Job 28

1 "There are mines where people dig silver and places where gold is made pure.

2 Iron is taken from the ground, and copper is melted out of rocks.

3 Miners bring lights and search deep into the mines for ore in thick darkness.

4 Miners dig a tunnel far from where people live, where no one has ever walked; they work far from people, swinging and swaying from ropes.

5 Food grows on top of the earth, but below ground things are changed as if by fire.

6 Sapphires are found in rocks, and gold dust is also found there.

7 No hawk knows that path; the falcon has not seen it.

8 Proud animals have not walked there, and no lions cross over it.

9 Miners hit the rocks of flint and dig away at the bottom of the mountains.

10 They cut tunnels through the rock and see all the treasures there.

11 They search for places where rivers begin and bring things hidden out into the light.

12 "But where can wisdom be found, and where does understanding live?

13 People do not understand the value of wisdom; it cannot be found among those who are alive.

14 The deep ocean says, 'It's not in me;' the sea says, 'It's not in me.'

15 Wisdom cannot be bought with gold, and its cost cannot be weighed in silver.

16 Wisdom cannot be bought with fine gold or with valuable onyx or sapphire gems.

17 Gold and crystal are not as valuable as wisdom, and you cannot buy it with jewels of gold.

18 Coral and jasper are not worth talking about, and the price of wisdom is much greater than rubies.

19 The topaz from Cush cannot compare to wisdom; it cannot be bought with the purest gold.

20 "So where does wisdom come from, and where does understanding live?

21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, even from the birds of the air.

22 The places of destruction and death say, 'We have heard reports about it.'

23 Only God understands the way to wisdom, and he alone knows where it lives,

24 because he looks to the farthest parts of the earth and sees everything under the sky.

25 When God gave power to the wind and measured the water,

26 when he made rules for the rain and set a path for a thunderstorm to follow,

27 then he looked at wisdom and decided its worth; he set wisdom up and tested it.

28 Then he said to humans, 'The fear of the Lord is wisdom; to stay away from evil is understanding.'"

Job 28 Commentary

Chapter 28

Concerning wordly wealth. (1-11) Wisdom is of inestimable value. (12-19) Wisdom is the gift of God. (20-28)

Verses 1-11 Job maintained that the dispensations of Providence were regulated by the highest wisdom. To confirm this, he showed of what a great deal of knowledge and wealth men may make themselves masters. The caverns of the earth may be discovered, but not the counsels of Heaven. Go to the miners, thou sluggard in religion, consider their ways, and be wise. Let their courage and diligence in seeking the wealth that perishes, shame us out of slothfulness and faint-heartedness in labouring for the true riches. How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! How much easier, and safer! Yet gold is sought for, but grace neglected. Will the hopes of precious things out of the earth, so men call them, though really they are paltry and perishing, be such a spur to industry, and shall not the certain prospect of truly precious things in heaven be much more so?

Verses 12-19 Job here speaks of wisdom and understanding, the knowing and enjoying of God and ourselves. Its worth is infinitely more than all the riches in this world. It is a gift of the Holy Ghost which cannot be bought with money. Let that which is most precious in God's account, be so in ours. Job asks after it as one that truly desired to find it, and despaired of finding it any where but in God; any way but by Divine revelation.

Verses 20-28 There is a two-fold wisdom; one hid in God, which is secret, and belongs not to us; the other made known by him, and revealed to man. One day's events, and one man's affairs, have such reference to, and so hang one upon another, that He only, to whom all is open, and who sees the whole at one view, can rightly judge of every part. But the knowledge of God's revealed will is within our reach, and will do us good. Let man look upon this as his wisdom, To fear the Lord, and to depart from evil. Let him learn that, and he is learned enough. Where is this wisdom to be found? The treasures of it are hid in Christ, revealed by the word, received by faith, through the Holy Ghost. It will not feed pride or vanity, or amuse our vain curiosity. It teaches and encourages sinners to fear the Lord, and to depart from evil, in the exercise of repentance and faith, without desiring to solve all difficulties about the events of this life.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 28

The design of this chapter is either to show the folly of such who are very diligent in their search and pursuit after earthly things, and neglect an inquiry after that which is infinitely more valuable, true wisdom; or rather to observe, that though things the most secret, and which are hidden in the bowels of the earth, may be investigated and discovered by the sagacity and diligence of men, yet wisdom cannot, especially the wisdom of God in his providences, which are past finding out; and particularly in what concerns the prosperity of the wicked, and the afflictions of the righteous; the reason of which men should be content to be ignorant of for the present, and be studious to possess that wisdom which is attainable, and be thankful for it, if they have it; which lies in the fear of the Lord, and a departure from evil, with which this chapter concludes. It begins with setting forth the sagacity of men in searching and finding out useful metals, and other things the earth produces; the difficulty, fatigue, and labour, that attend such a search, and the dangers they are exposed unto in it, Job 28:1-11; then it declares the unsearchableness of wisdom, its superior excellency to things the most valuable, and that it is not to be found by sea or land, or among any of the creatures, Job 28:12-22; and that God only knows its way and place, who has sought it out, prepared and declared it, Job 28:23-27; and that which he has thought fit to make known of it, and is most for his glory and the good of men, is, that it is to fear God, and depart from evil, Job 28:28.