The Meaning of Job 12:23 Explained

Job 12:23

KJV: He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.

YLT: Magnifying the nations, and He destroyeth them, Spreading out the nations, and He quieteth them.

Darby: He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them; he spreadeth out the nations, and bringeth them in;

ASV: He increaseth the nations, and he destroyeth them: He enlargeth the nations, and he leadeth them captive.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He increaseth  the nations,  and destroyeth  them: he enlargeth  the nations,  and straiteneth  them [again]. 

What does Job 12:23 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 12:1-25 - "god's Paths In Deep Waters"
Job sets himself to disprove Zophar's contention that wickedness invariably causes insecurity in men's dwellings; and in doing so he bitterly complains that his friends mocked at him so contemptuously. He says that they remind him of those who are glad enough of a torch when their foot is slipping in the dark, but cast it aside when they reach their quarters, Job 12:5.
Those who rob are often the most prosperous, Job 12:6, and nature teaches that the animals and plants which are most sturdy in their self-assertion are most secure. Is not the vulture more secure than the dove, the lion than the ox, the shark than the dolphin, the rose than the thorn which tears it? In all such cases you cannot explain the mystery except by referring it to the will of God, whose reasons are past finding out. Similar mysteries beset human life.
Job still further illustrates his point from human life, showing that the lives of counselors, judges, kings, priests, princes, and elders are exposed to the same apparent anomalies and inequalities of treatment. We know, however, that suffering is purifying to the soul, and often redemptive, as Christ's was, for others. [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 12

1  Job maintains himself against his friends that reprove him
7  He acknowledges the doctrine of God's omnipotence

What do the individual words in Job 12:23 mean?

He makes great nations and destroys them He enlarges nations and guides them
מַשְׂגִּ֣יא לַ֭גּוֹיִם וַֽיְאַבְּדֵ֑ם שֹׁטֵ֥חַ לַ֝גּוֹיִ֗ם וַיַּנְחֵֽם

מַשְׂגִּ֣יא  He  makes  great 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׂגָא  
Sense: to increase, grow, magnify, grow great.
לַ֭גּוֹיִם  nations 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
וַֽיְאַבְּדֵ֑ם  and  destroys  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: אָבַד  
Sense: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed.
שֹׁטֵ֥חַ  He  enlarges 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁטַח  
Sense: to spread, spread abroad, stretch out.
לַ֝גּוֹיִ֗ם  nations 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
וַיַּנְחֵֽם  and  guides  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: נָחָה  
Sense: to lead, guide.