The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel shall cast him down.

The step of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel shall cast him down headlong.

Straitened are the steps of his strength, And cast him down doth his own counsel.

The steps of his strength become short, and by his design destruction overtakes him.

His strong steps will be constrained, and his own counsel will cast him down uncontrollably.

The steps of his strength - Strong steps. "Steps of strength" is a Hebraism, to denote firm or vigorous steps.
Shall be straitened - Shall be compressed, embarrassed, hindered. Instead of walking freely and at large, he shall be compressed and limited in his goings. "Large steps," "free movement," etc. are proverbial expressions among the Arabs, to denote freedom, prosperity, etc. RosenmulIer. Schultens quotes the following illustrations from the Arabic poets. From Ibn Doreid, "He who does not confine himself within human limits, his vast strides shall be straitened." And from Taurizius," After the battle of Bedrense, the steps were straitened." The meaning here is, that he would be greatly impeded in his movements, instead of going forth at large and in full vigor as he had formerly done.
And his own counsel - His own plans shall be the means of his fall.

The steps of his strength - Even in his greatest prosperity he shall be in straits and difficulties.
His own counsel - He shall be the dupe and the victim of his own airy, ambitious, and impious schemes.

The steps of his strength shall be straitened,.... As a man in health can take large and strong steps, and travel in the greatness of his strength; so in prosperity he can and does take large steps in obtaining fame and reputation among men, in amassing substance to himself, and towards settling his family in the world; he is like one in a large place, and walks at liberty, goes in and out at pleasure, and none can control him; he walks in pride, and with an high and lifted up head, and with contempt of others, and his will is his law, and he does as he pleases; but in adversity, as his strength is weakened in the way, he cannot take the strides he did, his way is hedged up with thorns, he is pressed on every side, and surrounded with troubles, so that, let him turn himself which way he will, he can find no way to escape:
and his own counsel shall cast him down; as Ahithophel's and Haman's did, which issued in their ruin, 2-Samuel 17:23; what wicked men sometimes plot and devise, with a view to their own good, and the injury of others, proves the destruction of themselves; when they have contrived to raise themselves upon the ruins of others, it has been the means of casting them down from the state and condition they were in, instead of raising to an higher, even down to desolation, and into the most miserable circumstances.

steps of his strength--Hebrew, for "His strong steps." A firm step marks health. To be straitened in steps is to be no longer able to move about at will (Proverbs 4:12).
his own counsel--Plans shall be the means of his fall (Job 5:13).

Steps - His strong steps, by a vulgar Hebraism: his attempts and actions; such of them as seem to be contrived with greatest strength of understanding, and carried on with greatest resolution. Straitened - Shall be hindered and entangled. He shall be cast into difficulties and perplexities, so that he shall not be able to proceed, and to accomplish his enterprizes.