Read Job chapter 28 online with LogosAI Bible study tools, highlights, and cross references.
Job 28 is part of “Third Cycle of Dialogue” (22–31) in the outline of Job.
Job 28 summary
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" (Job 11:6). No, says Job, "secret things belong not to us, but things revealed," Deu 29:29. And here he shows, I. Concerning worldly wealth, how industriously that is sought for and pursued by the children of men, what pains they take, what contrivances they have, and what hazards they run to get it (Job 28:1-11). II. Concerning wisdom (Job 28:12). In general, the price of it is very great; it is of inestimable value (Job 28:15-19). The place of it is very secret (Job 28:14, Job 28:20, Job 28:22). In particular, there is a wisdom which is hidden in God (Job 28:23-27) and there is a wisdom which is revealed to the children of men (Job 28:28). Our enquiries into the former must be checked, into the latter quickened, for that is it which is our concern.
Source: Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
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.