Job 28: Where wisdom is found
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Job speaks of the mine: silver, gold, iron, copper and sapphires come out of the earth, and he says of a path that no bird of prey knows and no fierce lion has walked. Then he asks where wisdom is found and says it cannot be had for gold or jewels. He says the deep and the sea answer that it is not in them, and that Destruction and Death say they have heard a rumor of it. He says God understands its way and knows its place, and that to man he said the fear of the Lord is wisdom.
Who is speaking?
God does not speak himself in this chapter, so nothing is in gold. Job speaks the whole chapter: no new speaker is named, and it carries on his speech that began in [[JOB 27:1|Job 27:1]], "Job again took up his parable". Inside the poem Job tells what the deep and the sea say (verse 14) and what Destruction and Death say (verse 22). In verse 28 Job tells what God "said to man", so those are Job's words reporting God, not God's own words in gold. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1“Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold which they refine.
In plain English: Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold that people refine.
Good to know: The Hebrew of verses 1 to 11 is hard, and translations read several of its lines in different ways. The plain lines here follow the WEB.
The Hebrew word: "Mine" is motsa, which the dictionary gives as "a going forth, i.e. (the act) an egress, or (the place) an exit; hence, a source or product; specifically, dawn, the rising of the sun (the East), exportation, utterance, a gate, a fountain, a mine, a meadow (as producing grass)". It is in 26 verses of the Bible, and the WEB says "mine" in 1 of them, this one. In Job it is in this verse and .
What changes: With the plainest meaning of the word, the line says there is a place where silver comes out, a source for silver. The WEB reads that source as a mine.
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2Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted out of the ore.
In plain English: Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted out of the ore (the Hebrew says: out of stone).
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3Man sets an end to darkness, and searches out, to the furthest bound, the stones of obscurity and of thick darkness.
In plain English: Man puts an end to the darkness. He searches out, to the furthest limit, the stones in gloom and in thick darkness.
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4He 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.
In plain English: He breaks open a shaft away from where people live (or: away from where a stranger stays). They are forgotten by the foot. They hang far from men, they swing back and forth. (The Hebrew of this verse is hard: see the note.)
Good to know: This is one of the hardest verses in the chapter. The Hebrew has very few words, translations differ on who "they" are and what hangs and swings, and the text does not say. The plain line gives the WEB's words and nothing more.
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5As for the earth, out of it comes bread. Underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.
In plain English: As for the earth, bread (or: food) comes out of it. Underneath, it is turned up as if by fire.
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6Sapphires come from its rocks. It has dust of gold.
In plain English: Sapphires come from its rocks. It has dust of gold.
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7That path no bird of prey knows, neither has the falcon’s eye seen it.
In plain English: That path no bird of prey knows, and the falcon's eye has not seen it.
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8The proud animals have not trodden it, nor has the fierce lion passed by there.
In plain English: The proud animals (the Hebrew says: the sons of pride) have not walked on it, and the fierce lion has not passed by there.
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9He puts his hand on the flinty rock, and he overturns the mountains by the roots.
In plain English: He puts his hand on the flinty rock, and he overturns the mountains by the roots.
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10He cuts out channels among the rocks. His eye sees every precious thing.
In plain English: He cuts out channels among the rocks. His eye sees every precious thing.
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11He binds the streams that they don’t trickle. The thing that is hidden he brings out to light.
In plain English: He binds the streams so that they don't trickle. The thing that is hidden he brings out to light.
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12“But where will wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding?
In plain English: But where will wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding?
The Hebrew words: "Wisdom" is chokmah, which the dictionary gives as "wisdom (in a good sense)". It is in 18 verses of Job, and the WEB says "wisdom" in 17 of them. Four of those verses are in this chapter: 12, 18, 20 and 28. "Understanding" is binah, which the dictionary gives as "understanding". It is in 9 verses of Job, and the WEB says "understanding" in 8 of them. Three of those verses are in this chapter: 12, 20 and 28. The question in this verse comes back in , and both words come back in .
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13Man doesn’t know its price, and it isn’t found in the land of the living.
In plain English: Man doesn't know its price, and it isn't found in the land of the living.
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14The deep says, ‘It isn’t in me.’ The sea says, ‘It isn’t with me.’
In plain English: The deep says, 'It isn't in me.' The sea says, 'It isn't with me.'
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15It can’t be gotten for gold, neither will silver be weighed for its price.
In plain English: It can't be gotten for gold, and silver won't be weighed out as its price.
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16It can’t be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
In plain English: It can't be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
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17Gold and glass can’t equal it, neither will it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
In plain English: Gold and glass can't equal it, and it can't be exchanged for jewels (the Hebrew says: vessels) of fine gold.
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18No mention will be made of coral or of crystal. Yes, the price of wisdom is above rubies.
In plain English: No mention will be made of coral or of crystal. Yes, the price of wisdom is above rubies (or: pearls).
The Hebrew word: "Rubies" is peninim, which the dictionary gives as "probably a pearl (as round)". It is in 6 verses of the Bible, and the WEB says "rubies" in all 6.
What changes: With the dictionary meaning the line reads that the price of wisdom is above pearls. The text does not say which stone is meant.
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19The topaz of Ethiopia will not equal it. It won’t be valued with pure gold.
In plain English: The topaz of Ethiopia (the Hebrew says: Cush) will not equal it. It won't be valued with pure gold.
The Hebrew word: "Ethiopia" is Kush, which the dictionary gives as "Cush (or Ethiopia), the name of a son of Ham, and of his territory; also of an Israelite". It is in 30 verses of the Bible. The WEB says "Ethiopia" in 16 of them and "Cush" in 13. In Job it is in this verse only.
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20Where then does wisdom come from? Where is the place of understanding?
In plain English: Where then does wisdom come from? Where is the place of understanding?
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21Seeing it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the birds of the sky.
In plain English: It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, and kept hidden from the birds of the sky.
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22Destruction and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.’
In plain English: Destruction (the Hebrew says: Abaddon) and Death say, 'We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.'
The Hebrew word: "Destruction" is Abaddon, which the dictionary gives as "abstract, a perishing; concrete, Hades". It is in 5 verses of the Bible: , this verse, , and . The WEB says "Destruction" in 3 of them and "Abaddon" in 2.
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23“God understands its way, and he knows its place.
In plain English: God understands its way, and he knows its place.
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24For he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole sky.
In plain English: For he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole sky.
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25He establishes the force of the wind. Yes, he measures out the waters by measure.
In plain English: He establishes the force of the wind (the Hebrew says: he gives the wind a weight). Yes, he measures out the waters by measure.
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26When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder,
In plain English: When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder,
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27then he saw it, and declared it. He established it, yes, and searched it out.
In plain English: then he saw it and declared it. He established it, yes, and searched it out.
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28To man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.’”
In plain English: And to man he said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.'
The Hebrew word: "The Lord" is Adonai, which the dictionary gives as "the Lord (used as a proper name of God only)". It is in 1 verse of Job, this one. This Bible writes Yahweh where the Hebrew has his name, and here the Hebrew has this other word.
Good to know: "He said to man" is Job telling what God said, inside Job's own speech. It is Job's report, so it is not in gold. says "The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge" and says "The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom". Each wording is different from the others.
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