in ways beyond human comprehension, leading to the seeming injustices that Job and his friends are debating.
Job's friends are debating who has wisdom. But Job points to an incredible truth: true wisdom isn't found in age or experience alone.
Job declares that "with God are wisdom and might." This isn't just a statement of fact; it's a profound revelation about the very nature of God.
Divine Possession
Unlike humans who might gain wisdom over time or possess it partially, God is wisdom. It's not something He learns or acquires; it's inherent to His being. Similarly, His might (or strength) is not a borrowed power, but an intrinsic, unlimited force.
The Ultimate Source
All wisdom and power in the universe originate from God. Even the wisdom attributed to the aged is, at its core, a gift from Him (James 1:5). This means that even when human understanding fails or human strength falters, God's wisdom and power remain perfect and absolute.
It's easy to feel lost in the chaos of life, wondering if there's a plan. Job reminds us that God's understanding is perfect, guiding all things.
Beyond just possessing wisdom and might, God also has "counsel and understanding." These concepts speak to His perfect knowledge and His ability to plan and execute.
Unfailing Counsel
God's counsel refers to His perfect plans and purposes. He doesn't make mistakes or have to change His mind. His decrees and intentions are settled and will always come to pass. This counsel isn't just theoretical; it's practical, guiding the affairs of the entire universe.
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Infinite Understanding
His understanding is comprehensive and infinite. He knows every person, every situation, and every outcome, past, present, and future. This perfect understanding means that even when events seem confusing or unjust to us, God is working according to a wise and perfect plan.
Understand the original words
gevurah · Hebrew Noun
The attribute of God referring to His absolute sovereignty and strength. It denotes God’s ability to accomplish His purposes without limitation or resistance.
etsah · Hebrew Noun
The divine capacity to plan, purpose, and direct the affairs of creation. It implies God’s sovereign orchestration of history and individual lives.
This passage echoes Job 12:13 by personifying wisdom as something that resides with God, highlighting His ownership and the divine source of all true understanding and counsel.
Isaiah 28:29This verse directly correlates with Job's statement by praising God as 'wonderful in counsel and excellent in working,' emphasizing the unfathomable depth of His wisdom and might in His actions.
Jeremiah 10:12This passage reinforces the idea that God's wisdom and power are foundational to creation itself, stating that He made the earth by His power and established the world by His wisdom, aligning with Job's assertion of God's inherent attributes.
Daniel 2:20Daniel's prayer praises God for wisdom and might, directly mirroring Job's declaration and showing that this understanding of God's character was a source of strength and confession even in exile.
James 1:5This New Testament verse speaks directly to the believer, encouraging them to ask God for wisdom, affirming that He gives generously to all, thereby connecting the ancient truth in Job to a present-day application of seeking divine counsel.
bensonJob 12:13: "With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding."
Job 12:13. With him is wisdom — That is, with God. Perfect wisdom is only in him, and all wisdom in the world cometh from him, who giveth to young and old as it pleaseth him. The ancients were not wise without his gift and grace, and with that a younger man may be wiser than the ancients. He hath counsel — Practical wisdom to guide and govern all the affairs of the world; and understanding — A perfect knowledge of…
pooleJob 12:13: "With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding."
With him, i.e. with God; the relative being put for the antecedent, which is easily and necessarily understood out of the scope of the place, and all the following verses. Wisdom; perfect wisdom is only in him, and all wisdom in the world cometh from him, who giveth to old or young as it pleaseth him. The ancient are not wise without his gift and grace, and with that a younger man may be wiser than the ancients , a…
Job contrasts human wisdom with God's, pointing out that while age might bring experience, true wisdom and power belong entirely to God. This isn't just about God having wisdom; it’s about Him being its exclusive source and possessor, making Him the ultimate authority in how the world works, beyond human comprehension.
Job is responding to his friends, particularly Bildad, who argued that wisdom and understanding come with age. Job agrees that the ancients might possess wisdom, but he redirects the focus to God, asserting that true, perfect wisdom and strength belong solely to Him. This statement sets the stage for Job to explain how God's supreme wisdom and might govern the world in ways beyond human comprehension, leading to the seeming injustices that Job and his friends are debating.
Job is responding to his friends, particularly Bildad, who argued that wisdom and understanding come with age. Job agrees that the ancients might possess wisdom, but he redirects the focus to God, asserting that true, perfect wisdom and strength belong solely to Him. This statement sets the stage for Job to explain how God's supreme wisdom and might govern the world in ways beyond human comprehension, leading to the seeming injustices that Job and his friends are debating.
"“With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding." — Job contrasts human wisdom with God's, pointing out that while age might bring experience, true wisdom and power belong entirely to God. This isn't just about God having wisdom; it’s about Him bein…
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Last reviewed October 2026