Job 5:13 Meaning and Explanation
“He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Eliphaz says God catches the worldly-wise in their own cunning and sweeps away the schemes of the perverse.
What Does Job 5:13 Mean?
Eliphaz presses the point further: God catches the so-called wise in the very craftiness they trusted, and the counsel of the crooked is swept headlong to ruin. Their own cleverness becomes the snare that traps them, and the schemes they were sure of collapse all at once.
This verse carries such weight that the apostle Paul quotes it directly, reminding believers that the wisdom of this world, which exalts itself against God, is folly in His sight. The schemes we devise apart from Him will rebound upon us. True wisdom begins in reverence for God and humility before His ways, while pride in our own cunning quietly sets a trap for our feet.
Job 5:13 in the Original Language
iqqesh (עִקֵּשׁ), 'froward' -- twisted or crooked, morally perverse in purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 5:13
What does Job 5:13 mean?
Eliphaz says God catches the worldly-wise in their own cunning and sweeps away the schemes of the perverse.