Job 28

1 Ciertamente la plata tiene su oculto nacimiento , y el oro lugar de donde lo sacan.

2 El hierro es tomado del polvo, y de la piedra es fundido el metal.

3 A las tinieblas puso término; y a toda obra perfecta que él hizo, puso piedra de oscuridad y de sombra de muerte.

4 Sale el río junto al morador, y las aguas sin pie, más altas que el hombre, se fueron.

5 Tierra de la cual nace el pan, y debajo de ella estará como convertida en fuego.

6 Lugar que sus piedras serán zafiro, y tendrá polvos de oro.

7 Senda que nunca la conoció ave, ni ojo de buitre la vio;

8 nunca la pisaron animales fieros, ni león pasó por ella.

9 En el pedernal puso su mano, y trastornó los montes de raíz.

10 De los peñascos cortó ríos, y sus ojos vieron todo lo preciado.

11 Detuvo los ríos en su nacimiento, e hizo salir a luz lo escondido.

12 Mas ¿dónde se hallará la sabiduría? ¿Y dónde está el lugar de la prudencia?

13 El hombre nunca supo su valor, ni se halla en la tierra de los vivientes.

14 El abismo dice: No está en mí; y el mar dijo: Ni conmigo.

15 No se dará por oro, ni su precio será a peso de plata.

16 No puede ser apreciada con oro de Ofir, ni con ónice precioso, ni con zafiro.

17 El oro no se le igualará, ni el diamante; ni se cambiará por vaso de oro fino.

18 De coral ni de perlas no se hará mención; la sabiduría es mejor que las piedras preciosas.

19 No se igualará con ella esmeralda de Etiopía; no se podrá apreciar con oro fino.

20 ¿De dónde pues vendrá la sabiduría? ¿Y dónde esta el lugar de la inteligencia?

21 Porque encubierta está a los ojos de todo viviente, y a toda ave del cielo es oculta.

22 El infierno y la muerte dijeron: Su fama hemos oído con nuestros oídos.

23 Dios entiende el camino de ella, y él solo conoce su lugar.

24 Porque él mira hasta los fines de la tierra, y ve debajo de todo el cielo.

25 Haciendo peso al viento, y poniendo las aguas por medida;

26 cuando él hizo ley a la lluvia, y camino al relámpago de los truenos.

27 Entonces la vio él, y la tasó; la preparó y también la inquirió.

28 Y dijo al hombre: He aquí que el temor del Señor es la sabiduría, y el apartarse del mal la inteligencia.

Job 28 Commentary

Chapter 28

Concerning wordly wealth. (1-11) Wisdom is of inestimable value. (12-19) Wisdom is the gift of God. (20-28)

Verses 1-11 Job maintained that the dispensations of Providence were regulated by the highest wisdom. To confirm this, he showed of what a great deal of knowledge and wealth men may make themselves masters. The caverns of the earth may be discovered, but not the counsels of Heaven. Go to the miners, thou sluggard in religion, consider their ways, and be wise. Let their courage and diligence in seeking the wealth that perishes, shame us out of slothfulness and faint-heartedness in labouring for the true riches. How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! How much easier, and safer! Yet gold is sought for, but grace neglected. Will the hopes of precious things out of the earth, so men call them, though really they are paltry and perishing, be such a spur to industry, and shall not the certain prospect of truly precious things in heaven be much more so?

Verses 12-19 Job here speaks of wisdom and understanding, the knowing and enjoying of God and ourselves. Its worth is infinitely more than all the riches in this world. It is a gift of the Holy Ghost which cannot be bought with money. Let that which is most precious in God's account, be so in ours. Job asks after it as one that truly desired to find it, and despaired of finding it any where but in God; any way but by Divine revelation.

Verses 20-28 There is a two-fold wisdom; one hid in God, which is secret, and belongs not to us; the other made known by him, and revealed to man. One day's events, and one man's affairs, have such reference to, and so hang one upon another, that He only, to whom all is open, and who sees the whole at one view, can rightly judge of every part. But the knowledge of God's revealed will is within our reach, and will do us good. Let man look upon this as his wisdom, To fear the Lord, and to depart from evil. Let him learn that, and he is learned enough. Where is this wisdom to be found? The treasures of it are hid in Christ, revealed by the word, received by faith, through the Holy Ghost. It will not feed pride or vanity, or amuse our vain curiosity. It teaches and encourages sinners to fear the Lord, and to depart from evil, in the exercise of repentance and faith, without desiring to solve all difficulties about the events of this life.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 28

The design of this chapter is either to show the folly of such who are very diligent in their search and pursuit after earthly things, and neglect an inquiry after that which is infinitely more valuable, true wisdom; or rather to observe, that though things the most secret, and which are hidden in the bowels of the earth, may be investigated and discovered by the sagacity and diligence of men, yet wisdom cannot, especially the wisdom of God in his providences, which are past finding out; and particularly in what concerns the prosperity of the wicked, and the afflictions of the righteous; the reason of which men should be content to be ignorant of for the present, and be studious to possess that wisdom which is attainable, and be thankful for it, if they have it; which lies in the fear of the Lord, and a departure from evil, with which this chapter concludes. It begins with setting forth the sagacity of men in searching and finding out useful metals, and other things the earth produces; the difficulty, fatigue, and labour, that attend such a search, and the dangers they are exposed unto in it, Job 28:1-11; then it declares the unsearchableness of wisdom, its superior excellency to things the most valuable, and that it is not to be found by sea or land, or among any of the creatures, Job 28:12-22; and that God only knows its way and place, who has sought it out, prepared and declared it, Job 28:23-27; and that which he has thought fit to make known of it, and is most for his glory and the good of men, is, that it is to fear God, and depart from evil, Job 28:28.