Job 28:1 kjv
Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.
Job 28:1 nkjv
"Surely there is a mine for silver, And a place where gold is refined.
Job 28:1 niv
There is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined.
Job 28:1 esv
"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold that they refine.
Job 28:1 nlt
"People know where to mine silver
and how to refine gold.
Job 28 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Prov 2:4-6 | ...if you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord... | Wisdom as a hidden treasure to be diligently sought like precious metals. |
| Prov 3:13-15 | Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding... Her value is far above jewels... | Wisdom is more valuable than any earthly treasure. |
| Prov 8:10-11 | Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is better than jewels... | God's wisdom superior to earthly riches. |
| Matt 6:19-21 | Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy... but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven... | Contrast between perishing earthly treasures and enduring heavenly ones. |
| Col 2:2-3 | ...Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. | True wisdom and knowledge found only in Christ. |
| 1 Cor 1:20 | Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? | Human wisdom is inadequate compared to God's. |
| Jas 1:5 | If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all... | Divine wisdom is given by God to those who ask. |
| Job 11:7-9 | "Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty? It is higher than heaven..." | The immeasurable nature of God's wisdom, beyond human discovery. |
| Job 38:16 | "Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep?" | God's comprehensive knowledge of creation, surpassing human exploration. |
| Eccl 7:23-24 | All this I have tested by wisdom... It is far off and deep, who can find it out? | The elusive nature of profound wisdom for human intellect. |
| Isa 55:1-2 | "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters... spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?" | The emptiness of striving for earthly things, compared to spiritual provision. |
| Psa 19:7-11 | The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul... more to be desired are they than gold... | God's commands and wisdom are more valuable than fine gold. |
| Psa 119:10-14 | With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments... I rejoice in the way of your testimonies as much as in all riches. | Seeking God's Word and statutes brings joy surpassing wealth. |
| Heb 4:12-13 | For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword... | The piercing power and depth of God's wisdom, unlike earthly discoveries. |
| 1 Pet 1:7 | ...so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise... | Gold's purification by fire is an analogy for testing of faith, which is more precious. |
| Rev 3:18 | I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments... | Call to seek spiritual riches and purity from Christ, a contrast to worldly wealth. |
| Zech 13:9 | ...I will refine them as silver is refined and test them as gold is tested. | God's purification of His people likened to refining metals. |
| Psa 66:10 | For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. | God tests and purifies His people through trials. |
| Job 22:23-26 | If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; if you remove iniquity far from your tents, and lay your gold in the dust... | True wealth is found in returning to God, with material wealth being secondary. |
| Isa 1:25 | I will turn my hand against you and will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy. | God's refining judgment to purify His people. |
Job 28 verses
Job 28 1 Meaning
Job chapter 28 verse 1 initiates a profound meditation on human ingenuity in exploring the earth's depths to extract precious materials, contrasting it with the far greater challenge of discovering and comprehending divine wisdom. It highlights humanity's skill and persistent labor in mining silver and refining gold, setting the stage for the subsequent revelation that wisdom is found not by such human endeavors but solely from God.
Job 28 1 Context
Job 28:1 opens a unique poetic interlude within the Book of Job, specifically during Job's final discourse to his friends (Job 27-31). This chapter shifts abruptly from the arguments about human suffering and divine justice, becoming a "hymn to wisdom" or "a riddle concerning wisdom." It is a contemplative reflection on the extraordinary lengths to which humans go to extract physical treasures from the earth's hidden places. This verse sets the stage by affirming humanity's remarkable skill and determined effort in mining precious metals. It prepares the reader for the subsequent stark contrast between the accessible (though difficult) discovery of material wealth and the ultimate, inaccessible nature of divine wisdom, which cannot be bought or found by human ingenuity, but is only revealed by God. The broader context of Job’s speeches emphasizes human limitations and the inscrutable ways of God, with this chapter serving as a peak poetic expression of these themes.
Job 28 1 Word analysis
- Surely (כִּי - ki): This particle functions as an emphatic affirmative, meaning "for," "indeed," "certainly," or "truly." It introduces a self-evident truth, establishing a premise for the greater point that will be made about wisdom. It underlines the undeniable reality of human mining activity.
- there is a mine (מוּצָא - mutsa'): This word, from the root יָצָא (yatsa') meaning "to go out" or "to come forth," signifies a "source," "place of going out," or "outlet." In this context, it refers to the very place from which materials, especially ore, are extracted – a mine shaft or excavation point. It denotes a specific, identified origin for valuable resources.
- for silver (כֶּסֶף - kesef): A common and precious metal, highly valued in the ancient world for coinage, ornaments, and practical items. Silver was often a standard of value. Its mention highlights humanity's pursuit of wealth. Symbolically, silver in the Bible can also represent purity or redemption, often refined from impurities.
- and a place (מָקוֹם - maqom): This signifies a specific location or site. Its usage alongside "mine" reinforces the idea of designated, identified points of extraction.
- for gold (זָהָב - zahav): The most precious and esteemed metal in the ancient world, representing ultimate value, purity, and kingship. Gold was highly sought after and was used for temple vessels, royal ornaments, and as a measure of immense wealth. Its pursuit involved dangerous and deep mining.
- where they refine it (יָזֹקּוּ - yazoqqú): Derived from the root זקק (zaqaq), meaning "to purify," "to refine," "to distil," or "to separate." This word describes the process of separating pure metal from ore or dross through smelting and other metallurgical techniques. It emphasizes human skill, technological prowess, and intense labor required to process raw materials into valuable pure metal. It speaks to the arduous, fire-based process necessary to achieve desired purity.
Words-Group Analysis:
- Surely there is a mine for silver: This phrase firmly asserts the reality of human ingenuity in identifying and excavating sources of valuable metals. It underscores the purposeful and systematic approach humans take to obtain earthly treasures.
- and a place for gold where they refine it: This expands on the previous thought, emphasizing not only the extraction but also the subsequent, equally labor-intensive process of purification. The pairing of "mine for silver" and "place for gold" with their respective processes ("where they refine it" implicitly applies to both, even if explicitly stated for gold) highlights the full scope of human dominion over the earth's material resources. The phrase collectively points to humanity's sophisticated capability in unearthing and perfecting physical wealth from deep within the earth, setting a vivid contrast for the later assertion that wisdom is not found through similar means.
Job 28 1 Bonus section
This chapter (Job 28) has often been called a "detached wisdom poem" or a "soliloquy," highlighting its thematic distinctness within Job's arguments. It shifts the perspective from Job's personal suffering to a universal theological question. The detailed description of ancient mining operations is exceptionally vivid and accurate, suggesting the author's familiarity with such dangerous and skilled work. It emphasizes the contrast between the finite, discoverable earthly resources (however hard to get) and the infinite, ultimately unknowable wisdom of God, which can only be truly given or revealed. This sets up a polemic against the notion that human intellect or diligence, no matter how profound, can uncover ultimate divine truth independently. The journey into the earth symbolizes human descent into understanding, yet it can only go so far; true wisdom, however, descends from above.
Job 28 1 Commentary
Job 28:1 opens a highly distinctive poetic chapter in the Book of Job, which many scholars view as a magnificent ode to the inaccessibility of divine wisdom by human means. This verse acts as an undeniable affirmation of human engineering and tenacity. "Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold where they refine it," asserts a fundamental truth about humanity's capacity. People are driven by a deep impulse to seek and possess that which is valuable. The verse paints a picture of intense, dangerous, and technologically advanced human activity—locating subterranean veins of precious ore, digging deep into the earth's crust, and then mastering the complex, fiery process of refining these metals to separate purity from dross. This reflects a significant part of ancient human endeavor and technology, symbolizing humanity's greatest achievements in subduing the earth and extracting its hidden riches. Yet, the implicit power of this verse lies not in celebrating this human capability for its own sake, but in setting a benchmark. If humanity can go to such extraordinary lengths to find and perfect silver and gold, what then of true wisdom? This initial statement creates an expectation, which the subsequent verses will profoundly subvert, by demonstrating that wisdom's true source and path of discovery are utterly distinct from any earthly mining enterprise. It suggests that while human beings can discover and manipulate earthly treasures, divine wisdom remains beyond their reach without revelation.