Job chapter 28
Job asks where wisdom can be found. We might search everywhere and never find it. Job concludes that the fear of the LORD is wisdom.
JOB SAYS THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS WISDOM
VERSE 1. “Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold which they refine.
VERSE 2. Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted out of the ore.
VERSE 3. Man sets an end to darkness, and searches out, to the furthest bound, the stones of obscurity and of thick darkness.
The divine light shines into the darkness of our lives and world. We often overlook it or misunderstand it, ignore it or hate it. But it is never extinguished. Read more »
VERSE 4. He 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.
VERSE 5. As for the earth, out of it comes bread; Underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.
VERSE 6. Sapphires come from its rocks. It has dust of gold.
VERSE 7. That path no bird of prey knows, neither has the falcon’s eye seen it.
VERSE 8. The proud animals have not trodden it, nor has the fierce lion passed by there.
VERSE 9. He puts his hand on the flinty rock, and he overturns the mountains by the roots.
VERSE 10. He cuts out channels among the rocks. His eye sees every precious thing.
VERSE 11. He binds the streams that they don’t trickle. The thing that is hidden he brings out to light.
VERSE 12. “But where shall wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding?
where shall wisdom be found? This is the key verse of the chapter.
VERSE 13. Man doesn’t know its price; Neither is it found in the land of the living.
VERSE 14. The deep says, ‘It isn’t in me.’ The sea says, ‘It isn’t with me.’
VERSE 15. It can’t be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for its price.
VERSE 16. It can’t be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
the gold of Ophir. Solid gold cannot purchase wisdom.
Instead of buying wisdom, we must pursue it. We devote our lives to gaining wisdom.
sapphire. Or “lapis lazuli.”
VERSE 17. Gold and glass can’t equal it, neither shall it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
VERSE 18. No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal. Yes, the price of wisdom is above rubies.
VERSE 19. The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, Neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
VERSE 20. Where then does wisdom come from? Where is the place of understanding?
VERSE 21. Seeing it is hidden from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the birds of the sky.
VERSE 22. Destruction and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.’
Destruction and Death. The New Testament describes heaven and eternal life. But what does the Old Testament say about life after death? Read more »
VERSE 23. “God understands its way, and he knows its place.
VERSE 24. For he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole sky.
VERSE 25. He establishes the force of the wind. Yes, he measures out the waters by measure.
VERSE 26. When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder;
VERSE 27. then he saw it, and declared it. He established it, yes, and searched it out.
VERSE 28. To man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.’ ”
the Lord. The English word LORD is the accepted transliteration of the Hebrew name of God, which is “YHWH.”
The name of the LORD God is so holy that our friends the Jews will not say it. Instead, they substitute the word “LORD.”
Sometimes in the Old Testament we see the word “Lord,” spelled with mixed case. That is a transliteration of the Hebrew word “Adonai.”
the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. Many people mistakenly think the “fear of the LORD” means to be terrified of God. But it actually means “reverential respect for God.” Read more »
JOB
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Job’s Dark Night
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.