Job 12:5 Meaning and Explanation
“He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The comfortable look down on the stumbling, treating the afflicted like a guttering lamp not worth tending.
What Does Job 12:5 Mean?
Job exposes a hard truth about human nature. To those who are at ease, the one whose feet are slipping toward ruin becomes an object of contempt, a despised lamp, dim and easily dismissed. Comfort breeds a quiet scorn for the struggling.
The verse is a mirror held up to every settled heart. It is easy, from a place of security, to look at someone losing their footing and feel superior rather than compassionate. Yet the God of Scripture tends the smoking flax and does not quench the dim wick. Where the comfortable see a lamp worth despising, the Lord sees a light worth keeping. We are called to His mercy, not the world's disdain.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 12:5
What does Job 12:5 mean?
The comfortable look down on the stumbling, treating the afflicted like a guttering lamp not worth tending.