Job 28

Job 28:1-28.

JOB'S

SPEECH

CONTINUED.

In the twenty-seventh chapter Job had tacitly admitted that the

statement of the friends was often true, that God vindicated His

justice by punishing the wicked here; but still the affliction of the

godly remained unexplained. Man has, by skill, brought the precious

metals from their concealment. But the Divine Wisdom, which governs

human affairs, he cannot similarly discover

(Job 28:12,

&c.). However, the image from the same metals

(Job 23:10)

implies Job has made some way towards solving the riddle of his life;

namely, that affliction is to him as the refining fire is to gold.

1. vein--a mine, from which it goes forth, Hebrew, "is

dug."

place for gold--a place where gold may be found, which men

refine. Not as English Version, "A place--where,"

(Mal 3:3).

Contrasted with gold found in the bed and sand of rivers, which does

not need refining; as the gold dug from a mine does. Golden ornaments

have been found in Egypt, of the times of Joseph.

2. brass--that is, copper; for brass is a mixed metal of copper and

zinc, of modern invention. Iron is less easily discovered, and wrought,

than copper; therefore copper was in common use long before iron.

Copper-stone is called "cadmium" by PLINY

[Natural History, 34:1; 36:21]. Iron is fitly said to be taken out

of the "earth" (dust), for ore looks like mere earth.

3. "Man makes an end of darkness," by exploring the darkest depths

(with torches).

all perfection--rather, carries out his search to the utmost

perfection; most thoroughly searches the stones of darkness and of the

shadow of death (thickest gloom); that is, the stones, whatever they

be, embedded in the darkest bowels of the earth

[UMBREIT]

(Job 26:10).

4. Three hardships in mining: 1. "A stream (flood) breaks out at the

side of the stranger"; namely, the miner, a strange newcomer into

places heretofore unexplored; his surprise at the sudden stream breaking

out beside him is expressed

(English Version, "from the inhabitant").

2. "Forgotten (unsupported) by the foot they hang,"

namely, by ropes, in descending. In the Hebrew, "Lo there" precedes

this clause, graphically placing it as if before the eyes. "The waters"

is inserted by English Version. "Are dried up," ought to be, "hang,"

"are suspended." English Version perhaps understood, waters of whose

existence man was previously unconscious, and near which he

never trod; and yet man's energy is such, that by pumps, &c., he

soon causes them to "dry up and go away" [So HERDER].

3. "Far away from

men, they move with uncertain step"; they stagger; not "they are gone"

[UMBREIT].

5. Its fertile surface yields food; and yet "beneath it is turned

up as it were with fire." So PLINY

[Natural History, 33] observes on

the ingratitude of man who repays the debt he owes the earth for food,

[UMBREIT].

English Version is simpler, which means precious stones which glow

like fire; and so

Job 28:6

follows naturally

(Eze 28:14).

6. Sapphires are found in alluvial soil near rocks and embedded in

gneiss. The ancients distinguished two kinds: 1. The real, of

transparent blue: 2. That improperly so called, opaque, with gold

spots; that is, lapis lazuli. To the latter, looking like gold dust,

UMBREIT refers "dust of gold."

English Version better, "The stones of the earth are, &c.,

and the clods of it (Vulgate) are

gold"; the parallel clauses are thus neater.

7. fowl--rather, "ravenous bird," or "eagle," which is the most

sharp-sighted of birds

(Isa 46:11).

A vulture will spy a carcass at an amazing distance. The miner

penetrates the earth by a way unseen by birds of keenest sight.

8. lion's whelps--literally, "the sons of pride," that is, the fiercest

beasts.

passed--The Hebrew implies the proud gait of the lion. The

miner ventures where not even the fierce lion dares to go in pursuit of

his prey.

9. rock--flint. He puts forth his hand to cleave the hardest rock.

10. He cuts channels to drain off the waters, which hinder

his mining; and when the waters are gone, he he is able to

see the precious things in the earth.

11. floods--"He restrains the streams from weeping"; a poetical

expression for the trickling subterranean rills, which impede him;

answering to the first clause of

Job 28:10;

so also the two latter clauses in each verse correspond.

12. Can man discover the Divine Wisdom by which the world is

governed, as he can the treasures hidden in the earth? Certainly not.

Divine Wisdom is conceived as a person

(Job 28:12-27)

distinct from God

(Job 28:23;

also in

Pr 8:23, 27).

The Almighty Word, Jesus Christ, we know now, is that Wisdom.

The order of the world was originated and is maintained by the

breathing forth (Spirit) of Wisdom, unfathomable and unpurchasable by

man. In

Job 28:28,

the only aspect of it, which relates to, and may be understood by,

man, is stated.

understanding--insight into the plan of the divine government.

13. Man can fix no price upon it, as it is nowhere to be found in

man's abode

(Isa 38:11).

Job implies both its valuable worth, and the impossibility of buying it

at any price.

15. Not the usual word for "gold"; from a Hebrew root, "to shut

up" with care; that is, purest gold

(1Ki 6:20,

Margin).

weighed--The precious metals were weighed out before coining was

known

(Ge 23:16).

16. gold of Ophir--the most precious (See on

Job 22:24

and

Ps 45:9).

onyx--

(Ge 2:12).

More valued formerly than now. The term is Greek, meaning "thumb

nail," from some resemblance in color. The Arabic denotes, of

two colors, white preponderating.

17. crystal--Or else glass, if then known, very costly. From a

root, "to be transparent."

jewels--rather, "vessels."

18. Red coral

(Eze 27:16).

pearls--literally, "what is frozen." Probably crystal; and

Job 28:17

will then be glass.

rubies--UMBREIT translates "pearls"

(see

La 4:1;

Pr 3:15).

The Urim and Thummim, the means of consulting God by the twelve stones

on the high priest's breastplate, "the stones of the sanctuary"

(La 4:1),

have their counterpart in this chapter; the precious stones symbolizing

the "light" and "perfection" of the divine wisdom.

19. Ethiopia--Cush in the Hebrew. Either Ethiopia, or the south

of Arabia, near the Tigris.

20.

Job 28:12

repeated with great force.

21. None can tell whence or where, seeing it, &c.

fowls--The gift of divination was assigned by the heathen especially

to birds. Their rapid flight heavenwards and keen sight originated the

superstition. Job may allude to it. Not even the boasted divination of

birds has an insight into it

(Ec 10:20).

But it may merely mean, as in

Job 28:7,

It escapes the eye of the most keen-sighted bird.

22. That is, the abodes of destruction and of the dead. "Death"

put for Sheol

(Job 30:23; 26:6;

Ps 9:13).

We have [only] heard--the report of her. We have not seen her. In the land of the living

(Job 28:13)

the workings of Wisdom are seen, though not herself. In the regions of

the dead she is only heard of, her actings on nature not being

seen

(Ec 9:10).

23. God hath, and is Himself, wisdom.

24. "Seeth (all that is) under," &c.

25. God has adjusted the weight of the winds, so seemingly

imponderable, lest, if too weighty, or too light, injury should be

caused. He measureth out the waters, fixing their bounds, with wisdom

as His counsellor

(Pr 8:27-31;

Isa 40:12).

26. The decree regulating at what time and place, and in what

quantity, the rain should fall.

a way--through the parted clouds

(Job 38:25;

Zec 10:1).

27. declare--manifest her, namely, in His works

(Ps 19:1, 2).

So the approval bestowed by the Creator on His works

(Ge 1:10, 31);

compare the "rejoicing" of wisdom at the same

(Pr 8:30;

which UMBREIT translates; "I was the skilful

artificer by His side").

prepared--not created, for wisdom is from everlasting

(Pr 8:22-31);

but "established" her as Governor of the world.

searched . . . out--examined her works to see whether she was adequate

to the task of governing the world [MAURER].

28. Rather, "But unto man," &c. My wisdom is that whereby

all things are governed; Thy wisdom is

in fearing God and shunning evil, and in feeling assured that My

wisdom always acts aright, though thou dost not understand the

principle which regulates it; for example, in afflicting the godly

(Joh 7:17).

The friends, therefore, as not comprehending the Divine Wisdom, should

not infer Job's guilt from his sufferings. Here alone in Job the name

of God, Adonai, occurs; "Lord" or "master," often applied to

Messiah in Old Testament. Appropriately here, in speaking of the Word

or Wisdom, by whom the world was made

(Pr 8:22-31;

Joh 1:3;

Ecclesiasticus 24:1-34).