Job 12:19

He leads priests away stripped ¹  and overthrows ²  the potentates. ³ 

Jos 10:24,42; 1Sa 17:45,46; Isa 37:36-38; Isa 45:1; Re 17:14; Re 19:19-21

¹ tn Except for “priests,” the phraseology is identical to v. 17a.

² tn The verb has to be defined by its context: it can mean “falsify” (Exod 23:8), “make tortuous” (Prov 19:3), or “plunge” into misfortune (Prov 21:12). God overthrows those who seem to be solid.

³ tn The original meaning of אֵיתָן (’eytan) is “perpetual.” It is usually an epithet for a torrent that is always flowing. It carries the connotations of permanence and stability; here applied to people in society, it refers to one whose power and influence does not change. These are the pillars of society.