Job 28:1

_SURELY THERE IS A VEIN FOR THE SILVER, AND A PLACE FOR GOLD WHERE THEY FINE IT._ In Job 27:1 Job had tacitly admitted that the statement of the friends was often true, that God vindicated His justice by punishing the wicked here: but still the affliction of the godly remained unexplained. Man has, by skill, brought the precious metals from their concealment. But the Divine Wisdom, which governs human affairs, he cannot similarly discover, (12, etc.) However, the image from the same metals (Job 23:10) implies Job has made some way toward solving the riddle of his life-namely, that affliction is to him as the refining fire to gold. VEIN - a mine, from which it goes forth, Hebrew - i:e., is dug. PLACE FOR GOLD - `a place where gold may be found, which men refine.' Not as the Eng

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?...

CHAPTER XXVIII _Job, in showing the vanity of human pursuits in reference to_ _genuine wisdom, mentions mining for and refining gold and_ _silver_, 1; _iron and other minerals_, 2; _the difficulties of mining_, 3, 4; _produce of grain for bread from the earth, and stones of fire_ _from under it_, 5. _He speaks of precious stones and gold dust_, 6; _of the instinct of fowls and wild beasts in finding their way_, 7, 8; _and of the industry and successful attempts of men in mining_...

SURELY THERE IS A VEIN FOR SILVER - Margin, “mine” Coverdale renders this, “There are places where silver is molten.” Prof. Lee renders it, “There is an outlet for the silver,” and supposes it means the coming out or separation of the silver from the earthy particles by which it is surrounded in the ore, not the coming out from the mine. The word rendered “vein” (מוצא _môtsâ'_) means properly a going forth, as the rising of the sun, Psalms 19:6; the promulgation of an edict Daniel 9:25; then a place of going forth - as a gate, door; Ezekiel 42:11; Ezekiel 43:11, and thence a

EXPOSITION JOB 28:1 The connection of this chapter with the preceding is somewhat obscure. Probably we are to regard Job as led to see, even while he is justifying God's ways with sinners (Job 27:8), how many and how great are the difficulties in the way of forming a single consistent theory of the Divine action, which shall be applicable to all cases. Hence he comes to the conclusion that God is incomprehensible by man and inscrutable; and that it is only given to man to know him sufficiently for his practical guidance. To impress this on his hearers is his main object (verses 12-28); and, to impress it the more, he introduces it by a sharp contrast. Wonderful as is man's cleverness and ingenuity in respect of earthly things and physical phenomena (verses 1-11), with respect to h

SURELY THERE IS A VEIN FOR THE SILVER,.... Silver is mentioned first, not because the most valuable, for gold is preferable to it, as brass is to iron, and yet iron is mentioned first in Job 28:2; but because silver might be first known, or was first in use, especially in the coinage of money; we read of pieces of silver, or shekels of silver, in the times of Abraham, but not of any golden coin, Genesis 23:15; and among the old Romans silver was coined before gold p; it has its name from a word which signifies "desire", because it is desirable to men, it answering to various uses and purposes; and sometimes the desires and cravings of men after it are enlarged too far, and become criminal, and so the root of all evil to them: and now there is a "vein" for it in the earth, or a mine in which it may be d

CHAPTER 28 _ 1. The treasures of the earth (Job 28:1)_ 2. The better treasures (Job 28:7) 3. God knoweth the way and the true wisdom (Job 28:23) Job 28:1. This part of the monologue of Job does not seem to have much relation, if any, to the controversial matter of the previous Chapter s. He speaks first of the treasures of the earth, the riches which man seeks after, but which do not last, and are so often man's undoing. Job shows that he had a good knowledge of mining operations. He knows of veins of silver and how gold is refined. Iron is taken out of the earth and copper molten out of stone. Then he describes how the miner with

JOB 28. Here again we come to a critical question. It is difficult to fit this chapter into the argument, whether Job 27:7 is given to Job or to Zophar. It is a widely accepted conclusion of scholars that the chapter is an independent poem on Wisdom (a very fine one) which has somehow found its way into the text of the Book of Job. In its present form it opens with the word For, marking a connexion with something that has gone before; so that the beginning appears to be lost. Duhm has suggested that since the word whence cometh wisdom (or where shall wisdom be found) and where is the place of understanding? occur as a refrain in the poem, it probably also began with them. The poem has a parallel in Proverbs 8. JOB 28:1. THE FIRST STROPHE. (Where shall wisdom be found?) For silver, gold, iron, and copper c

SURELY. This is the continuation of Zophar's last address. Not Job's words. Compare Job 35:16; Job 38:2. They are opposed to his own words, and confirm those of his friends. Compare his second address, Job 20:1. IS. doth exist. VEIN. outlet: i.e. mine, or shaft....

_surely there is_ Rather, FOR there is. The connexion, however, with the preceding is difficult to perceive (see at the end of the chapter). _there is a vein_ lit. an _issue_or _source_. The emphasis falls on _is_there is a place from which silver comes forth, it _has_a source out of which it may be gotten. _where they fine it_ Rather, WHICH THEY (men) REFINE. The most precious ores, both silver and gold, have a place where they may be found; however distant and dark and deep in the earth their place be, such a place is known, men penetrate to it, and bring them forth. The antithesis is presented in Job 28:12, But whence shall Wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? It hath no place known to man....