Job 5:13
He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's often missed is that the "wise" here aren't truly wise; they're just cunning in their own eyes and in the world's. God's justice ensures their own deceptive schemes will backfire, bringing their plans to ruin before they can even fully unfold.
Eliphaz is continuing his argument to Job, suggesting that suffering is often a consequence of wickedness. He's presenting these ideas as observations from a lifetime, arguing that those who rely on their own cunning schemes ultimately trip themselves up, and their wicked plans come to ruin before they can succeed.
Ever seen a plan fall apart spectacularly, especially one meant to harm someone else? Job’s friend Eliphaz points to a divine pattern at play.
Eliphaz observes that God actively thwarts the plans of those who rely on their own cleverness for evil. This isn't just random bad luck; it's a deliberate 'catching' of the 'wise' – those who are cunning and deceitful – in their own traps. Their intricate plots, designed to ensnare others, end up ensnaring them. It’s like a master strategist being outmaneuvered by their own brilliance turning against them. This divine intervention ensures that wicked schemes are not only unsuccessful but often spectacularly self-destructive.
There’s a difference between careful planning and reckless ambition. This verse highlights how God deals with those who twist and turn their way through life.
The second part of the verse speaks of the 'counsel of the froward' being 'carried headlong.' The 'froward' are those who are perverse, crooked, or twist their words and actions like a wrestler trying to gain an advantage. Their plans aren't just clever; they're twisted and manipulative. God causes these plans to be 'carried headlong,' meaning they are rushed, precipitated, and fall apart before they can even mature. This haste isn't strategic; it's a consequence of their perverse nature, leading to a rapid and often embarrassing downfall.
Paul quotes this very verse in the New Testament. Why is this ancient observation so important for understanding spiritual truth today?
The Apostle Paul directly quotes Eliphaz's observation in 1 Corinthians 3:19: 'For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”' This quote isn't just a literary device; it establishes this verse as inspired truth. Paul uses it to contrast God's wisdom with human 'wisdom,' which he calls 'foolishness' in God's eyes. The 'wise' in Job 5:13 are those who excel in worldly cunning and deceit, but this very cleverness is what God uses to bring them down. True wisdom, from God's perspective, involves humility, integrity, and trust, not manipulative schemes.
Understand the original words
chakam · Hebrew Noun/Adjective
Refers to those who possess intellectual knowledge or practical skill. While wisdom can be godly, when paired with 'craftiness,' it denotes a worldly intellect that stands in opposition to God's ways.
ormah · Hebrew Noun
Refers to intellectual or strategic cleverness, often used in a pejorative sense when describing wicked plots or manipulative strategies used by those who disregard God.
etsah · Hebrew Noun
Refers to a plot or a predetermined plan. In a negative biblical context, it describes the calculated, often deceitful, intentions of the wicked.
This passage echoes the same theme of wicked schemes backfiring, stating 'Whoever digs a pit and buries it will fall into the trap he has set.' It highlights the divine justice that turns the contriver's own devices against them.
Psalm 9:15Similar to Job's verse, this psalm describes the wicked being ensnared by their own plots: 'The nations have sunk into the pit they dug; their feet are caught in the snare they set.' It illustrates how their hidden traps become their own downfall.
Proverbs 26:27This proverb directly illustrates the principle in Job 5:13 with the pithy statement: 'Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.' It reinforces the idea that ill-conceived plans often result in self-destruction.
1 Corinthians 3:19The apostle Paul directly quotes this verse, 'For it is written, 'He catches the wise in their craftiness.'' This New Testament reference confirms the timeless wisdom and divine inspiration behind Job's observation about human pride and cunning.
Esther 7:10This historical account provides a striking example of the principle, as Haman, who had plotted to have Mordecai hanged, ended up being hanged on the very gallows he prepared. It's a clear illustration of plans being turned against their originator.
bensonJob 5:13: "He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong."
Job 5:13-14 . He taketh the wise in their own craftiness — Men wise to do evil, or wise in the opinion of the world; he not only deceives their hopes and counsels, but turns those counsels against themselves. And the counsel of the froward — Hebrew, Of the perverse, or wrestlers, such as wind and turn every way, as wrestlers do, and will leave no means untried to accomplish their designs:…
clarkeJob 5:13: "He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong."
He taketh the wise in their own craftiness - So counterworks them as to cause their feet to be taken in their own snares, and their evil dealings to fall on their own pate. Such frequent proofs has God given of his especial interference in behalf of the innocent, who have been the objects of the plots and evil designs of the wicked, by turning those evil devices against their framers, tha…
What's often missed is that the "wise" here aren't truly wise; they're just cunning in their own eyes and in the world's. God's justice ensures their own deceptive schemes will backfire, bringing their plans to ruin before they can even fully unfold.
Eliphaz is continuing his argument to Job, suggesting that suffering is often a consequence of wickedness. He's presenting these ideas as observations from a lifetime, arguing that those who rely on their own cunning schemes ultimately trip themselves up, and their wicked plans come to ruin before they can succeed.
Eliphaz is continuing his argument to Job, suggesting that suffering is often a consequence of wickedness. He's presenting these ideas as observations from a lifetime, arguing that those who rely on their own cunning schemes ultimately trip themselves up, and their wicked plans come to ruin before they can succeed.
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"He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end." — What's often missed is that the "wise" here aren't truly wise; they're just cunning in their own eyes and in the world's. God's justice ensures their own deceptive schemes will backfire, bringing the…
