Job 28:4

4 Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft, in places untouched by human feet; far from other people they dangle and sway.

Job 28:4 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
4 The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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.
New Living Translation (NLT)
4 They sink a mine shaft into the earth far from where anyone lives. They descend on ropes, swinging back and forth.
The Message Bible (MSG)
4 Far from civilization, far from the traffic, they cut a shaft, and are lowered into it by ropes.
American Standard Version (ASV)
4 He breaketh open a shaft away from where men sojourn; They are forgotten of the foot; They hang afar from men, they swing to and fro.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
4 They open up a mineshaft far from civilization, where no one has set foot. [In this shaft] men dangle and swing back and forth.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
4 He cuts a shaft far from human habitation, [in places] unknown to those who walk above ground. Suspended far away from people, the miners swing back and forth.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
4 Far from where people live he cuts a tunnel. He does it in places where others don't go. Far away from people he swings back and forth on ropes.

Job 28:4 Meaning and Commentary

Job 28:4

The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant
Or, "so that there is no inhabitant" F26; of the mine, as the miner may be said to be, who lives there continually; and, when a flood of water arises, which is an usual thing in mines, he is obliged to flee, and make haste to save his life:

[even the waters] forgotten of the foot;
such as never any foot of man touched, or was acquainted with, being subterraneous water, and never seen with the eye of man before, and who before knew not there were such floods underground F1. A like figurative expression in ( Psalms 137:5 ) ;

they are dried up, they are gone away from men;
though such a flood of waters rise apace, and flow in with great force, and threaten the miners' lives, and the ruin of their works; yet they are not discouraged, but by means of engines, pumps, and buckets, and such like things, draw up the waters, and clear the mines of them; and they are gone from the workmen, who return to their work again, and go on with their mining: and so sometimes spiritual miners are interrupted by a flood of Satan's temptations, the world's persecutions, and various afflictions; but, by the assistance of the spirit and grace of God, whereby a standard is lifted up against them, they get clear of them, and receive no hurt by them, but go on cheerfully in the work of the Lord, ( Isaiah 59:19 ) ( Revelation 12:15 Revelation 12:16 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F26 (rg Mem) "qui accolas non fert", Tigurine version; "dimisso accola", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "ut non sit accola", Mercerus.
F1 Vid. Senecae Nat. Quaest. l. 5. c. 15.

Job 28:4 In-Context

2 Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore.
3 Mortals put an end to the darkness; they search out the farthest recesses for ore in the blackest darkness.
4 Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft, in places untouched by human feet; far from other people they dangle and sway.
5 The earth, from which food comes, is transformed below as by fire;
6 lapis lazuli comes from its rocks, and its dust contains nuggets of gold.

Cross References 1

  • 1. ver 10; 2 Samuel 5:8
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