13 He takes the wise in their own craftiness; the counsel of the cunning is carried headlong.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
He taketh the wise in their own craftiness - This passage is quoted by the apostle Paul in 1-Corinthians 3:19, with the usual formula in referring to the Old Testament, γέγραπται γάρ gegraptai gar, "for it is written," showing that he regarded it as a part of the inspired oracles of God. The word "wise" here undoubtedly means the cunning, the astute, the crafty, and the designing. It cannot mean those who are truly wise in the Scripture sense; but the meaning is, that those who form plans which they expect to accomplish by cunning and craft, are often the victims of their own designs. The same sentiment not unfrequently occurs in the Scriptures and elsewhere, and has all the aspect of being a proverb. Thus, in Psalm 7:15 :
He made a pit and digged it,
And is fallen into the ditch which he made."
So Psalm 9:15 :
The pagan are sunk down into the pit that they made;
In the net which they hid is their own foot taken."
So Psalm 35:8 :
Let his net that he hath bid catch himself
Into that very destruction let him fall."
So Psalm 37:15 :
Their sword shall enter into their own heart,
And their bow shall be broken."
Compare Eurip. Med. 409:
Κακῶν δὲ πάντων τέκτονες σοφώταται
Kakōn de pantōn tektones sofōtatai.
See also the same sentiment in Lucretius, v. 1151:
Circumretit enim visatque injuria quemque,
Atque, unde exorta cst, ad caim plerumque revertit.
"For force and rapine in their craftiest neta
Oft their own sons entangle; and the plague Ten-fold recoils."
It is to be remembered that Eliphaz here speaks of his own observation, and of that as a reason for putting confidence in God. The sentiment is, that he had observed that a straightforward, honest, and upright course, was followed with the divine favor and blessing; but that a man who attempted to carry his plans by intrigue and stratagem, would not be permanently successfu. Sooner or later his cunning would recoil upon himself, and he would experience the disastrous consequences of such a course. It is still true. A man is always sure of ultimate success and prosperity, if he is straightforward and honest. He never can be sure of it, if he attempts to carry his plans by management. Other men may evince as much cunning as himself; and when his net springs, it may include himself as well as those for whom he set it. It will be well for him if it is not made to spring on him, while others escape.
And the counsel of the froward - The design of the perverse. The word here rendered "froward," נפתלים nı̂pâthalı̂ym, is from פתל pâthal, to twist, to twine, to spin. It then means, to be twisted, crooked, crafty, deceitful. Here it means those who are crooked, artful, designing. Septuagint, πολυπλόκων poluplokōn, the involved - the much-entangled.
Is carried headlong - Hebrew is precipitated, or hastened. There is not time for it to be matured; there is a development of the scheme before it is ripe, and the trick is detected before there is time to put it in execution. Nothing can be more true than this often is now. Something that could not be anticipated develops the design, and brings the dark plot out to mid-day; and God shows that he is the foe of all such schemes.
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, that he who digs a pit for his neighbor shall fall into it himself has become a universal adage, and has passed, either in so many words or in sense, into all the languages of all the people of the earth. Lucretius expresses it strongly:
Circumretit enim vis atque injuria quemque,
Atque, unde exorta est, ad eum plerumque revortit.
Lucret. lib. v., ver. 1151.
"For force and wrong entangle the man that uses them;
And, for the most part, recoil on the head of the contriver."
He taketh the wise in their own craftiness,.... As beasts are taken in a pit, or birds in a snare or net, or with birdlime; so these crafty men, who are wise in their own opinion, and really so in things natural, civil, and worldly, or however, to do evil are entangled and taken in their own schemes; they fall into the pit they have digged for others, and are snared in the works of their own hands, as Haman and his sons were hanged on the gallows he prepared for Mordecai, Esther 7:10; or, "by their own craftiness" (q), by the crafty schemes they themselves have formed: so sometimes those very things crafty men design to prevent, are brought about by the very means they make use of; thus Joseph's brethren designed to prevent the accomplishment of his dreams, which portended their subjection to him, Genesis 37:9, by selling him to the Ishmaelites, who carried him to Egypt, where, in process of time, he was made governor of the land, and where his brethren became obedient to him, Genesis 42:6; with which fact Eliphaz might be acquainted, it being not long before his time: so the Jews, to prevent the Romans taking away their city and nation, contrived to put Christ to death, and did, whereby they brought the wrath of God upon them, executed by those very persons; the same they did also, to prevent the spread of his fame and glory in the world, and that he might not be believed on as the Saviour of men, whereas, hereby he became the Saviour of them; and he a crucified Christ, being preached to the world by his ministers, the savour of his knowledge has been diffused in every place, his glory great in all the earth, and will be more so: the Targum applies this to the wise men of Pharaoh, and the Apostle Paul to the Jewish doctors and wise philosophers of the Gentiles, 1-Corinthians 3:19; which quotation proves the authority of this book:
and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong: that is, the counsel or well contrived schemes of the crafty and wise before mentioned, who twist and wind about, as the word (r) here used signifies, that there is no tracing their measures, and finding out the spring of them, nor the ends they have in view; yet these are sometimes carried on to execution in a rash and precipitate manner, and so miscarry; and like a man that is had to a precipice, and is thrown down from thence, and is destroyed at once, so are their counsels and schemes dashed to pieces by the providence of God: or, "is hastened" (s); too much haste is made to accomplish it, and so it comes to nought, through an over eagerness to have it done at once; not waiting a fit opportunity for the accomplishment of it.
(q) "per suam ipsorum astutiam", Schultens. (r) "intorquentium", Schmidt; "tortuosorum", Schultens. (s) "festinata, ab origine festinandi", Schultens.
Paul (1-Corinthians 3:19) quoted this clause with the formula establishing its inspiration, "it is written." He cites the exact Hebrew words, not as he usually does the Septuagint, Greek version (Psalm 9:15). Haman was hanged on the gallows he prepared for Mordecai (Esther 5:14; Esther 7:10).
the wise--that is, "the cunning."
is carried headlong--Their scheme is precipitated before it is ripe.
The wise - Men wise to do evil, and wise in the opinion of the world, he not only deceives in their hopes and counsels, but turns them against themselves. Froward - Or, wrestlers: such as wind and turn every way, as wrestlers do, and will leave no means untried to accomplish their counsels. Is carried - Is tumbled down and broken, and that by their own precipitation.
*More commentary available at chapter level.