Scripture
Job Speaks of Wisdom and Understanding
1“People know where to mine silver
and how to refine gold.
2They know where to dig iron from the earth
and how to smelt copper from rock.
3They know how to shine light in the darkness
and explore the farthest regions of the earth
as they search in the dark for ore.
4They sink a mine shaft into the earth
far from where anyone lives.
They descend on ropes, swinging back and forth.
5Food is grown on the earth above,
but down below, the earth is melted as by fire.
6Here the rocks contain precious lapis lazuli,
and the dust contains gold.
7These are treasures no bird of prey can see,
no falcon’s eye observe.
8No wild animal has walked upon these treasures;
no lion has ever set his paw there.
9People know how to tear apart flinty rocks
and overturn the roots of mountains.
10They cut tunnels in the rocks
and uncover precious stones.
11They dam up the trickling streams
and bring to light the hidden treasures.
12“But do people know where to find wisdom?
Where can they find understanding?
13No one knows where to find it,[1]
for it is not found among the living.
14‘It is not here,’ says the ocean.
‘Nor is it here,’ says the sea.
15It cannot be bought with gold.
It cannot be purchased with silver.
16It’s worth more than all the gold of Ophir,
greater than precious onyx or lapis lazuli.
17Wisdom is more valuable than gold and crystal.
It cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold.
18Coral and jasper are worthless in trying to get it.
The price of wisdom is far above rubies.
19Precious peridot from Ethiopia[2] cannot be exchanged for it.
It’s worth more than the purest gold.
20“But do people know where to find wisdom?
Where can they find understanding?
21It is hidden from the eyes of all humanity.
Even the sharp-eyed birds in the sky cannot discover it.
22Destruction[3] and Death say,
‘We’ve heard only rumors of where wisdom can be found.’
23“God alone understands the way to wisdom;
he knows where it can be found,
24for he looks throughout the whole earth
and sees everything under the heavens.
25He decided how hard the winds should blow
and how much rain should fall.
26He made the laws for the rain
and laid out a path for the lightning.
27Then he saw wisdom and evaluated it.
He set it in place and examined it thoroughly.
28And this is what he says to all humanity:
‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom;
to forsake evil is real understanding.’”
Translation notes (3)
- 28:13 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads knows its value.
- 28:19 Hebrew from Cush.
- 28:22 Hebrew Abaddon.
“God alone understands the way to wisdom; he knows where it can be found, for he looks throughout the whole earth and sees everything under the heavens.
Much of the book of Job reads like a narrative or a story. It tells about Job's hardships and how he grappled with suffering and a good, faithful God. This book of the Bible does not only contain a narrative. It is classified by scholars as wisdom literature. Wisdom literature found in Scripture teaches us how to live wise lives that honor God. One of the reasons why the book of Job is classified as wisdom literature is because of Job's speech about wisdom in Job 28.
In Job 28, Job paused from talking about the suffering he was facing to talking about wisdom. Throughout this chapter, he explains that wisdom cannot be found anywhere but from God. It can’t be “found among the living” (verse 13). “God alone understands the way to wisdom; He knows where it can be found, for He looks throughout the whole earth and sees everything under the heavens" (verses 23-24). This wisdom from God is invaluable and belongs to God.
Now, if you are like me, it may seem strange that we suddenly have a shift from talking about suffering to talking about wisdom in Job 28. We must ask ourselves why we have this chapter dedicated to wisdom. Job helps us understand the importance of wisdom while we wrestle with our suffering on this earth when he concluded his message about wisdom. He said, “The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding” (verse 28). What Job was saying here is that wisdom understands that sometimes things in life happen that are beyond our understanding and trusts God’s supremacy over our own understanding.
My friend, as difficult as it may be, wisdom calls us to trust God, His power, and wisdom over our own. The good news is that no person is wiser, stronger, more powerful, more knowledgeable, or better than Him. We can trust Him in the good times and the bad times, the suffering and the blessings, the hills and the valleys, and everything in between.
Moving Toward Action
God alone sets us on the path of wisdom. In fact, Scripture teaches that God generously gives wisdom to all who ask for it (James 1:5). Do you need wisdom today? Ask Him for that wisdom that you are in need of. As you pray, praise Him for His great wisdom and thank Him for His generosity to give us wisdom when we ask for it.
Going Deeper
Read Job 28:1-28(NLT)
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