Job 28:16-30:15 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 28:14-19

Job, having spoken of the wealth of the world, which men put such a value upon and take so much pains for, here comes to speak of another more valuable jewel, and that is, wisdom and understanding, the knowing and enjoying of God and ourselves. Those that found out all those ways and means to enrich themselves thought themselves very wise; but Job will not own theirs to be wisdom. He supposes them to gain their point, and to bring to light what they sought for (Job 28:11), and yet asks, ?Where... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 28:16

It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir ,.... Which is often spoken of in Scripture as choice gold, if not the best; See Gill on Job 22:24 ; the sense is, that the gold of Ophir is not of the value of wisdom, or of the same worth with that, and so not sufficient to purchase it: with the precious onyx and sapphire: two precious stones that were in the breastplate of the high priest, of which See Gill on Exodus 28:9 ; see Gill on Exodus 28:18 , and See Gill on Exodus 28:20 ; but not... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 28:16

The gold of Ophir - Gold is five times mentioned in this and Job 28:17 ; and Job 28:19 , and four of the times in different words. I shall consider them all at once. סגור Segor , from סגר sagar , to shut up. Gold. in the mine, or shut up in the ore; native gold washed by the streams out of the mountains, etc.; unwrought gold. Job 28:16 ; read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 28:1-28

The connection of this chapter with the preceding is somewhat obscure. Probably we are to regard Job as led to see, even while he is justifying God's ways with sinners ( Job 27:8-23 ), how many and how great are the difficulties in the way of forming a single consistent theory of the Divine action, which shall be applicable to all cases. Hence he comes to the conclusion that God is incomprehensible by man and inscrutable; and that it is only given to man to know him sufficiently for his... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 28:1-28

Job's first parable: 3. A discourse upon true wisdom. I. THE WISDOM UNDISCOVERABLE BY HUMAN GENIUS . Among the stupendous efforts of human industry and skill with which Job was acquainted, nothing was better fitted to impress the mind with a sense of man's illimitable daring, resistless might, and wonderful success in searching out all perfection (verse 3), and brining hidden things to light (vet, 11), than the operations of the miner. These, a knowledge of which may have been... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 28:12-28

Here we come on an abrupt change. From human ingenuity and contrivance Job turns to the consideration of "wisdom"—that wisdom which has been defined as "the reason which deals with principles "(Canon Cook). "Where," he asks, "is this to be found?" It is a wholly different thing from cleverness and ingenuity. It inquires into causes and origins, into the ends and purposes of things; it seeks to solve the riddle of the universe. Perfect wisdom can, of course, only dwell with God (verse 23). Man... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 28:16

It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir . The locality of Ophir has been much contested, but, on the whole, the weight of evidence would seem to be in favour of Arabia, on the south-east coast (see the article on "Ophir" in Smith's 'Dict. of the Bible,' which exhausts all that can be said on the subject). The high estimation in which "gold of Ophir" was held appears not only in this passage, but also in Job 22:24 ; Psalms 45:9 : and Isaiah 13:12 . It is to be accounted for by the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 28:16

The gold of Ophir - Uniformly spoken of as the most precious gold; see the notes at Job 22:24.With the precious onyx - The onyx is a semi-pellucid gem, with variously colored veins or zones. It is a variety of the chalcedony. The Arabic word denotes that which was of two colors, where the white predominated. The Greeks gave the name “onyx” ὄνυξ onux to the gem from its resemblance to the color of the thumbnail; see Passow.Or the sapphire - See the notes at Job 28:6. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Job 28:15-17

Job 28:15-17. It cannot be gotten for gold The choicest gold laid up in treasures, as the word סגר , segor, signifies: neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof Namely, in the balance; for in those times money was paid by weight. It cannot be valued with gold of Ophir Though the gold that comes from thence be the purest of all, neither that, nor the most precious stones, can purchase this wisdom. The gold and the crystal Hebrew, זכוכית , zecucith, gemma nitidissima, a... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Job 28:1-28

The search for true wisdom (28:1-28)At this point there is a pause in the story while the writer inserts a poem on the pricelessness of true wisdom. The poem does not state who composed it, though it could have been spoken by Job during the period of quiet that followed the last of the friends’ speeches. The theme of the poem is that, though people go to much trouble to find the riches hidden in the earth, they are not able to find the far greater riches of true wisdom.Mining is an occupation... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 28:14-19

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 28:16

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 28:16

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 28:1-28

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 28:1-28

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 28:12-28

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 28:16

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 28:16

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Job 28:15-17

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Job 28:1-28

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