Job 28:18-19

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 28:18

No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls ,.... Coral is a marine plant, is as hard as a stone, and of such value as to be reckoned among precious stones; See Gill on Ezekiel 27:16 . In Arabia Felix, on the shore of the Red sea, is a place called Coralia F14 Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 28. ; it may be from coral found there. Pearls are from shellfish taken out of the sea, though these seem rather intended in the next clause: the words "ramoth" and "gabish" are left untranslated... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 28:19

The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it ,.... Not Ethiopia Abyssinia, or that which lies beyond Egypt in Africa; for, as Ludolphus F24 Hist. Ethiop. l. 1. c. 7. says, there are no gems found there, or very rarely; but Cush, as the word is, or Arabia Chusaea, the same with the country of Midian, and the parts adjacent; see Habakkuk 3:7 ; hence Zipporah, the wife of Moses, who was of that country, is called an Ethiopian woman, Numbers 12:1 ; and this was near Job's country, who knew... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 28:19

The topaz of Ethiopia - The country called Cush, which we call Ethiopia, is supposed to be that which extends from the eastern coast of the Red Sea, and stretches towards Lower Egypt. Diodorus Siculus says that the topaz was found in great abundance, as his description intimates, in an island in the Red Sea called Ophiodes, or the isle of serpents, Hist. lib. iii., p. 121. His account is curious, but I greatly doubt its correctness; it seems too much in the form of a legend: yet the reader... 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 28:18

No mention shall be made of coral . The word translated "coral" ( רָאמוֹת ) means properly "things that are high." It occurs only here and in Ezekiel 27:16 . The rabbinical interpretation of the word as "coral" is doubtful, since it was unknown to the LXX . Or of pearls. The word gabish ( גָבִישׁ ) occurs only in this place. Some identify it with rock-crystal. For the price of wisdom is above rubies . Here we have another obscure word ( פָנִינִים ), which is variously... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 28:19

The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it . It is generally allowed that the pithdath ( פִטְדַת ) is either the "topaz" or the "chrysolite." In favour of its being the chrysolite is the passage of Pliny which mentions its being esteemed for its green tints ('Hist. Nat.,' Job 37:8 ). Otherwise "topaz" might have appeared to be the best rendering. By "Cush," here translated "Ethiopia," is probably meant Cushite Arabia, or the southern and south-eastern regions. Neither shall it be... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 28:18

No mention shall be made of coral - That is, as a price by which to purchase wisdom, or in comparison with wisdom. The margin here is, “Ramoth” - retaining the Hebrew word ראמה râ'mâh. Jerome renders it, “excelsa” - exalted or valuable things. So the Septuagint, Μετέωρα Meteōra - exalted or sublime things; as if the word were from רום, to be exalted. According to the rabbis, the word here means “red coral.” It occurs also in Ezekiel 27:16, where it is mentioned as a valuable commodity in... read more

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