Job Continues: Where Is Wisdom?

Job 28

1 "Surely there is a mine for silver,
and a place for gold that they y refine.
 2 Iron is taken out of the earth,
and copper is smelted from the ore.
 3 Man puts an end to darkness
and searches out to the farthest limit
the ore in z gloom and a deep darkness.
 4 He opens shafts in a valley away from where anyone lives;
they are forgotten by travelers;
they hang in the air, far away from mankind; they swing to and fro.
 5 As for the earth, b out of it comes bread,
but underneath it is turned up as by fire.
 6 Its stones are the place of c sapphires, 1
and it has dust of gold.

7 "That path no bird of prey knows,
and the falcon's eye has not seen it.
 8 d The proud beasts have not trodden it;
e the lion has not passed over it.

9 "Man puts his hand to f the flinty rock
and overturns mountains by the roots.
 10 He cuts out channels in the rocks,
and his eye sees every precious thing.
 11 He dams up the streams so that they do not trickle,
and the thing that is hidden he brings out to light.

12 g "But where shall wisdom be found?
And where is the place of understanding?
 13 Man does not know its worth,
and it is not found in h the land of the living.
 14 i The deep says, 'It is not in me,'
and the sea says, 'It is not with me.'
 15 It j cannot be bought for gold,
and silver cannot be weighed as its price.
 16 It cannot be valued in k the gold of l Ophir,
in precious m onyx or n sapphire.
 17 Gold and glass cannot equal it,
nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
 18 No mention shall be made of o coral or of crystal;
the price of wisdom is above o p pearls.
 19 q The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,
nor can it be valued in pure gold.

20 "From where, then, does wisdom come?
And where is the place of understanding?
 21 It is hidden from the eyes of r all living
and concealed from the birds of the air.
 22 s Abaddon and Death say,
'We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.'

23 t "God understands the way to it,
and he knows its place.
 24 For he u looks to the ends of the earth
and sees everything under the heavens.
 25 When he v gave to the wind its weight
and apportioned the waters by measure,
 26 when he made a decree for the rain
and w a way for the lightning of the thunder,
 27 then he saw it and declared it;
he established it, and searched it out.
 28 And he said to man,
'Behold, x the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
and to y turn away from evil is understanding.'"

  1. Cross References
    Malachi 3:3
    He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.
  2. Cross References
    Job 10:22
    The land of gloom like thick darkness, like deep shadow without any order, where light is as thick darkness.
  3. Cross References
    Job 3:5
    Let gloom and deep darkness claim it. Let clouds dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.
  4. Cross References
    Psalms 104:14
    You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth
  5. Cross References
    Exodus 24:10
    And they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness.
  6. Cross References
    Job 41:34
    He sees everything that is high; he is king over all the sons of pride.
  7. Cross References
    Job 10:16
    And were my head lifted up, you would hunt me like a lion and again work wonders against me.
  8. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 8:15
    Who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock.
    Deuteronomy 32:13
    He made him ride on the high places of the land, and he ate the produce of the field, and he suckled him with honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock.
    Psalms 114:8
    Who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water.
  9. Cross References
    Proverbs 16:16
    How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
    Ecclesiastes 7:24
    That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?
  10. Cross References
    Psalms 27:13
    I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!
  11. Cross References
    Genesis 49:25
    By the God of your father who will help you, by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that crouches beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
  12. Cross References
    Proverbs 3:14
    For the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold.
    Proverbs 8:10 - 11
    Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold.
    Proverbs 8:19
    My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver.
    Proverbs 16:16
    How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
  13. Cross References
    Psalms 45:9
    Daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor; at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.
    Isaiah 13:12
    I will make people more rare than fine gold, and mankind than the gold of Ophir.
  14. Cross References
    1 Kings 9:28
    And they went to Ophir and brought from there gold, 420 talents, and they brought it to King Solomon.
  15. Cross References
    Genesis 2:12
    And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there.
  16. Cross References
    Exodus 24:10
    And they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness.
  17. Cross References
    Ezekiel 27:16
    Syria did business with you because of your abundant goods; they exchanged for your wares emeralds, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and ruby.
  18. Cross References
    Ezekiel 27:16
    Syria did business with you because of your abundant goods; they exchanged for your wares emeralds, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and ruby.
  19. Cross References
    Proverbs 3:15
    She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.
    Proverbs 8:11
    For wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
    Proverbs 20:15
    There is gold and abundance of costly stones, but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
    Proverbs 31:10
    An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.
    Lamentations 4:7
    Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, the beauty of their form was like sapphire.
  20. Cross References
    Exodus 28:17
    You shall set in it four rows of stones. A row of sardius, topaz, and carbuncle shall be the first row.
    Exodus 39:10
    And they set in it four rows of stones. A row of sardius, topaz, and carbuncle was the first row.
    Ezekiel 28:13
    You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared.
  21. Cross References
    Job 12:10
    In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.
    Job 30:23
    For I know that you will bring me to death and to the house appointed for all living.
  22. Cross References
    Job 26:6
    Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering.
  23. Cross References
    Job 28:23 - 28
    God understands the way to it, and he knows its place.
    Proverbs 8:22 - 31
    The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.
  24. Cross References
    Proverbs 15:3
    The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.
    Zechariah 4:10
    For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. "These seven are the eyes of the Lord, which range through the whole earth.
  25. Cross References
    Psalms 135:7
    He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.
  26. Cross References
    Job 38:25
    Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain and a way for the thunderbolt.
  27. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 4:6
    Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.
    Psalms 111:10
    The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!
    Proverbs 1:7
    The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
    Ecclesiastes 12:13
    The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
  28. Cross References
    Proverbs 3:7
    Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
    Proverbs 14:16
    One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.
    Proverbs 16:6
    By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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