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?
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Job 28
Commentary on Job 28 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 28
The strain of this chapter is very unlike the rest of this book. Job forgets his sores, and all his sorrows, and talks like a philosopher or a virtuoso. Here is a great deal both of natural and moral philosophy in this discourse; but the question is, How does it come in here? Doubtless it was not merely for an amusement, or diversion from the controversy; though, if it had been only so, perhaps it would not have been much amiss. When disputes grow hot, better lose the question than lose our temper. But this is pertinent and to the business in hand. Job and his friends had been discoursing about the dispensations of Providence towards the wicked and the righteous. Job had shown that some wicked men live and die in prosperity, while others are presently and openly arrested by the judgments of God. But, if any ask the reason why some are punished in this world and not others, they must be told it is a question that cannot be answered. The knowledge of the reasons of state in God's government of the world is kept from us, and we must neither pretend to it nor reach after it. Zophar had wished that God would show Job the "secrets of wisdom' (ch. 11:6). No, says Job, "secret things belong not to us, but things revealed,' Deu. 29:29. And here he shows,
Job 28:1-11
Here Job shows,
Job 28:12-19
Job, having spoken of the wealth of the world, which men put such a value upon and take so much pains for, here comes to speak of another more valuable jewel, and that is, wisdom and understanding, the knowing and enjoying of God and ourselves. Those that found out all those ways and means to enrich themselves thought themselves very wise; but Job will not own theirs to be wisdom. He supposes them to gain their point, and to bring to light what they sought for (v. 11), and yet asks, "Where is wisdom? for it is not here.' This their way is their folly. We must therefore seek it somewhere else, and it will be found nowhere but in the principles and practices of religion. There is more true knowledge, satisfaction, and happiness, in sound divinity, which shows us the way to the joys of heaven, than in natural philosophy or mathematics, which help us to find a way into the bowels of the earth. Two things cannot be found out concerning this wisdom:-
Job 28:20-28
The question which Job had asked (v. 12) he asks again here; for it is too worthy, too weighty, to be let fall, until we speed in the enquiry. Concerning this we must seek till we find, till we get some satisfactory account of it. By a diligent prosecution of this enquiry he brings it, at length, to this issue, that there is a twofold wisdom, one hidden in God, which is secret and belongs not to us, the other made known by him and revealed to man, which belongs to us and to our children.