Job Chapter 28
Job 28:1–4
“Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.
Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.
He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.
The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.”
Job now enters a reflective discourse on wisdom. The tone shifts from defense and rebuttal to meditation. He begins with the observable world. Man is capable of extraordinary achievement in the search for material treasure.
“Surely there is a vein for the silver.” The language is precise. There is a definite place where silver is found, a refined location for gold. The earth hides its riches, but not without order. This reflects the created structure of the world. Genesis 1:1 declares, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” The world is not chaotic, it is designed, ordered, and filled with resources awaiting discovery.
“Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.” These metals require skill and refinement. Man extracts and transforms what lies hidden. This demonstrates dominion consistent with Genesis 1:28, “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion…” Mining is an expression of subduing the earth under God’s mandate.
“He setteth an end to darkness.” The miner brings light into hidden places. He penetrates what is concealed. The phrase “the shadow of death” emphasizes danger and depth. Man ventures into regions associated with peril. This imagery recalls Psalm 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me…” The miner willingly walks into such regions for earthly treasure.
“The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant… they are gone away from men.” The language likely refers to shafts cut deep into the earth, remote from common travel. These are places “forgotten of the foot.” Human ingenuity drives exploration beyond the reach of ordinary life. The description highlights courage, technology, and determination.
The theological implication is clear. Man can master darkness in pursuit of silver and gold. He can descend into peril for temporary wealth. Yet the chapter is moving toward a greater contrast. If man exerts such effort for metal, what of wisdom?
Job 28:5–11
“As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.
The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.
There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen:
The lion’s whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.
He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.
He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.
He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.”
“As for the earth, out of it cometh bread.” The surface provides sustenance. Agriculture feeds humanity. Yet beneath that same ground lies fire and precious stone. The imagery contrasts life on the surface with hidden wealth below. Creation contains both provision and mystery.
“The stones of it are the place of sapphires.” The earth contains beauty as well as utility. The mention of sapphires and gold dust shows that man seeks not only survival but wealth and splendor. Scripture acknowledges this reality. Deuteronomy 8:9 speaks of the promised land as “A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness… a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.” Material riches are part of God’s providential world.
“There is a path which no fowl knoweth.” The falcon and vulture are famed for keen sight. The lion is famed for courage and dominance. Yet neither can access these hidden mines. Man surpasses beast in rational intelligence and technological ability. This reflects the image of God in humanity. Genesis 1:27 states, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him…” That image includes reasoning capacity and creative skill.
“He overturneth the mountains by the roots.” This is hyperbolic but vivid. Man reshapes landscapes to reach treasure. He cuts channels, redirects waters, and binds floods. These actions describe engineering feats. Human industry can expose what is hidden.
“He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.” The language of bringing hidden things to light parallels earlier mention of ending darkness. Man is relentless in discovery. This anticipates later revelation language. Ecclesiastes 12:14 declares, “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Man can expose hidden metals, but only God exposes hidden moral reality.
The overarching theological movement of this section is building toward contrast. Humanity demonstrates astonishing capability in uncovering physical treasure. Intelligence, bravery, engineering, and persistence characterize the search for wealth. Yet the question looms, if man can discover silver veins and gold dust hidden in darkness, why can he not as easily uncover wisdom?
That contrast prepares for the next movement of the chapter, where wisdom is shown to be rarer than all material treasure and accessible only through the fear of the Lord.
Job 28:12–19
“But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.
The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.
It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.
No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.”
“But where shall wisdom be found?” Job now turns from mining imagery to the true treasure. Men can locate veins of silver and refine gold, but wisdom cannot be mapped, extracted, or engineered. The rhetorical question presses the point. All the industry of man fails when applied to ultimate understanding.
“Man knoweth not the price thereof.” This is not merely ignorance of location, but ignorance of value. Fallen humanity undervalues divine wisdom. 1 Corinthians 2:14 declares, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” Without revelation, man cannot rightly estimate wisdom’s worth.
“Neither is it found in the land of the living.” Wisdom is not discovered through ordinary human investigation. It transcends empirical search. “The depth saith, It is not in me.” Even the deep places that yield precious metals do not contain it. “The sea saith, It is not with me.” The vast unexplored waters, symbolic of mystery and power, cannot produce it.
“It cannot be gotten for gold.” The repeated emphasis on gold, silver, sapphire, onyx, crystal, coral, pearls, rubies, and topaz reinforces contrast. Job piles up the language of wealth only to dismiss its sufficiency. This parallels Proverbs 3:13–15, “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.”
Material wealth is measurable. Wisdom is not. Gold can be weighed. Wisdom cannot. The language emphasizes that wisdom is not a commodity. It cannot be transferred by transaction. It cannot be mined, bought, or inherited as property.
The theological implication is sharp. Human ingenuity can extract metals from darkness, but it cannot extract wisdom from the created order by effort alone. This prepares for revelation. Wisdom must come from beyond the “land of the living.” It must come from God.
Job 28:20–28
“Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.
God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.
For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;
To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.
When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:
Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.
And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.”
“Whence then cometh wisdom?” The question is repeated for emphasis. It is hidden “from the eyes of all living.” Neither bird nor beast can discover it. Even “Destruction and death” have only heard rumors. The realm of the grave possesses no inherent wisdom. This anticipates the later biblical theme that death does not generate understanding. Ecclesiastes 9:10 states, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”
“God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.” Here is the decisive turn. What man cannot discover, God possesses inherently. Wisdom is not external to God. It belongs to Him. Romans 11:33 declares, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”
“For he looketh to the ends of the earth.” God’s omniscience grounds His wisdom. He governs the physical order with precision. “To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.” Even invisible wind and shifting waters are measured by divine decree. This reflects sovereign design. Psalm 147:4–5 declares, “He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.
Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.”
“When he made a decree for the rain.” Natural laws are not autonomous forces. They are established by divine command. The “way for the lightning” speaks of ordered power. Creation itself testifies to divine wisdom. Proverbs 8:27–29 echoes this truth, “When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth.”
“Then did he see it, and declare it.” Wisdom is intrinsic to God’s creative act. It is not discovered; it is expressed. Creation flows from divine wisdom.
“And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.” This is the climactic statement of the chapter. Wisdom is relational and moral. It begins with the fear of the Lord. This aligns with Psalm 111:10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.” It also aligns with Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”
The fear of the Lord is not terror but reverent submission. It acknowledges God’s sovereignty, holiness, and authority. “To depart from evil is understanding.” Wisdom is demonstrated in moral obedience. It is not speculative philosophy. It is covenantal faithfulness.
This conclusion is critical in the flow of Job. Job has defended his integrity. He has affirmed divine justice. He has exposed the limits of human discovery. Now he anchors everything in revelation. True wisdom is not found in debate, mining, or speculation. It is found in fearing God and turning from evil.
This also vindicates Job indirectly. The book opened by declaring him a man who feared God and eschewed evil. Job 1:1 says, “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.” Job 28 closes by defining wisdom as fearing God and departing from evil. The reader sees what the friends fail to see. Job already possesses the wisdom they claim he lacks.
