_JOB OBSERVES, THAT MAN, THOUGH HE CAN FIND OUT THE HIDDEN VEINS OF SILVER, GOLD, IRON, AND BRASS, YET CANNOT FIND OUT WISDOM: GOD HATH TAUGHT HIM THAT WISDOM CONSISTS IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD._ _Before Christ 1645._ _JOB 28:1. SURELY THERE IS A VEIN FOR THE SILVER_— See the Reflections on the 28th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BRASS IS MOLTEN OUT OF THE STONE— _And stone, when it is melted, becometh brass._ Houbigant.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SETTETH AN END TO DARKNESS— _He hath set,_ or, _an end is set to darkness, and an extremity to all,_ or, to the universe. _He_ (meaning man, that audacious creature) _searcheth out the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death._ He digs into another world, as it were, for gold and precious ston... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FLOOD BREAKETH OUT— The author here gives us another instance of the daring spirit and ingenuity of mankind; how they cross the broad rivers and arms of the sea for commerce, where there is no path for the foot of man; where they lessen to the sight, and are tossed upon the waves. The verse may... [ Continue Reading ]
AS FOR THE EARTH, OUT OF IT, &C.— _By means of it._ Heath; who thinks that the latter part of the verse refers to the bituminous sulphureous countries in the east; the subversion of which produced the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah; though it seems probable that the meaning is more general.... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE IS A PATH WHICH NO FOWL KNOWETH— _As for his path, the eagle knoweth it not: the eye of the vulture hath not pierced it._ Heath.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHERE SHALL WISDOM BE FOUND?— Job continues to give further instances of the daring and yet successful attempts of mankind, to provide themselves with every necessary and conveniency of life; such as corn for bread; (Job 28:5.) fountains of water in the dry places, where they are wanted, cut out... [ Continue Reading ]
DESTRUCTION AND DEATH SAY, &C.— In this and the following verses we have an answer to the great question, "Whence cometh wisdom?" But it opens to us by degrees. _Destruction and death say, we have heard the same thereof with our ears._ Destruction and death mean the dead: the metonymy is easy, and g... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD UNDERSTANDETH THE WAY THEREOF— Job having observed, that the generations of men who had lived in former ages had said, concerning wisdom, _we have heard the fame thereof with our ears,_ adds, that tradition had delivered to them some further particulars respecting this important subject; as, tha... [ Continue Reading ]