The design of this chapter is either to show the folly of such who are very diligent in their search and pursuit after earthly things, and neglect an inquiry after that which is infinitely more valuable, true wisdom; or rather to observe, that though things the most secret, and which are hidden in…

Surely there is a vein for the silver Silver is mentioned first, not because the most valuable, for gold is preferable to it, as brass is to iron, and yet iron is mentioned first in ; but because silver might be first known, or was first in use, especially in the coinage of money; we read of pieces…

Iron is taken out of the earth Very easily, and in great plenty, and is more common, being in most countries, is nearer the surface of the earth, and here said to be taken “out of the dust” [[22]]; which, being melted in a furnace, produces iron, a metal very serviceable for various rises, and…

He setteth an end to darkness Some understand this and what follows of God, who, by making the luminaries, has fixed the periods and revolutions of light and darkness, of day and night; or who has determined the times before appointed, for the discoveries of things in nature, as mines of gold,…

The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant Or, “so that there is no inhabitant” [[24]]; of the mine, as the miner may be said to be, who lives there continually; and, when a flood of water arises, which is an usual thing in mines, he is obliged to flee, and make haste to save his life: even the…

As for the earth, out of it cometh bread That is, bread corn, or corn of which bread is made particularly wheat; which falling, or being cast into the earth, rises up and brings forth fruit, and, when ground into flour, makes fine bread; and to this same original the psalmist ascribes bread, which…

The stones of it are the place of sapphires In some parts of the earth its stones are a quarry of sapphires, put here for all precious stones: this is a most excellent precious stone, of a sky colour, with golden specks, and was one of the stones in the breast plate of the high priest; and by which…

There is a path which no fowl knoweth A path made by miners to the gold, silver, brass, and iron ores; to the places where gems and precious stones lie; the way to which was never seen, and could never have been discovered by the most sharp-sighted fowl, as “the eagle” [[3]]; which some think is…

The lion’s whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it. ] Or “upon it” [[4]]; such creatures that are exceeding fierce and cruel, hungry and voracious, eager after their prey, range here and there in pursuit of it, search every hole and corner, and rove in dens and caves of the…

He putteth forth his hand upon the rock The discourse is carried on concerning the miner, and digger in the earth for metals and precious stones; who meeting with a rock or flint, and a ridge of them, is not discouraged, but goes to work therewith, and with his hammer in his hand lays upon the rock…

He cutteth out rivers among the rocks By cleaving rocks asunder in order to find out things of value in the cliffs of them; or by cutting his way through them, the miner opens a course for rivers and floods of water, to drain off from his mines, and so can go on with his works more comfortably, and…

He bindeth the floods from overflowing As the miner finds ways and means of cutting through rocks, and draining and carrying off the waters in his mine; so he makes use of other methods of restraining and keeping back the waters from coming into and overflowing his works, and even “from weeping”…

But where shall wisdom be found? &c.] Though there is a vein for silver, a track where that lies, and is to be come at, and a place where gold is found, and where it may be refined, and parts of the earth, out of which brass and iron, and bread corn, may be produced, and even from whence may be…

Man knoweth not the price thereof The worth and value of it, what price to set upon it, or offer and give for it; nor does he know where to find an equivalent to it, or what is a valuable consideration for it: as for the wisdom of God in his dealings with men, if a man was to give all the substance…

The depth saith, it is not in me That is, the deep places of the earth, that are dug in it, the mines, and the like, could they speak, they would say there are no metal, nor minerals, no rich treasures of gold and silver ore, of pearls and precious stones, in the bowels of it, that are of the value…

It cannot be gotten for gold Having in general said that there is nothing in the whole compass of the terraqueous globe, nothing that is upon the surface of the earth, or in the bowels of it, or in the vast ocean, that is an equivalent price for wisdom, Job descends to particulars, and instances…

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…

The gold and the crystal cannot equal it Crystal was found in an island of the Red sea, situated before Arabia, called Neron, and in another, which from a gem found in it bears the name of Topazion, and may be thought therefore to be well known by Job; and though it is not now of so much account,…

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 Ezek. 27:16). In Arabia Felix, on the shore of the Red sea, is a place called Coralia [[12]]; it may be from coral found there.

The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it Not Ethiopia Abyssinia, or that which lies beyond Egypt in Africa; for, as Ludolphus neither shall it be valued with pure gold; that is most refined and freed from dross; they are not to be laid together as of equal value; (See Gill on Job 28:16), where the…

Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? ] The same questions as in ; repeated to set forth the superior excellency of wisdom, and to carry on the discourse, and lead on to other things concerning it. (See Gill on Job 28:12).

Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living Meaning not the beasts of the field, as some interpret it; this makes the sentiment jejune and trifling; but rational creatures, men, so the Septuagint, Eve is said to be the mother of, ; wisdom, as a perfection in God, displayed in his works of creation…

Destruction and death say Meaning the dead that are in the pit of destruction, the grave; not their dead bodies there, devoid of life and sense, and know not anything, but their souls; either the damned in hell, or the saints in heaven: the Targum is, the house of destruction, and the angel of…

God understandeth the way thereof And he only; not the way that men can come at the knowledge of wisdom, which at present appears to be past finding out; but rather the way which wisdom itself takes, and is in the deep, and its footsteps not known by any other, and the grounds and reasons of its…

For he looketh to the ends of the earth In this and some following verses, reasons and are given, which abundantly show that God must know the way and place of wisdom; since all the parts and places of the earth, even to the ends of it, are seen by him, and all creatures and things in it; nor is…

To make the weight for the wind He indeed makes the wind itself, holds it in his fists, and brings it forth out of his treasures, and lets it go, or restrains it, at his pleasure; he gives it an inclination to this or that or the other point of the heavens, and a force to blow with, greater or…

When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder. Decreed within himself that he would give it; for rain is his gift alone, and which none of the vanities of the Gentiles can give, and a wonderful blessing to the earth it is; and which God bestows on all sorts of men,…

Then did he see it, and declare it His own wisdom, when he made and executed his decrees concerning rain, lightning, and thunder; he saw it in himself, and as it appeared in the works of his hands, which he looked on and approved of, and saw that all was very good; and he declared it to others, by…

And unto man he said What follows; unto Adam, so some render it, as Mr. Broughton; taking what is after delivered to be said to the first man; either by suggesting it to his mind and conscience, and inscribing it on his heart, where the law of God was written, and by which he was directed to fear…