Job 28:2 | KingComments | STEP | This chapter is a new section in the monologue of Job. The theme of this chapter is that wisdom is not accessible to anyone but one who fear God. The theme of wisdom connects well with the previous chapter, which describes the rich person and his earthly riches and their end. Here now comes the true richness that does not perish, namely the wisdom that is with God. It is a song of praise to wisdom ( ). This chapter can be summarized as follows: man can sift through the earth ( ), but the most precious thing, wisdom, he cannot find ( ). God alone knows it ( ). Job is familiar with mining ( ). Timna’s copper mines are not far from Job’s place of residence. He describes the difficult and dangerous process of mining minerals. It would be wisdom for man to use the same energy with which he is committed to earthly wealth to find the true wealth, wisdom ( ; ). God has placed the precious metals in the earth. They are not on the surface, so to speak, but must be dug up with hard work. When silver and gold have been found, they must be purified, so that pure silver and pure gold remain. The same goes for “the iron” and “the copper”, which are extracted in different ways ( ). In order to obtain these coveted metals, man must enter the subterranean darkness ( ). He puts an end to the darkness by the light of his lamp. By the light of the lamp he seeks the limits of the rock that is “in gloom and deep shadow”. The work is laborious and heavy, but no effort is too great for him. A shaft must be dug ( ). As its depth progresses, he is let down with ropes. There he dangles, with no hold for his foot, and floats down, further and further away from “habitation”, that is, from the inhabited world. In it says what is normal for the earth and that is to produce bread ( ). But man is not satisfied with that. In his longing for treasures, he also turns the inside of the earth upside down so that it looks as if a fire has raged. He is concerned with the precious sapphires ( ) and the dust containing gold ( ).

‏ Job 28:2

Introduction

This chapter is a new section in the monologue of Job. The theme of this chapter is that wisdom is not accessible to anyone but one who fear God. The theme of wisdom connects well with the previous chapter, which describes the rich person and his earthly riches and their end. Here now comes the true richness that does not perish, namely the wisdom that is with God. It is a song of praise to wisdom (Job 28:12 ; 20).

This chapter can be summarized as follows: man can sift through the earth (Job 28:1-11), but the most precious thing, wisdom, he cannot find (Job 28:12-19). God alone knows it (Job 28:20-28).

The Treasures of the Earth

Job is familiar with mining (Job 28:1). Timna’s copper mines are not far from Job’s place of residence. He describes the difficult and dangerous process of mining minerals. It would be wisdom for man to use the same energy with which he is committed to earthly wealth to find the true wealth, wisdom (Pro 2:1-5; 1Cor 2:6-13).

God has placed the precious metals in the earth. They are not on the surface, so to speak, but must be dug up with hard work. When silver and gold have been found, they must be purified, so that pure silver and pure gold remain. The same goes for “the iron” and “the copper”, which are extracted in different ways (Job 28:2).

In order to obtain these coveted metals, man must enter the subterranean darkness (Job 28:3). He puts an end to the darkness by the light of his lamp. By the light of the lamp he seeks the limits of the rock that is “in gloom and deep shadow”.

The work is laborious and heavy, but no effort is too great for him. A shaft must be dug (Job 28:4). As its depth progresses, he is let down with ropes. There he dangles, with no hold for his foot, and floats down, further and further away from “habitation”, that is, from the inhabited world.

In Job 28:5 it says what is normal for the earth and that is to produce bread (Psa 104:14). But man is not satisfied with that. In his longing for treasures, he also turns the inside of the earth upside down so that it looks as if a fire has raged. He is concerned with the precious sapphires (Exo 28:18 ; Exo 39:11) and the dust containing gold (Job 28:6).