Job 28
28
Job Continues: Where Is Wisdom?
1“Surely there is a mine for silver,
and a place for gold that they #[Mal. 3:3]refine.
2Iron is taken out of the earth,
and copper is smelted from the ore.
3Man puts an end to darkness
and searches out to the farthest limit
the ore in #ch. 10:22 gloom and #See ch. 3:5deep darkness.
4He opens shafts in a valley away from where anyone lives;
they are forgotten by travelers;
they hang in the air, far away from mankind; they swing to and fro.
5As for the earth, #Ps. 104:14out of it comes bread,
but underneath it is turned up as by fire.
6Its stones are the place of #Ex. 24:10sapphires,#28:6 Or lapis lazuli; also verse 16
and it has dust of gold.
7“That path no bird of prey knows,
and the falcon’s eye has not seen it.
8 # ch. 41:34 The proud beasts have not trodden it;
# ch. 10:16 the lion has not passed over it.
9“Man puts his hand to #Deut. 8:15; 32:13; Ps. 114:8the flinty rock
and overturns mountains by the roots.
10He cuts out channels in the rocks,
and his eye sees every precious thing.
11He dams up the streams so that they do not trickle,
and the thing that is hidden he brings out to light.
12 # [Prov. 16:16; Eccles. 7:24] “But where shall wisdom be found?
And where is the place of understanding?
13Man does not know its worth,
and it is not found in #See Ps. 27:13the land of the living.
14 #
Gen. 49:25
The deep says, ‘It is not in me,’
and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’
15It #Prov. 3:14; 8:10, 11, 19; 16:16cannot be bought for gold,
and silver cannot be weighed as its price.
16It cannot be valued in #Ps. 45:9; Isa. 13:12 the gold of #See 1 Kgs. 9:28 Ophir,
in precious #Gen. 2:12 onyx or #Ex. 24:10sapphire.
17Gold and glass cannot equal it,
nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
18No mention shall be made of #Ezek. 27:16 coral or of crystal;
the price of wisdom is above #Ezek. 27:16 #Prov. 3:15; 8:11; 20:15; 31:10; Lam. 4:7pearls.
19 #
Ex. 28:17; 39:10; Ezek. 28:13 The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,
nor can it be valued in pure gold.
20“From where, then, does wisdom come?
And where is the place of understanding?
21It is hidden from the eyes of #ch. 12:10; 30:23all living
and concealed from the birds of the air.
22 # See ch. 26:6 Abaddon and Death say,
‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.’
23 # For ver. 23-28, see Prov. 8:22-31 “God understands the way to it,
and he knows its place.
24For he #[Prov. 15:3; Zech. 4:10]looks to the ends of the earth
and sees everything under the heavens.
25When he #[Ps. 135:7]gave to the wind its weight
and apportioned the waters by measure,
26when he made a decree for the rain
and #ch. 38:25a way for the lightning of the thunder,
27then he saw it and declared it;
he established it, and searched it out.
28And he said to man,
‘Behold, #Deut. 4:6; Ps. 111:10; Prov. 1:7; [Eccles. 12:13] the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
and to #Prov. 3:7; 14:16; 16:6turn away from evil is understanding.’”
Currently Selected:
Job 28: ESV
Highlight
Share
Copy
![None](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimageproxy.youversionapi.com%2F58%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fweb-assets.youversion.com%2Fapp-icons%2Fen.png&w=128&q=75)
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Sign up to receive news and updates about the ESV: