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Texts -- Job 28:2-28 (NET)

Context
28:2 Iron is taken from the ground , and rock is poured out as copper . 28:3 Man puts an end to the darkness ; he searches the farthest recesses for the ore in the deepest darkness . darkness . 28:4 Far from where people live he sinks a shaft , in places travelers have long forgotten , far from other people he dangles and sways . 28:5 The earth , from which food comes , is overturned below as though by fire ; 28:6 a place whose stones are sapphires and which contains dust of gold ; 28:7 a hidden path no bird of prey knows – no falcon’s eye has spotted it. 28:8 Proud beasts have not set foot on it, and no lion has passed along it. 28:9 On the flinty rock man has set to work with his hand ; he has overturned mountains at their bases . 28:10 He has cut out channels through the rocks ; his eyes have spotted every precious thing. 28:11 He has searched the sources of the rivers and what was hidden he has brought into the light .
No Price Can Buy Wisdom
28:12 “But wisdom – where can it be found ? Where is the place of understanding ? 28:13 Mankind does not know its place ; it cannot be found in the land of the living . 28:14 The deep says , ‘It is not with me.’ And the sea says , ‘It is not with me .’ 28:15 Fine gold cannot be given in exchange for it, nor can its price be weighed out in silver . 28:16 It cannot be measured out for purchase with the gold of Ophir , with precious onyx or sapphires . 28:17 Neither gold nor crystal can be compared with it, nor can a vase of gold match its worth. 28:18 Of coral and jasper no mention will be made; the price of wisdom is more than pearls . 28:19 The topaz of Cush cannot be compared with it; it cannot be purchased with pure gold .
God Alone Has Wisdom
28:20 “But wisdom – where does it come from? Where is the place of understanding ? 28:21 For it has been hidden from the eyes of every living creature , and from the birds of the sky it has been concealed . 28:22 Destruction and Death say , ‘With our ears we have heard a rumor about where it can be found.’ 28:23 God understands the way to it, and he alone knows its place . 28:24 For he looks to the ends of the earth and observes everything under the heavens . 28:25 When he made the force of the wind and measured the waters with a gauge . 28:26 When he imposed a limit for the rain , and a path for the thunderstorm , 28:27 then he looked at wisdom and assessed its value; he established it and examined it closely. 28:28 And he said to mankind , ‘The fear of the Lord – that is wisdom , and to turn away from evil is understanding .’”

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • EUNICE

    [isbe] EUNICE - u-ni'-se, u'-nis (Eunike, is the correct reading, and not Euneike, which is read by the Textus Receptus of the New Testament of Stephen, three syllables: Eu-ni-ke, literally, "conquering well"; 2 Tim 1:5): The mothe...

  • ETHICS, III

    [isbe] ETHICS, III - III. Principles and Characteristics of Biblical Ethics. The sketch of the history of ethics just offered, brief as it necessarily is, may serve to indicate the ideas which have shaped modern thought and helped ...

  • Job

    [nave] JOB 1. A man who dwelt in Uz, Job 1:1. Righteousness of, Job 1:1, 5, 8; 2:3; Ezek. 14:14, 20. Riches of, Job 1:3. Trial of, by affliction of Satan, Job 1:13-19; 2:7-10. Fortitude of, Job 1:20-22; 2:10; Jas. 5:11. Visite...

  • Philosophy

    [nave] PHILOSOPHY The nature of things, Eccl. 1-7. A philosophical inquiry on wisdom, Job. 28. Philosophical inductions and deductions relating to God and his providence, Job 5:8-20; 9; 10:2-21; 12:6-24; 33:12-30; 37. Reveals th...

  • Science

    [nave] SCIENCE Observations of, and deductions from, facts, Job 26:7-14; 28; Eccl. 1:13-17. So-called, false, 1 Tim. 6:20. The key of knowledge, Luke 11:52; Rom. 2:20. See: Geology; Astronomy; Philosophy.

  • Readings, Select

    [nave] READINGS, SELECT. Judah's Defense Gen. 44:18-34 Joseph Revealing His Identity Gen. 45:1-15 The Deliverance of the Israelites from Pharaoh Ex. 14:5-30 Song of Moses When Pharaoh and His Army Were Overthrown Ex. 15:1-1...

  • BARUCH, BOOK OF

    [isbe] BARUCH, BOOK OF - One of the Apocryphal or Deutero-canonical books, standing between Jeremiah and Lamentations in the Septuagint, but in the Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) after these two books. I. Name. See un...

  • JOB, BOOK OF

    [isbe] JOB, BOOK OF - || I. INTRODUCTORY 1. Place in the Canon 2. Rank and Readers II. THE LITERARY FRAMEWORK 1. Setting of Time, Place and Scene 2. Characters and Personality 3. Form and Style III. THE COURSE OF THE STORY A) To Jo...

  • Wisdom

    [isbe] WISDOM - wiz'-dum: 1. Linguistic 2. History 3. Religious Basis 4. Ideals 5. Teaching of Christ 6. Remainder of the New Testament (1) James (2) Paul 7. Hypostasis LITERATURE 1. Linguistic: In the Revised Version (British and ...
    [nave] WISDOM Of Joseph, Gen. 41:16, 25-39; Acts 7:10. Of Moses, Acts 7:22. Of Bezaleel, Ex. 31:3-5; 35:31-35; 36:1. Of Aholiab, Ex. 31:6; 35:34, 35; 36:1; of other skilled artisans, Ex. 36:2; of women, Ex. 35:26. Of Hiram, 1 K...

  • Wise, wisdom

    [ebd] a moral rather than an intellectual quality. To be "foolish" is to be godless (Ps. 14:1; comp. Judg. 19:23; 2 Sam. 13:13). True wisdom is a gift from God to those who ask it (Job 28:12-28; Prov. 3:13-18; Rom. 1:22; 16:27; 1 ...

  • Coral

    [ebd] Heb. ramoth, meaning "heights;" i.e., "high-priced" or valuable things, or, as some suppose, "that which grows high," like a tree (Job 28:18; Ezek. 27:16), according to the Rabbins, red coral, which was in use for ornaments....
    [isbe] CORAL - kor'-al (ra'moth, peninim): The red coral or precious coral, Corallium rubrum, is confined to the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas. It is the calcareous axis of a branching colony of polyps. It does not form reefs, bu...
    [smith] (Ezekiel 27:16) A production of the sea, formed by minute animals called zoophytes. It is their shell or house. It takes various forms, as of trees, shrubs, hemispheres. The principal colors are red and white. It was used for...
    [nave] CORAL, Job 28:18; Ezek. 27:16.

  • Gold

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. zahab, so called from its yellow colour (Ex. 25:11; 1 Chr. 28:18; 2 Chr. 3:5). (2.) Heb. segor, from its compactness, or as being enclosed or treasured up; thus precious or "fine gold" (1 Kings 6:20; 7:49). (3.) He...
    [isbe] GOLD - gold (zahabh; chrusos): 1. Terms: No metal has been more frequently mentioned in Old Testament writings than gold, and none has had more terms applied to it. Among these terms the one most used is zahabh. The Arabic e...
    [smith] Gold was known from the very earliest times. (Genesis 2:11) It was at first used chiefly for ornaments, etc. (Genesis 24:22) Coined money was not known to the ancients till a comparatively late period; and on the Egyptian tom...
    [nave] GOLD Exported from Havilah, Gen. 2:11, 12. From Ophir, 1 Kin. 9:28; 10:11; 1 Chr. 29:4; 2 Chr. 8:18; Job 22:24; Tarshish, 1 Kin. 22:48; Parvaim, 2 Chr. 3:6; Sheba, 1 Kin. 10:10; 2 Chr. 9:9; Psa. 72:15; Uphaz, Jer. 10:9. Re...

  • MINES, MINING

    [smith] A highly-poetical description given by the author of the book of Job of the operations of mining as known in his day is the only record of the kind which we inherit from the ancient Hebrews. (Job 28:1-11) In the Wady Magharah...

  • MINE; MINING

    [isbe] MINE; MINING - min, min'-ing: In Job 28:1-11 we have the only Biblical reference to mines. The writer very likely derived his information either from personal observation or from a description by an eyewitness, of the mining...

  • Mine

    [ebd] The process of mining is described in Job 28:1-11. Moses speaks of the mineral wealth of Palestine (Deut. 8:9). Job 28:4 is rightly thus rendered in the Revised Version, "He breaketh open a shaft away from where men sojourn;...

  • God

    [nave] GOD. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Access to; Compassion of; Creator; Creator of Mankind; Eternity of; Faithfulness of; Fatherhood of; Favor of; Foreknowledge of; Glory of; Goodness of...

  • LOGOS

    [isbe] LOGOS - log'-os (logos): I. GREEK SPECULATION 1. Heraclitus 2. Anaxagoras 3. Plato 4. Aristotle 5. Stoics II. HEBREW ANTICIPATION OF DOCTRINE 1. Word as Revelation of God 2. Suggestions of Personal Distinctions in Deity 3. T...

  • STONES, PRECIOUS

    [isbe] STONES, PRECIOUS - || 1. Ancient and Modern Names 2. Change of Signification of Names 3. Three Important Lists of Stones 4. Interpretation of Greek Names Used by John 5. Interpretation of Hebrew Names 6. Greek and Latin Equi...

  • Meteorology and Celestial Phenomena

    [nave] METEOROLOGY AND CELESTIAL PHENOMENA. Gen. 2:5, 6; Gen. 27:39; Job 9:7; Job 26:7, 8, 11; Job 27:20, 21; Job 28:24-27; Job 29:19; Job 36:27-33; Job 37:6-22; Job 38:9 [with vs. 8-11.] Job 38:22, 24-29, 31-35, 37; Psa. 18:8-15;...

  • Land, Land Masses

    [nave] LAND, LAND MASSES Gen. 1:9, 10; Job 26:7, 10; 28:8-11; 38:4-18; Psa. 95:5; 104:5-9; 136:6; Prov. 8:29; 30:4. See: Geology.
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Hymns

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  • [Job 28:28] Lord, Behold Us With Thy Blessing

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • God blessed Solomon with an effective navy that brought added wealth from the South and the East. Ophir (v. 28) evidently was in southwest Arabia (10:11; Job 22:24; 28:16).The writer documented in this section further evidenc...
  • What this book is all about has been the subject of considerable debate. Many people think God gave it to us to provide His answer to the age-old problem of suffering. In particular, many believe it is in the Bible to help us...
  • I. Prologue chs. 1-2A. Job's character 1:1-5B. Job's calamities 1:6-2:101. The first test 1:6-222. The second test 2:1-10C. Job's comforters 2:11-13II. The dialogue concerning the basis of the divine-human relationship 3:1-42...
  • The writer composed the prologue and epilogue of this book in prose narrative and the main body (3:1-42:6) in poetry. The prologue and epilogue form a frame around the main emphasis of the revelation, the poetic section, and ...
  • "Chapter 26 is one of the grandest recitals in the whole book. It is excelled only by the Lord's speeches, as is fitting. It sounds well in Job's mouth, and ends the dialogue, like the first movement of a symphony, with great...
  • Because the speech in this chapter is more soliloquy than dialogue some scholars have concluded that someone other than Job spoke it: Zophar, Bildad, or God. One writer argued for its being a speech by none of the characters,...
  • Elihu began by voicing his respect for Job's three friends (vv. 6-10). They were older than he, and for this reason he said he had refrained from speaking until now. However he had become convinced that advancing age does not...
  • The writer may have quoted Job 28:28, Proverbs 1:7 or 9:10, or Ecclesiastes 12:13."This famous saying is virtually the motto of the Wisdom writers, where its truth appears in various forms . . ."185In view of God's great acts...
  • This verse enjoys almost universal recognition as the key statement not only in Proverbs but in all the wisdom literature of the Bible (cf. 9:10; 15:33; Job 28:28; Ps. 111:10; Eccles. 12:13). Some people think of it as the mo...
  • In conclusion Solomon repeated his original thesis (v. 8; cf. 1:2) and his counsel in view of life's realities (vv. 13-14). In between these statements he set forth his source of authority for writing what we have in Ecclesia...
  • 1:17 In addition to favor with their overseers, God gave Daniel and his three friends the ability to master the subjects they studied and wisdom in these matters (cf. James 1:5). They may have thought that Nebuchadnezzar had ...
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