13 Wisdom and strength belong to God;
counsel and understanding are his.(A)
14 Whatever he tears down cannot be rebuilt;
whoever he imprisons cannot be released.(B)
15 When he withholds water, everything dries up,
and when he releases it, it destroys the land.(C)
16 True wisdom and power belong to him.
The deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 He leads counselors away barefoot
and makes judges go mad.(D)
18 He releases the bonds[a] put on by kings(E)
and fastens a belt around their waists.
19 He leads priests away barefoot
and overthrows established leaders.(F)
20 He deprives trusted advisers of speech
and takes away the elders’ good judgment.
21 He pours out contempt on nobles
and disarms[b] the strong.
22 He reveals mysteries from the darkness
and brings the deepest darkness into the light.(G)
23 He makes nations great, then destroys them;
he enlarges nations,(H) then leads them away.
24 He deprives the world’s leaders of reason,
and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.(I)
25 They grope around in darkness without light;
he makes them stagger like a drunkard.(J)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 12:18 Text emended; MT reads discipline
  2. 12:21 Lit and loosens the belt of

Bible Gateway Recommends

CSB Men's Daily Bible, Hardcover
CSB Men's Daily Bible, Hardcover
Retail: $39.99
Our Price: $27.99
Save: $12.00 (30%)
CSB Ultrathin Reference Bible, Brown LeatherTouch, Thumb-Indexed
CSB Ultrathin Reference Bible, Brown LeatherTouch, Thumb-Indexed
Retail: $34.99
Our Price: $17.99
Save: $17.00 (49%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars
CSB Military Bible, Navy Blue LeatherTouch for Sailors
CSB Military Bible, Navy Blue LeatherTouch for Sailors
Retail: $24.99
Our Price: $18.49
Save: $6.50 (26%)
5.0 of 5.0 stars