Job 5:12-16

Job 5:10-11 describe how the stream of God's goodness acts when it moves directly, bearing up upon it the humble and those that mourn towards safety or salvation. These verses describe how the stream moves when it meets with obstacles, such as craft and evil.

he disappointeth The same word is rendered, he frustrateth, Isaiah 44:25.

their enterprise A difficult word to translate. It is a technical term of the Hebrew Wisdom or Philosophy, and, except in Isaiah 28:29; Micah 6:9, occurs only in Job and Proverbs. It seems to mean that which is essential. Hence it is said of a state or action when it corresponds to the idea; and conversely of thought when it corresponds to the reality, as ch. Job 11:6; Job 12:16. It is used here in the former sense (cf. ch. Job 6:13), and the words mean, their hands perform nothing effectual (Sept. true), or nothing to purpose.