CHAPTER XXVIII _Job, in showing the vanity of human pursuits in reference to_ _genuine wisdom, mentions mining for and refining gold and_ _silver_, 1; _iron and other minerals_, 2; _the difficulties of mining_, 3, 4; _produce of grain for bread from the earth, and stones of fire_ _from under... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:2. _IRON IS TAKEN OUT OF THE EARTH_] This most useful metal is hidden under the earth, and men have found out the method of separating it from its ore. _BRASS_ IS _MOLTEN_ OUT OF _THE STONE._] As brass is a factitious metal, _copper_ must be the meaning of the Hebrew word נחושה _nechus... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:3. _HE SETTETH AN END TO DARKNESS_] As it is likely Job still refers to mining, the words above may be understood as pointing out the persevering industry of man in penetrating into the bowels of the earth, in order to seek for metals and precious stones. Even the stones that lay hidden... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:4. _THE FLOOD BREAKETH OUT FROM THE INHABITANT_] This passage is very difficult. Some think it refers to _mining_; others to _navigation_. If it refer to the former, it may be intended to point out the waters that spring up when the miners have sunk down to a considerable depth, so that... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:5. _THE EARTH, OUT OF IT COMETH BREAD_] Or the earth, ממנה _mimmennah, from itself_, by its own vegetative power, _it sends_ _out bread_, or the _corn_ of which bread is made. _AND UNDER IT IS TURNED UP AS IT WERE FIRE._] It seems as if this referred to some combustible fossil, simila... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:6. _THE STONES - THE PLACE OF SAPPHIRES_] In the language of mineralogists, the gangue, matrix, or bed in which the sapphire is found. For a description of this stone, see on Job 28:16. _DUST OF GOLD_] Or rather, _gold dust_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:7. THERE IS _A PATH WHICH NO FOWL KNOWETH_] The instinct of birds is most surprising. They traverse vast forests, c., in search of food, at a great distance from the place which they have chosen for their general residence and return in all weathers, never missing their track: they als... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:9. _HE PUTTETH FORTH HIS HAND UPON THE ROCK,_] Still there appears to be a reference to _mining_. Man puts his hand upon the rock, he breaks that to pieces, in order to extract the metals which it contains. _HE OVERTURNETH THE MOUNTAINS_] He excavates, undermines, or digs them away, wh... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:10. _HE CUTTETH OUT RIVERS AMONG THE ROCKS_] He cuts canals, adits, c., in the rocks, and drives levels under ground, in order to discover _loads_ or _veins_ of ore. These are often continued a great way under ground and may be poetically compared to rivers, channels, or canals. _HIS E... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:11. _HE BINDETH THE FLOODS_] Prevents the risings of springs from drowning the mines; and conducts rivers and streams from their wonted course, in order to _bring forth to light what was_ _hidden under their beds_. The _binding_ or _restraining_ the _water,_ which, at different depths,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:12. _BUT WHERE SHALL WISDOM BE FOUND?_] It is most evident that the terms _wisdom_ and _understanding_ are used here in a widely different sense from all those arts and sciences which have their relation to man in his animal and social state, and from all that _reason_ and _intellect_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:13. _MAN KNOWETH NOT THE PRICE THEREOF_] It is of infinite value; and is the only science which concerns _both worlds_. Without it, the wisest man is but a beast; with it, the simplest man is next to an angel. _NEITHER IS IT FOUND IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING._] The world by wisdom, _its_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:14. _THE DEPTH SAITH, IT_ IS _NOT IN ME_] Men may dig into the bowels of the earth, and there find gold, silver, and precious stones; but these will not give them true happiness. _THE SEA SAITH_, IT IS _NOT WITH ME._] Men may explore foreign countries, and by navigation connect as it w... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:15. _IT CANNOT BE GOTTEN FOR GOLD_] Genuine religion and true happiness are not to be acquired by earthly property. Solomon made gold and silver as plentiful as the stones in Jerusalem, and had all the delights of the sons of men, and yet he was not happy; yea, he had _wisdom_, was the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:16. _THE GOLD OF OPHIR_] Gold is _five_ times mentioned in this and verses Job 28:17 and Job 28:19, and _four_ of the times in different words. I shall consider them all at once. 1. סגור SEGOR, from סגר _sagar_, to _shut up. Gold._ in the _mine_, or _shut up_ in the _ore; native_ gold... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:17. Job 28:16, Job 28:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:18. _See also Clarke on "_Job 28:16_"_. Ver. Job 28:18. 4. ראמות ramoth, CORAL, from ראם _raam_, to be _exalted_ or _elevated_; probably from this remarkable property of coral, "it always grows from the tops of marine rocky caverns with the head downwards." _Red coral_ is found in the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:19. _THE TOPAZ OF ETHIOPIA_] The country called _Cush_, which we call _Ethiopia_, is supposed to be that which extends from the eastern coast of the Red Sea, and stretches towards Lower Egypt. _Diodorus Siculus_ says that the topaz was found in great abundance, as his description intima... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:20. _WHENCE THEN COMETH WISDOM?_] Nearly the same words as in Job 28:12, where see the note.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:22. _DESTRUCTION AND DEATH SAY, WE HAVE HEARD THE FAME_ _thereof_] אבדון ומות _Abaddon vamaveth_, the destroyer, and his offspring death. This is the very name that is given to the _devil_ in Greek letters Αβαδδων, Revelation 9:11, and is rendered by the Greek word Απολλυων, _Apollyon_,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:23. _GOD UNDERSTANDETH THE WAY THEREOF_] It can only be taught by a revelation from himself. Instead of הבין _hebin,_ _understandeth_, six MSS. have הכין _hechin, disposed_ or _established_. This reading is also supported by the _Septuagint_; Ὁ Θεος ευ συνεστησεν αυτης ὁδον, "God hath... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:24. _FOR HE LOOKETH TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH_] His knowledge is unlimited, and his power infinite.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:25. _TO MAKE THE WEIGHT FOR THE WINDS_] God has given an atmosphere to the earth, which, possessing a certain degree of _gravity_ perfectly suited to the necessities of all animals, plants, vegetables, and fluids, is the cause in his hand of preserving animal and vegetative life throug... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:26. _WHEN HE MADE A DECREE FOR THE RAIN_] When he determined how that should be _generated_, viz., By the _heat_ of the sun _evaporation_ is produced: the particles of vapour being lighter than the air on the surface, ascend into the atmosphere, till they come to a region where the air... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:27. _THEN DID HE SEE IT, AND DECLARE IT_] When he had finished all his creative operations, and tried and proved his work, חקרה _chakarah_, investigated and found it to be very good; then he gave the needful revelation to man; for,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Job 28:28. _UNTO MAN HE SAID_] לאדם _laadam, unto man_, he said: This probably refers to the revelation of his will which God gave to Adam after his fall. He had before sought for _wisdom_ in a _forbidden way_. When he and Eve saw that the tree was pleasant to the eyes, _and a tree to be desir... [ Continue Reading ]