With him are strength and sound wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are his.
Job answers friends who claim to know why he suffers, and his reply lists example after example of God overturning human power. Verse 16 sits in the middle of that list: if both the fooled and the fooler belong to God, how far does His control reach?
Where wisdom and strength are found
Job turns from human wisdom to God's. One commentator follows that turn, and notes how little a man gains on his own.
William Kelly"With Him is wisdom," he says. He turns to God; for, after all, it is only in a little measure that a man profits. "With Him is wisdom and strength" — while the old man grows wiser but weaker — "He has counsel and understanding." ... "With Him are strength and sound wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are His." That is the present state. ... But there is always a limit in this world, and disappointment often comes where you rest most.
The deceived and the deceiver — both His
The verse pairs God's strength with sound wisdom, and it does not praise deception. It puts deceiver and victim alike under God's control. The verses after it show the same hand emptying human wisdom and authority.
Leslie M. GrantGod had strength and prudence; the deceived and the deceiver were both under His control (v.16). "He leads counsellors away plundered, and makes fools of the judges" — that is, He takes from counsellors the value of their counsel. So He brings man's wisdom to nothing, and the judges become foolish. Man's authority becomes as useless as his wisdom. He takes speech from men people counted dependable, and their power to help others. Even elders known for their experience will find their discernment taken away (vv.17-20).
That control reaches to the deceiver behind all deceivers. One commentator points to this very book to show where his power stops.
J. N. DarbyThe power of deceit is really of the father of lies. But he only deceives men. He is altogether subject to the authority of God, as Satan himself knows and as the book of Job shows. Whatever he may design against God's children by way of perplexity, trial and great tribulation, he serves their exaltation according to the good pleasure of their God.
Why the list demolishes the friends' argument
If nothing in human life stays fixed, no one's circumstances can prove what God has decided about him. That is where the friends' case collapses.
William KellyThere are all kinds of change. So there is nothing that shows the settled judgment of God. Everything among men is in flux — a constant flow and change; and therefore nothing could be more foolish than the groundwork the three friends built on in their attack on Job.
True words, spoken from a dark mind
What Job says about God is true. But he tells only the grim half of it.
Arno Clemens GaebeleinIn verses 12-13 Job seems to have Bildad's statement in mind (8:8-9), and he now declares that with God is wisdom and might; He has counsel and understanding. But what follows, while true in itself, is only the one side of God's doings, and the darkest pessimism — which suited his frame of mind.
Another writer sets Job's tone beside the tone of faith.
Samuel RidoutIt is a great picture of God's almighty power, but a very dark one. We can only shudder at the dreadful sight. Job's misery has cast a grim light on all God's greatness. How different is the language of faith: "God is our refuge and strength ... therefore we will not fear ... Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps. 46).
Seeing the truth without applying it
Right knowledge about God helps a man only when he turns it on himself. That is where Job failed.
Leslie M. GrantIf Job had taken time to consider the meaning of these things, he might not have sunk so low in his miserable state. He sees the facts, but fails to apply their lessons to his own case.
Summary
- Control. The deceived and the deceiver alike belong to God — deception is never outside His hand.
- Limit. Even the father of lies stays under God's authority. What he designs against God's children ends up serving them.
- Collapse. God empties counsellors of their counsel, makes fools of judges, and takes discernment from elders. Human wisdom and authority run dry.
- Correction. Everything among men is in constant flux. So no one can read a person's standing with God from his circumstances. That is where the friends went wrong.
- Application. Job stated true things about God in the darkest possible tone, and never applied them to himself; faith takes the same God and says instead, "Be still, and know that I am God."