King James Version

What Does Job 12:15 Mean?

Job 12:15 in the King James Version says “Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.” — study this verse from Job chapter 12 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.”

Job 12:15 · KJV

Context

13

With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. With: that is, With God

14

Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening. up: Heb. upon

15

Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

16

With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

17

He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

Read Job 12 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth—Job declares God's absolute sovereignty over water—both drought and flood. Hen ya'tsor ba-mayim ve-yivashu (הֵן יַעְצֹר בַּמַּיִם וְיִיבָשׁוּ, behold, He restrains the waters and they dry up) uses atsar (עָצַר), to restrain, withhold, or shut up. When God withholds rain, yabesh (יָבֵשׁ, they dry up) brings devastating drought, famine, and death—precisely what Job's friends claim happens as divine judgment for sin.

Vayshalchem vayahpekhu aretz (וִישַׁלְּחֵם וְיַהַפְכוּ אָרֶץ, He sends them out and they overturn the earth) presents the opposite extreme. Shalach (שָׁלַח, to send forth) depicts God actively releasing waters, while haphak (הָפַךְ, to overturn/destroy) describes catastrophic flooding that overthrows civilizations. The word haphak is the same verb used for Sodom's destruction (Genesis 19:25). Job's point devastates his friends' theology: both drought and flood come from God's sovereign hand, not as mechanical punishment for sin but as expressions of His inscrutable will. This echoes Genesis 6-9 (the Flood) and anticipates Jesus's teaching that God 'sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust' (Matthew 5:45).

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Ancient Mesopotamia's irrigation-dependent agriculture made water control literally a matter of life and death. Drought meant famine; flooding destroyed crops and cities. Job's audience would immediately grasp these extremes. His friends have been arguing that calamity indicates divine displeasure. Job counters: God controls both withholding and sending waters, both drought and deluge, according to purposes beyond human comprehension. This challenges both ancient and modern attempts to explain every natural disaster as direct divine judgment for specific sins.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does recognizing God's sovereignty over both drought and flood challenge simplistic explanations of natural disasters as always being divine punishment?
  2. What comfort and what challenge does it bring to know that God actively controls both the withholding and the sending of water?
  3. In what ways does this verse call you to humble submission before God's inscrutable purposes rather than demanding explanations for His governance?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 7 words
הֵ֤ן1 of 7
H2005

lo!; also (as expressing surprise) if

יַעְצֹ֣ר2 of 7

“Behold he withholdeth”

H6113

to inclose; by analogy, to hold back; also to maintain, rule, assemble

בַּמַּ֣יִם3 of 7

“the waters”

H4325

water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen

וְיִבָ֑שׁוּ4 of 7

“and they dry up”

H3001

to be ashamed, confused or disappointed; also (as failing) to dry up (as water) or wither (as herbage)

וִֽ֝ישַׁלְּחֵ֗ם5 of 7

“also he sendeth them out”

H7971

to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)

וְיַ֖הַפְכוּ6 of 7

“and they overturn”

H2015

to turn about or over; by implication, to change, overturn, return, pervert

אָֽרֶץ׃7 of 7

“the earth”

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Job. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Job 12:15 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Job 12:15 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

1 Kings 17:1Amos 5:8James 5:17-18Genesis 6:13Luke 4:25Nahum 1:4

Test Your Knowledge

Job 12 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapterJob Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

Continue Your Study

Read Job 12 with CommentaryAll Job ChaptersComplete Job QuizBible CharactersNave's Topical BibleAll Bible Quizzes