1 Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.
2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.
3 He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.
4 The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.
5 As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.
6 The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.
7 There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen:
8 The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.
9 He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.
10 He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.
11 He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.
12 But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.
14 The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.
15 It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
17 The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.
18 No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
22 Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.
23 God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.
24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;
25 To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.
26 When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:
27 Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.
28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
1 Surely H3426 there is a vein H4161 for the silver, H3701 and a place H4725 for gold H2091 where they fine H2212 it.
2 Iron H1270 is taken H3947 out of the earth, H6083 and brass H5154 is molten H6694 out of the stone. H68
3 He setteth H7760 an end H7093 to darkness, H2822 and searcheth out H2713 all perfection: H8503 the stones H68 of darkness, H652 and the shadow of death. H6757
4 The flood H5158 breaketh out H6555 from the inhabitant; H1481 even the waters forgotten H7911 of the foot: H7272 they are dried up, H1809 they are gone away H5128 from men. H582
5 As for the earth, H776 out of it cometh H3318 bread: H3899 and under it is turned up H2015 as it were fire. H784
6 The stones H68 of it are the place H4725 of sapphires: H5601 and it hath dust H6083 of gold. H2091
7 There is a path H5410 which no fowl H5861 knoweth, H3045 and which the vulture's H344 eye H5869 hath not seen: H7805
8 The lion's H7830 whelps H1121 have not trodden H1869 it, nor the fierce lion H7826 passed H5710 by it.
9 He putteth forth H7971 his hand H3027 upon the rock; H2496 he overturneth H2015 the mountains H2022 by the roots. H8328
10 He cutteth out H1234 rivers H2975 among the rocks; H6697 and his eye H5869 seeth H7200 every precious thing. H3366
11 He bindeth H2280 the floods H5104 from overflowing; H1065 and the thing that is hid H8587 bringeth he forth H3318 to light. H216
12 But where H370 shall wisdom H2451 be found? H4672 and where is the place H4725 of understanding? H998
13 Man H582 knoweth H3045 not the price H6187 thereof; neither is it found H4672 in the land H776 of the living. H2416
14 The depth H8415 saith, H559 It is not in me: and the sea H3220 saith, H559 It is not with me.
15 It cannot be gotten H5414 for gold, H5458 neither shall silver H3701 be weighed H8254 for the price H4242 thereof.
16 It cannot be valued H5541 with the gold H3800 of Ophir, H211 with the precious H3368 onyx, H7718 or the sapphire. H5601
17 The gold H2091 and the crystal H2137 cannot equal H6186 it: and the exchange H8545 of it shall not be for jewels H3627 of fine gold. H6337
18 No mention H2142 shall be made of coral, H7215 or of pearls: H1378 for the price H4901 of wisdom H2451 is above rubies. H6443
19 The topaz H6357 of Ethiopia H3568 shall not equal H6186 it, neither shall it be valued H5541 with pure H2889 gold. H3800
20 Whence H370 then cometh H935 wisdom? H2451 and where is the place H4725 of understanding? H998
21 Seeing it is hid H5956 from the eyes H5869 of all living, H2416 and kept close H5641 from the fowls H5775 of the air. H8064
22 Destruction H11 and death H4194 say, H559 We have heard H8085 the fame H8088 thereof with our ears. H241
23 God H430 understandeth H995 the way H1870 thereof, and he knoweth H3045 the place H4725 thereof.
24 For he looketh H5027 to the ends H7098 of the earth, H776 and seeth H7200 under the whole heaven; H8064
25 To make H6213 the weight H4948 for the winds; H7307 and he weigheth H8505 the waters H4325 by measure. H4060
26 When he made H6213 a decree H2706 for the rain, H4306 and a way H1870 for the lightning H2385 of the thunder: H6963
27 Then did he see H7200 it, and declare H5608 it; he prepared H3559 it, yea, and searched it out. H2713
28 And unto man H120 he said, H559 Behold, the fear H3374 of the Lord, H136 that is wisdom; H2451 and to depart H5493 from evil H7451 is understanding. H998
1 Surely there is a mine for silver, And a place for gold which they refine.
2 Iron is taken out of the earth, And copper is molten out of the stone.
3 `Man' setteth an end to darkness, And searcheth out, to the furthest bound, The stones of obscurity and of thick darkness.
4 He breaketh open a shaft away from where men sojourn; They are forgotten of the foot; They hang afar from men, they swing to and fro.
5 As for the earth, out of it cometh bread; And underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.
6 The stones thereof are the place of sapphires, And it hath dust of gold.
7 That path no bird of prey knoweth, Neither hath the falcon's eye seen it:
8 The proud beasts have not trodden it, Nor hath the fierce lion passed thereby.
9 He putteth forth his hand upon the flinty rock; He overturneth the mountains by the roots.
10 He cutteth out channels among the rocks; And his eye seeth every precious thing.
11 He bindeth the streams that they trickle not; And the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.
12 But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?
13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; Neither is it found in the land of the living.
14 The deep saith, It is not in me; And the sea saith, It is not with me.
15 It cannot be gotten for gold, Neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, With the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
17 Gold and glass cannot equal it, Neither shall it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
18 No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal: Yea, the price of wisdom is above rubies.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, Neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
20 Whence then cometh wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?
21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, And kept close from the birds of the heavens.
22 Destruction and Death say, We have heard a rumor thereof with our ears.
23 God understandeth the way thereof, And he knoweth the place thereof.
24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, And seeth under the whole heaven;
25 To make a weight for the wind: Yea, he meteth out the waters by measure.
26 When he made a decree for the rain, And a way for the lightning of the thunder;
27 Then did he see it, and declare it; He established it, yea, and searched it out.
28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.
1 Surely there is for silver a source, And a place for the gold they refine;
2 Iron from the dust is taken, And `from' the firm stone brass.
3 An end hath he set to darkness, And to all perfection he is searching, A stone of darkness and death-shade.
4 A stream hath broken out from a sojourner, Those forgotten of the foot, They were low, from man they wandered.
5 The earth! from it cometh forth bread, And its under-part is turned like fire.
6 A place of the sapphire `are' its stones, And it hath dust of gold.
7 A path -- not known it hath a ravenous fowl, Nor scorched it hath an eye of the kite,
8 Nor trodden it have the sons of pride, Not passed over it hath the fierce lion.
9 Against the flint he sent forth his hand, He overturned from the root mountains.
10 Among rocks, brooks he hath cleaved, And every precious thing hath his eye seen.
11 From overflowing floods he hath bound, And the hidden thing bringeth out `to' light.
12 And the wisdom -- whence is it found? And where `is' this, the place of understanding?
13 Man hath not known its arrangement, Nor is it found in the land of the living.
14 The deep hath said, `It `is' not in me,' And the sea hath said, `It is not with me.'
15 Gold is not given for it, Nor is silver weighed -- its price.
16 It is not valued with pure gold of Ophir, With precious onyx and sapphire,
17 Not equal it do gold and crystal, Nor `is' its exchange a vessel of fine gold.
18 Corals and pearl are not remembered, The acquisition of wisdom `is' above rubies.
19 Not equal it doth the topaz of Cush, With pure gold it is not valued.
20 And the wisdom -- whence doth it come? And where `is' this, the place of understanding?
21 It hath been hid from the eyes of all living. And from the fowl of the heavens It hath been hidden.
22 Destruction and death have said: `With our ears we have heard its fame.'
23 God hath understood its way, And He hath known its place.
24 For He to the ends of the earth doth look, Under the whole heavens He doth see,
25 To make for the wind a weight, And the waters He meted out in measure.
26 In His making for the rain a limit, And a way for the brightness of the voices,
27 Then He hath seen and declareth it, He hath prepared it, and also searched it out,
28 And He saith to man: -- `Lo, fear of the Lord, that `is' wisdom, And to turn from evil `is' understanding.'
1 Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold which they refine;
2 Iron is taken out of the dust, and copper is molten out of the stone.
3 [Man] putteth an end to the darkness, and exploreth to the utmost limit, the stones of darkness and of the shadow of death.
4 He openeth a shaft far from the inhabitants [of the earth]: forgotten of the foot, they hang suspended; away below men they hover.
5 As for the earth, out of it cometh bread, and underneath it is turned up as by fire;
6 The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold.
7 It is a path no bird of prey knoweth, and the vulture's eye hath not seen it;
8 The proud beasts have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed over it.
9 [Man] putteth forth his hand upon the flinty rock, he overturneth the mountains by the root.
10 He cutteth out channels in the rocks, and his eye seeth every precious thing.
11 He bindeth the streams that they drip not, and what is hidden he bringeth forth to light.
12 But wisdom, where shall it be found? and where is the place of understanding?
13 Man knoweth not the value thereof; and it is not found in the land of the living.
14 The deep saith, It is not in me; and the sea saith, It is not with me.
15 Choice gold cannot be given for it, nor silver be weighed for its price.
16 It is not set in the balance with gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, and the sapphire.
17 Gold and glass cannot be compared to it, nor vessels of fine gold be its exchange.
18 Corals and crystal are no more remembered; yea, the acquisition of wisdom is above rubies.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be compared to it, neither shall it be set in the balance with pure gold.
20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
21 For it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the fowl of the heavens.
22 Destruction and death say, We have heard its report with our ears.
23 God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth its place:
24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, he seeth under the whole heaven.
25 In making a weight for the wind, and meting out the waters by measure,
26 In appointing a statute for the rain, and a way for the thunder's flash:
27 Then did he see it, and declare it; he established it, yea, and searched it out;
28 And unto man he said, Lo, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
1 "Surely there is a mine for silver, And a place for gold which they refine.
2 Iron is taken out of the earth, And copper is smelted out of the ore.
3 Man sets an end to darkness, And searches out, to the furthest bound, The stones of obscurity and of thick darkness.
4 He breaks open a shaft away from where people live. They are forgotten by the foot. They hang far from men, they swing back and forth.
5 As for the earth, out of it comes bread; Underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.
6 Sapphires come from its rocks. It has dust of gold.
7 That path no bird of prey knows, Neither has the falcon's eye seen it.
8 The proud animals have not trodden it, Nor has the fierce lion passed by there.
9 He puts forth his hand on the flinty rock, And he overturns the mountains by the roots.
10 He cuts out channels among the rocks. His eye sees every precious thing.
11 He binds the streams that they don't trickle; The thing that is hidden he brings forth to light.
12 "But where shall wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding?
13 Man doesn't know its price; Neither is it found in the land of the living.
14 The deep says, 'It isn't in me.' The sea says, 'It isn't with me.'
15 It can't be gotten for gold, Neither shall silver be weighed for its price.
16 It can't be valued with the gold of Ophir, With the precious onyx, or the sapphire{or, lapis lazuli}.
17 Gold and glass can't equal it, Neither shall it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
18 No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal: Yes, the price of wisdom is above rubies.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, Neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
20 Whence then comes wisdom? Where is the place of understanding?
21 Seeing it is hidden from the eyes of all living, And kept close from the birds of the sky.
22 Destruction and Death say, 'We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.'
23 "God understands its way, And he knows its place.
24 For he looks to the ends of the earth, And sees under the whole sky.
25 He establishes the force of the wind; Yes, he measures out the waters by measure.
26 When he made a decree for the rain, And a way for the lightning of the thunder;
27 Then did he see it, and declare it. He established it, yes, and searched it out.
28 To man he said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.'"
1 Truly there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is washed out.
2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone is changed into brass by the fire.
3 Man puts an end to the dark, searching out to the farthest limit the stones of the deep places of the dark.
4 He makes a deep mine far away from those living in the light of day; when they go about on the earth, they have no knowledge of those who are under them, who are hanging far from men, twisting from side to side on a cord.
5 As for the earth, bread comes out of it; but under its face it is turned up as if by fire.
6 Its stones are the place of sapphires, and it has dust of gold.
7 No bird has knowledge of it, and the hawk's eye has never seen it.
8 The great beasts have not gone over it, and the cruel lion has not taken that way.
9 Man puts out his hand on the hard rock, overturning mountains by the roots.
10 He makes deep ways, cut through the rock, and his eye sees everything of value.
11 He keeps back the streams from flowing, and makes the secret things come out into the light.
12 But where may wisdom be seen? and where is the resting-place of knowledge?
13 Man has not seen the way to it, and it is not in the land of the living.
14 The deep waters say, It is not in me: and the sea says, It is not with me.
15 Gold may not be given for it, or a weight of silver in payment for it.
16 It may not be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the onyx of great price, or the sapphire.
17 Gold and glass are not equal to it in price, and it may not be exchanged for jewels of the best gold.
18 There is no need to say anything about coral or crystal; and the value of wisdom is greater than that of pearls.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia is not equal to it, and it may not be valued with the best gold.
20 From where then does wisdom come, and where is the resting-place of knowledge?
21 For it is kept secret from the eyes of all living, unseen by the birds of the air.
22 Destruction and Death say, We have only had word of it with our ears.
23 God has knowledge of the way to it, and of its resting-place;
24 For his eyes go to the ends of the earth, and he sees everything under heaven.
25 When he made a weight for the wind, measuring out the waters;
26 When he made a law for the rain, and a way for the thunder-flames;
27 Then he saw it, and put it on record; he gave it its fixed form, searching it out completely.
28 And he said to man, Truly the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to keep from evil is the way to knowledge.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Job 28
Commentary on Job 28 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 28
Job 28:1-28. Job's Speech Continued.
In the twenty-seventh chapter Job had tacitly admitted that the statement of the friends was often true, that God vindicated His justice by punishing the wicked here; but still the affliction of the godly remained unexplained. Man has, by skill, brought the precious metals from their concealment. But the Divine Wisdom, which governs human affairs, he cannot similarly discover (Job 28:12, &c.). However, the image from the same metals (Job 23:10) implies Job has made some way towards solving the riddle of his life; namely, that affliction is to him as the refining fire is to gold.
1. vein—a mine, from which it goes forth, Hebrew, "is dug."
place for gold—a place where gold may be found, which men refine. Not as English Version, "A place—where," (Mal 3:3). Contrasted with gold found in the bed and sand of rivers, which does not need refining; as the gold dug from a mine does. Golden ornaments have been found in Egypt, of the times of Joseph.
2. brass—that is, copper; for brass is a mixed metal of copper and zinc, of modern invention. Iron is less easily discovered, and wrought, than copper; therefore copper was in common use long before iron. Copper-stone is called "cadmium" by Pliny [Natural History, 34:1; 36:21]. Iron is fitly said to be taken out of the "earth" (dust), for ore looks like mere earth.
3. "Man makes an end of darkness," by exploring the darkest depths (with torches).
all perfection—rather, carries out his search to the utmost perfection; most thoroughly searches the stones of darkness and of the shadow of death (thickest gloom); that is, the stones, whatever they be, embedded in the darkest bowels of the earth [Umbreit] (Job 26:10).
4. Three hardships in mining: 1. "A stream (flood) breaks out at the side of the stranger"; namely, the miner, a strange newcomer into places heretofore unexplored; his surprise at the sudden stream breaking out beside him is expressed (English Version, "from the inhabitant"). 2. "Forgotten (unsupported) by the foot they hang," namely, by ropes, in descending. In the Hebrew, "Lo there" precedes this clause, graphically placing it as if before the eyes. "The waters" is inserted by English Version. "Are dried up," ought to be, "hang," "are suspended." English Version perhaps understood, waters of whose existence man was previously unconscious, and near which he never trod; and yet man's energy is such, that by pumps, &c., he soon causes them to "dry up and go away" [So Herder]. 3. "Far away from men, they move with uncertain step"; they stagger; not "they are gone" [Umbreit].
5. Its fertile surface yields food; and yet "beneath it is turned up as it were with fire." So Pliny [Natural History, 33] observes on the ingratitude of man who repays the debt he owes the earth for food, by digging out its bowels. "Fire" was used in mining [Umbreit]. English Version is simpler, which means precious stones which glow like fire; and so Job 28:6 follows naturally (Eze 28:14).
6. Sapphires are found in alluvial soil near rocks and embedded in gneiss. The ancients distinguished two kinds: 1. The real, of transparent blue: 2. That improperly so called, opaque, with gold spots; that is, lapis lazuli. To the latter, looking like gold dust, Umbreit refers "dust of gold." English Version better, "The stones of the earth are, &c., and the clods of it (Vulgate) are gold"; the parallel clauses are thus neater.
7. fowl—rather, "ravenous bird," or "eagle," which is the most sharp-sighted of birds (Isa 46:11). A vulture will spy a carcass at an amazing distance. The miner penetrates the earth by a way unseen by birds of keenest sight.
8. lion's whelps—literally, "the sons of pride," that is, the fiercest beasts.
passed—The Hebrew implies the proud gait of the lion. The miner ventures where not even the fierce lion dares to go in pursuit of his prey.
9. rock—flint. He puts forth his hand to cleave the hardest rock.
by the roots—from their foundations, by undermining them.
10. He cuts channels to drain off the waters, which hinder his mining; and when the waters are gone, he he is able to see the precious things in the earth.
11. floods—"He restrains the streams from weeping"; a poetical expression for the trickling subterranean rills, which impede him; answering to the first clause of Job 28:10; so also the two latter clauses in each verse correspond.
12. Can man discover the Divine Wisdom by which the world is governed, as he can the treasures hidden in the earth? Certainly not. Divine Wisdom is conceived as a person (Job 28:12-27) distinct from God (Job 28:23; also in Pr 8:23, 27). The Almighty Word, Jesus Christ, we know now, is that Wisdom. The order of the world was originated and is maintained by the breathing forth (Spirit) of Wisdom, unfathomable and unpurchasable by man. In Job 28:28, the only aspect of it, which relates to, and may be understood by, man, is stated.
understanding—insight into the plan of the divine government.
13. Man can fix no price upon it, as it is nowhere to be found in man's abode (Isa 38:11). Job implies both its valuable worth, and the impossibility of buying it at any price.
15. Not the usual word for "gold"; from a Hebrew root, "to shut up" with care; that is, purest gold (1Ki 6:20, Margin).
weighed—The precious metals were weighed out before coining was known (Ge 23:16).
16. gold of Ophir—the most precious (See on Job 22:24 and Ps 45:9).
onyx—(Ge 2:12). More valued formerly than now. The term is Greek, meaning "thumb nail," from some resemblance in color. The Arabic denotes, of two colors, white preponderating.
17. crystal—Or else glass, if then known, very costly. From a root, "to be transparent."
jewels—rather, "vessels."
18. Red coral (Eze 27:16).
pearls—literally, "what is frozen." Probably crystal; and Job 28:17 will then be glass.
rubies—Umbreit translates "pearls" (see La 4:1; Pr 3:15). The Urim and Thummim, the means of consulting God by the twelve stones on the high priest's breastplate, "the stones of the sanctuary" (La 4:1), have their counterpart in this chapter; the precious stones symbolizing the "light" and "perfection" of the divine wisdom.
19. Ethiopia—Cush in the Hebrew. Either Ethiopia, or the south of Arabia, near the Tigris.
20. Job 28:12 repeated with great force.
21. None can tell whence or where, seeing it, &c.
fowls—The gift of divination was assigned by the heathen especially to birds. Their rapid flight heavenwards and keen sight originated the superstition. Job may allude to it. Not even the boasted divination of birds has an insight into it (Ec 10:20). But it may merely mean, as in Job 28:7, It escapes the eye of the most keen-sighted bird.
22. That is, the abodes of destruction and of the dead. "Death" put for Sheol (Job 30:23; 26:6; Ps 9:13).
We have [only] heard—the report of her. We have not seen her. In the land of the living (Job 28:13) the workings of Wisdom are seen, though not herself. In the regions of the dead she is only heard of, her actings on nature not being seen (Ec 9:10).
23. God hath, and is Himself, wisdom.
24. "Seeth (all that is) under," &c.
25. God has adjusted the weight of the winds, so seemingly imponderable, lest, if too weighty, or too light, injury should be caused. He measureth out the waters, fixing their bounds, with wisdom as His counsellor (Pr 8:27-31; Isa 40:12).
26. The decree regulating at what time and place, and in what quantity, the rain should fall.
a way—through the parted clouds (Job 38:25; Zec 10:1).
27. declare—manifest her, namely, in His works (Ps 19:1, 2). So the approval bestowed by the Creator on His works (Ge 1:10, 31); compare the "rejoicing" of wisdom at the same (Pr 8:30; which Umbreit translates; "I was the skilful artificer by His side").
prepared—not created, for wisdom is from everlasting (Pr 8:22-31); but "established" her as Governor of the world.
searched … out—examined her works to see whether she was adequate to the task of governing the world [Maurer].
28. Rather, "But unto man," &c. My wisdom is that whereby all things are governed; Thy wisdom is in fearing God and shunning evil, and in feeling assured that My wisdom always acts aright, though thou dost not understand the principle which regulates it; for example, in afflicting the godly (Joh 7:17). The friends, therefore, as not comprehending the Divine Wisdom, should not infer Job's guilt from his sufferings. Here alone in Job the name of God, Adonai, occurs; "Lord" or "master," often applied to Messiah in Old Testament. Appropriately here, in speaking of the Word or Wisdom, by whom the world was made (Pr 8:22-31; Joh 1:3; Ecclesiasticus 24:1-34).