Job 28:13

13 A mortal has not known its way, neither indeed has it been discovered among men.

Job 28:13 Meaning and Commentary

Job 28:13

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 of his house to know the secret reasons of them, it would utterly be condemned; yea, if he had all the riches in the world in his possession, and would offer them on that consideration, he would not be able to attain the knowledge of them: or "the order thereof" F15; the order of divine Providence, the wise disposal of thing, and the reasons thereof. In the first sense it is applicable to all the things before mentioned; to spiritual wisdom in men, supernatural grace, experimental religion, and real godliness; the worth of which is not known by carnal men, they despise it, and scoff at it; and to the Gospel, which is reckoned foolishness by them, and is of no account; and so is Christ himself rejected and disallowed of men, though chosen of God, and precious both to him and them that believe, who only know the price and value of him:

neither is it found in the land of the living;
meaning not wisdom, though that in every sense is not from below, or earthly, but from above, and heavenly, but the price of it; and the sense is, that there is nothing in the whole globe that is equal to its worth, or can be proposed as a valuable consideration for it.


FOOTNOTES:

F15 (hkre) "ordinem ejus", Montanus, Bolducius.

Job 28:13 In-Context

11 And he has laid bare the depths of rivers, and has brought his power to light.
12 But whence has wisdom been discovered? and what is the place of knowledge?
13 A mortal has not known its way, neither indeed has it been discovered among men.
14 The depth said, It is not in me: and the sea said, It is not with me.
15 One shall not give fine gold instead of it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.