Job 28 | MHM | STEP | Extent of Human Discoveries In this section, Job talks about how clever and hardworking people are when searching for the treasures hidden in the earth. He points out that people can discover many secrets of nature and gain much knowledge and wealth. However, just because people are clever enough to find gold and silver underground, it does not mean they can understand God's purposes or explain why good and bad things happen to people. The mysteries of heaven are much deeper than the secrets of the earth. v. 1–2 : There are places in the earth where silver is mined, and gold is refined (Job 28:1 ). People also dig up iron and copper from the ground (Job 28:2 ). These metals are hidden like ordinary dirt until people dig for them. This shows that wealth is not easy to get, and it starts off in a low and dirty place.

‏ Job 28

Extent of Human Discoveries

In this section, Job talks about how clever and hardworking people are when searching for the treasures hidden in the earth. He points out that people can discover many secrets of nature and gain much knowledge and wealth. However, just because people are clever enough to find gold and silver underground, it does not mean they can understand God's purposes or explain why good and bad things happen to people. The mysteries of heaven are much deeper than the secrets of the earth.

v. 1–2: There are places in the earth where silver is mined, and gold is refined (Job 28:1 ^a). People also dig up iron and copper from the ground (Job 28:2 ^b). These metals are hidden like ordinary dirt until people dig for them. This shows that wealth is not easy to get, and it starts off in a low and dirty place.

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v. 3–4: People work hard and use their minds to find these treasures. They use lamps to look in the dark underground, trying every way they can to reach the hidden riches (Job 28:3 ^c). They dig deep, away from where people live, and hang in dangerous places to reach the ore (Job 28:4 ^d). This shows how much effort and risk people are willing to take for wealth.

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v. 5–6: The earth gives people bread to eat, but under the ground, there are also things like fire—precious stones, coal, and gold dust (Job 28:5-6 ^e). God has hidden these things out of sight, under our feet, to remind us not to love them too much. The earth is full of God's riches (Psalm 104:24 ^f), but heaven is even richer and greater (Psalm 24:1 ^g).

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v. 7–8: The paths people take to find these treasures are unknown to birds and wild animals (Job 28:7-8 ^h). Even the sharp eyes of the vulture or the strong lion do not see or walk these hidden paths. This means people go where even nature does not go to find wealth.

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v. 9–11: People break apart the hardest rocks and dig tunnels through mountains (Job 28:9-10 ⁱ). They work around underground rivers and bring things that were hidden into the light (Job 28:11 ^j). All of this is done to get precious things from the earth, even though it is difficult and dangerous.

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The Excellency of Wisdom

Here, Job compares the search for earthly treasures with the search for wisdom. People work hard to find gold and jewels, but there is something much more valuable—true wisdom and understanding. This wisdom is not just knowledge, but knowing and enjoying God, and understanding ourselves. Even if people succeed in finding all the treasures on earth, true wisdom cannot be found by the same efforts. Wisdom is only found in a life that follows God. It gives more happiness than anything else in this world.

v. 12: Job asks a very important question: But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? . He wants us to think about what really matters. People search for money, but we should search for wisdom, which leads to true happiness and eternal life.

v. 13: He says, Man knows not the price thereof . Most people do not realize how valuable wisdom is. No one can buy it, no matter how rich they are. Wisdom is a gift from God, and you cannot pay for it with gold or silver. It is better to get wisdom than gold, because wisdom is for your soul and forever, but gold is only for your body and for a short time (Proverbs 3:14-20 ^k).

v. 14: Job explains that wisdom cannot be found in the deep places of the earth. The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me . People cannot dig or dive to get true wisdom, no matter how hard they try.

v. 15–19: He lists the most precious things in the world—gold, silver, onyx, sapphire, pearls, rubies, and topaz—but says none of these can buy wisdom. It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof (Job 28:15 ^l). Even if a person gave everything they owned, it would not be enough. Wisdom is a special gift from God and cannot be bought or traded (Acts 8:20 ^m).

Job repeats the question, Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? (Job 28:20 ⁿ). He wants us to see that true wisdom cannot be found by human effort or in the natural world. Only God can give it, and only those who seek Him will find it (Proverbs 2:3-4 ^o).

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The Wisdom Hidden from Man; The Wisdom Revealed to Man

In this section, Job repeats his deep question about wisdom. He wants to know where true wisdom can be found and how people can understand the world and God’s ways. Job explains that there are two types of wisdom: one is hidden in God and is secret, and the other is revealed by God for people to follow. We must keep searching for wisdom, but we also need to accept that some things belong only to God.

v. 20: Job asks again, Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? . He wants to know where true understanding can be found, since it cannot be discovered by people in the same way they find gold or jewels.

v. 21–22: Job says that this wisdom is hidden from everyone living. It is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air (Job 28:21 ^p). Even the birds flying high cannot see it. Even death and destruction say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears (Job 28:22 ^q). This means that even after death, people do not fully understand God’s secret plans. Only God knows the answers.

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v. 23–24: Job explains that only God knows the way to wisdom. God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof (Job 28:23 ^r). God sees everything, from one end of the earth to the other (Job 28:24 ^s). He knows all things because He is all-seeing and all-powerful. We cannot see what God sees, so we must trust Him.

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v. 25–27: God’s wisdom is shown in how He controls nature. He gives the wind its weight and measures out the water (Job 28:25 ^t). He set rules for the rain and the path for thunder and lightning (Job 28:26 ^u). When God created the world, He established everything with wisdom. He prepared, looked at, and tested wisdom in everything He made (Job 28:27 ^v).

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v. 28: Finally, Job tells us what God has revealed to people about wisdom. Unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding (Job 28:28 ^w). This means that true wisdom is not about knowing all the secrets of the universe, but about respecting God and turning away from evil. This is the kind of wisdom that God wants us to have. It is the best and most important wisdom for our lives (Proverbs 2:6; Micah 6:8 ^x).