The Meaning of Job 40:12 Explained

Job 40:12

KJV: Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.

YLT: See every proud one -- humble him, And tread down the wicked in their place.

Darby: Look on every one that is proud, bring him low, and tread down the wicked in their place:

ASV: Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; And tread down the wicked where they stand.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Look  on every one [that is] proud,  [and] bring him low;  and tread down  the wicked  in their place. 

What does Job 40:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 40:1-24 - "hast Thou An Arm Like God?"
God seemed to await Job's reply to His questions. Job had protested that he would fill his mouth with arguments, but none was forthcoming. That vision of God had robbed him of self-reliance. He could only humbly acknowledge that he had uttered words enough. He must be led to the further confession, which will come presently, that he had sinned. Compare Job 42:6.
It was as though the Omniscient Eye still saw in Job some trust in himself; God therefore summoned him to array himself in his utmost glory and majesty and to argue his case further. But how impotent man is at the best!
The truth is driven home by a magnificent description of the hippopotamus, to whom the strongest and biggest of man's creations are child's play. If you cannot prevail against His creatures, how can you stand against the Creator? But if that Creator is your Father, how safe you are! [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 40

1  Job humbles himself to God
6  God stirs him up to show his righteousness, power, and wisdom
16  Of the behemoth

What do the individual words in Job 40:12 mean?

Look on everyone [who is] proud [and] bring him low and Tread down the wicked in their place
רְאֵ֣ה כָל־ גֵּ֭אֶה הַכְנִיעֵ֑הוּ וַהֲדֹ֖ךְ רְשָׁעִ֣ים תַּחְתָּֽם

רְאֵ֣ה  Look  on 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
כָל־  everyone 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
גֵּ֭אֶה  [who  is]  proud 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גֵּאֶה  
Sense: proud.
הַכְנִיעֵ֑הוּ  [and]  bring  him  low 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּנַע  
Sense: to be humble, be humbled, be subdued, be brought down, be low, be under, be brought into subjection.
וַהֲדֹ֖ךְ  and  Tread  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: הָדַךְ  
Sense: (Qal) to cast down, tread down.
רְשָׁעִ֣ים  the  wicked 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רָשָׁע  
Sense: wicked, criminal.
תַּחְתָּֽם  in  their  place 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.