_SURELY THERE IS A VEIN FOR THE SILVER, AND A PLACE FOR GOLD WHERE THEY FINE IT._ In Job 27:1 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,... [ Continue Reading ]
_IRON IS TAKEN OUT OF THE EARTH, AND BRASS IS MOLTEN OUT OF THE STONE._ Brass - i:e., copper; because brass is a mixed metal of copper and zinc, of modern invention. Iron is less easily discovered and worked than copper: therefore copper was in common use long before iron. Copper-stone is called 'c... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE SETTETH AN END TO DARKNESS, AND SEARCHETH OUT ALL PERFECTION: THE STONES OF DARKNESS, AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH._ 'Man makes an end of darkness' by exploring the darkest depths (with torches). ALL PERFECTION - rather, carries out his search to the utmost perfection х_ LªKAAL_ (H3605) _ TAKLIYT_... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE FLOOD BREAKETH OUT FROM THE INHABITANT; EVEN THE WATERS FORGOTTEN OF THE FOOT: THEY ARE DRIED UP, THEY ARE GONE AWAY FROM MEN._ Three hardships in mining: (1) 'A stream (flood) breaks out at the side of the stranger' х_ MEE`IM_ (H5973) _ GAAR_ (H1481) - literally, from alongside the stranger]... [ Continue Reading ]
_AS FOR THE EARTH, OUT OF IT COMETH BREAD: AND UNDER IT IS TURNED UP AS IT WERE FIRE._ Its fertile surface yields food; and yet 'beneath it is turned up as it were by fire.' So Pliny ('Natural History,' 33:) observes on the ingratitude of man, who repays the debt he owes the earth for food by diggi... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE STONES OF IT ARE THE PLACE OF SAPPHIRES: AND IT HATH DUST OF GOLD._ 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 - i:e., lapis lazuli. T... [ Continue Reading ]
_THERE IS A PATH WHICH NO FOWL KNOWETH, AND WHICH THE VULTURE'S EYE HATH NOT SEEN:_ Fowl, х_ `AAYIT_ (H5861)] - rather, rarenous bird, or eagle, which is the most sharp-sighted of birds (Isaiah 46:11). A vulture will spy a carcass at an amazing distance. The miner penetrates the earth by a way unse... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE LION'S WHELPS HAVE NOT TRODDEN IT, NOR THE FIERCE LION PASSED BY IT._ Lion's whelps - literally, the sons of pride х_ BªNEEY_ (H1121) _ SHAACHATS_ (H7830)] - i:e., the fiercest beasts. LION'S WHELPS - literally, the sons of pride х_ BªNEEY_ (H1121) _ SHAACHATS_ (H7830)] - i:e., the fiercest be... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE PUTTETH FORTH HIS HAND UPON THE ROCK; HE OVERTURNETH THE MOUNTAINS BY THE ROOTS._ Rock - flint. He puts forth his hand to cleave the hardest rock. BY THE ROOTS - from their foundations, by undermining them.... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE CUTTETH OUT RIVERS AMONG THE ROCKS; AND HIS EYE SEETH EVERY PRECIOUS THING._ He cuts channels to drain off the waters, which hinder his mining; and when the waters are gone, he is able to see the precious things in the earth.... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE BINDETH THE FLOODS FROM OVERFLOWING; AND THE THING THAT IS HID BRINGETH HE FORTH TO LIGHT._ Floods. 'He restrains the streams from weeping' (margin); 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 c... [ Continue Reading ]
_BUT WHERE SHALL WISDOM BE FOUND? AND WHERE IS THE PLACE OF UNDERSTANDING?_ _ BUT WHERE SHALL WISDOM BE FOUND? AND WHERE IS THE PLACE OF UNDERSTANDING?_ 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 con... [ Continue Reading ]
_MAN KNOWETH NOT THE PRICE THEREOF; NEITHER IS IT FOUND IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING._ Man can fix no price upon it, as it is nowhere to be found in man's abode, the land of the living' (Isaiah 38:11), Job implies both its invaluable worth and the impossibility of buying it at any price.... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE DEPTH SAITH, IT IS NOT IN ME: AND THE SEA SAITH, IT IS NOT WITH ME._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_IT CANNOT BE GOTTEN FOR GOLD, NEITHER SHALL SILVER BE WEIGHED FOR THE PRICE THEREOF._ Not the usual word for gold х_ CªGOWR_ (H5458)]; from a Hebrew root х_ CAAGAR_ (H5462)], to shut up with care - i.e., purest gold, (1 Kings 6:20, margin). WEIGHED. The precious metals were weighed out before c... [ Continue Reading ]
_IT CANNOT BE VALUED WITH THE GOLD OF OPHIR, WITH THE PRECIOUS ONYX, OR THE SAPPHIRE._ Gold of Ophir - the most precious (note, Job 22:24; Psalms 45:9). ONYX - (Genesis 2:12). More valued formerly than now. The term is Greek, meaning thumb-nail, from some resemblance in colour. The Arabic denotes... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE GOLD AND THE CRYSTAL CANNOT EQUAL IT: AND THE EXCHANGE OF IT SHALL NOT BE FOR JEWELS OF FINE GOLD._ Crystal, х_ ZªKOWKIYT_ (H2137)] - or else glass, if then known, very costly. From a root х_ ZAAKAH_ (H2135)], to be transparent. JEWELS - rather, vessels х_ KªLIY_ (H3627)].... [ Continue Reading ]
_NO MENTION SHALL BE MADE OF CORAL, OR OF PEARLS: FOR THE PRICE OF WISDOM IS ABOVE RUBIES._ Red coral (Ezekiel 27:16). PEARLS - literally, what is frozen х_ GAABIYSH_ (H1378)]. Probably crystal; and Job 28:17 will then be glass. RUBIES. Umbreit translates pearls (see Lamentations 4:1; Proverbs 3... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE TOPAZ OF ETHIOPIA SHALL NOT EQUAL IT, NEITHER SHALL IT BE VALUED WITH PURE GOLD._ Ethiopia - Cush in the Hebrew. Either Ethiopia or the south of Arabia near the Tigris.... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHENCE THEN COMETH WISDOM? AND WHERE IS THE PLACE OF UNDERSTANDING?_ Job 28:12 repeated with great force.... [ Continue Reading ]
_SEEING IT IS HID FROM THE EYES OF ALL LIVING, AND KEPT CLOSE FROM THE FOWLS OF THE AIR._ None can tell whence or where, seeing it, etc. FOWLS. The gift of divination was assigned by the pagan especially to birds. Their rapid flight heavenwards and keen sight originated the superstition. Job may... [ Continue Reading ]
_DESTRUCTION AND DEATH SAY, WE HAVE HEARD THE FAME THEREOF WITH OUR EARS._ i.e., the abodes of destruction and of the dead. "Death" put for Sheol (Job 30:23; Job 26:6, note; Psalms 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 wor... [ Continue Reading ]
_GOD UNDERSTANDETH THE WAY THEREOF, AND HE KNOWETH THE PLACE THEREOF._ God hath, and is Himself wisdom. So He alone "understandeth the way thereof, and knoweth the place thereof.... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR HE LOOKETH TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH, AND SEETH UNDER THE WHOLE HEAVEN;_ Seeth (all that is) under, etc.... [ Continue Reading ]
_TO MAKE THE WEIGHT FOR THE WINDS; AND HE WEIGHETH THE WATERS BY MEASURE._ 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 counselor (Proverbs 8:27;... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHEN HE MADE A DECREE FOR THE RAIN, AND A WAY FOR THE LIGHTNING OF THE THUNDER:_ 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; Zechariah 10:1).... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEN DID HE SEE IT, AND DECLARE IT; HE PREPARED IT, YEA, AND SEARCHED IT OUT._ Declare - manifest her-namely, in His works (Psalms 19:1). So the approval bestowed by the Creator on His works (Genesis 1:10; Genesis 1:31); cf. the "rejoicing" of wisdom at the same (Proverbs 8:30; the former clause o... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND UNTO MAN HE SAID, BEHOLD, THE FEAR OF THE LORD, THAT IS WISDOM; AND TO DEPART FROM EVIL IS UNDERSTANDING._ Rather, But unto man, etc., 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, tho... [ Continue Reading ]