Job 28:11 kjv
He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.
Job 28:11 nkjv
He dams up the streams from trickling; What is hidden he brings forth to light.
Job 28:11 niv
They search the sources of the rivers and bring hidden things to light.
Job 28:11 esv
He dams up the streams so that they do not trickle, and the thing that is hidden he brings out to light.
Job 28:11 nlt
They dam up the trickling streams
and bring to light the hidden treasures.
Job 28 11 Cross References
h2Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| God's Control Over Creation | ||
| Gen 7:11-12 | On that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And rain fell… | God's command over sources of water |
| Job 38:8-11 | “Who shut in the sea with doors… when I made clouds its garment… And said, ‘Thus far you shall come… here shall your proud waves stop’”? | God's absolute boundary for the sea |
| Ps 29:3, 10 | The voice of the Lord is over the waters… The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as King forever. | God's power reigns over waters |
| Ps 104:6-9 | You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains… You set a boundary that they may not pass over. | God's sovereign control over floods |
| Prov 8:27-29 | When He established the heavens, I was there; when He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep… when He marked out the foundations of the earth; | Wisdom present at creation of water boundaries |
| Isa 40:12 | Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand…? | God's immeasurable power over waters |
| Jer 5:22 | Do you not fear me?’ declares the Lord. ‘Do you not tremble before Me, who have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea, a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass over?’ | God's authority sets limits for the sea |
| Mk 4:39 | And He awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. | Christ's divine power over nature |
| Lk 8:25 | He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even winds and water, and they obey Him?” | Christ's authority over winds and water |
| God's Omniscience and Revelation of Hidden Things | ||
| Ps 90:8 | You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your presence. | God sees all hidden sins |
| Ps 139:12 | even the darkness is not dark to You; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to You. | All is exposed to God's sight |
| 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… For the Lord gives wisdom. | Seeking wisdom compared to hidden treasure, given by God |
| Prov 25:2 | It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter. | God's unsearchable nature, kings' earthly search |
| Isa 45:3 | I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hidden riches of secret places, so that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name. | God reveals hidden riches/secrets |
| Dan 2:22 | It is He who reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him. | God is the revealer of deep secrets |
| Mt 10:26 | Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be known. | Truth will be fully revealed |
| Lk 12:2-3 | Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the light… | All secrets will come to light |
| 1 Cor 4:5 | Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things hidden in darkness and will disclose the motives of the heart. | God reveals hidden motives and deeds |
| Heb 4:13 | And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. | Nothing is hidden from God |
| Eph 3:9 | and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; | God reveals mysteries hidden for ages |
| Rev 20:12 | And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. | Judgment based on what is revealed |
Job 28 verses
Job 28 11 Meaning
Job 28:11 asserts humanity's impressive ability to overcome formidable natural barriers in its relentless quest for valuable earthly resources. It describes how people can skillfully control underground waterways that impede mining operations, effectively "fettering" or draining deep-earth streams. By achieving this mastery over the concealed flows of water, they are then able to expose and extract precious minerals and hidden treasures from the deep darkness of the earth, bringing them "out to light." This verse illustrates the pinnacle of human ingenuity and effort in manipulating the physical world for gain, serving as a preamble to the profound contrast between man's discovery of earthly riches and the elusive nature of divine wisdom.
Job 28 11 Context
h2ContextJob 28, often called the "Hymn to Wisdom," stands as a poetic interlude within the ongoing dialogue between Job and his friends. Before this chapter, Job has passionately asserted his innocence and appealed to God. Chapter 28 pauses this debate to reflect on the nature of wisdom. Verses 1-11 elaborately detail human technological prowess in mining. It describes the deep shafts and intricate tunnels people excavate, delving further into the earth than any bird or beast would go (vv. 7-8). Humanity demonstrates astonishing ingenuity in extracting silver, gold, iron, and copper from their natural, hidden states. Verse 11, specifically, serves as a high point in this description, showcasing mankind's remarkable ability to conquer the persistent natural obstacle of subterranean waters and successfully bring valuable, hidden treasures into the open. This sets a crucial contrast for the rest of the chapter, which asks: If humanity can find such material riches with such effort, where can true wisdom be found, which is far more precious and elusive?
Job 28 11 Word analysis
h2Word analysis
He fetters: (Hebrew: Balaʿ, בָּלַע). Literally meaning "to swallow," "to engulf," or "to consume." In this context, it conveys the idea of restraining, checking, absorbing, or draining away. It depicts the human act of containing or diverting powerful subterranean water flows that hinder deep mining. This showcases impressive human engineering and determination against natural forces.
the streams: (Hebrew: Nahar, נָהָר). Refers to underground currents or veins of water that seep or flow through the rock formations within the earth. These are not surface rivers but water sources deep within the mine shafts.
from overflowing: (Hebrew: mib-bekhî, מִבֶּ֑כֶי). Literally translated as "from weeping" or "from trickling forth." It describes the continuous and persistent seeping or gushing of water that would otherwise inundate the mining shafts. The phrase emphasizes the natural, steady egress of the water that humans manage to suppress or divert.
And what is hidden: (Hebrew: v'tālûm, וְתַעֲלֻמָּ֖ה). Denotes things that are concealed, secret, or buried deeply. In this immediate context, it directly refers to the literal valuable mineral deposits—gold, silver, precious stones, and iron—that lie unseeable within the earth's depths. It implies these materials are deliberately placed beyond easy access.
he brings out to light: (Hebrew: yōtsī’ lā’ôr, יוֹצִיא לָא֔וֹר). This phrase means to expose, reveal, or make manifest. For miners, it means extracting raw materials from the pitch darkness of the earth's interior and bringing them to the surface, where they become visible, useful, and valued. Spiritually, it evokes the concept of truth or hidden matters being revealed.
Words-group Analysis:
- "He fetters the streams from overflowing": This phrase highlights human mastery over the physical world. It emphasizes mankind's ingenuity and laborious effort to conquer deep-earth obstacles. By actively managing these water sources, humans gain access to realms otherwise unreachable. It speaks to human dominion over a segment of creation.
- "And what is hidden he brings out to light": This directly follows the first part, illustrating the consequence and purpose of overcoming the subterranean waters. It signifies the success of human enterprise in revealing literal treasures. The contrast between "hidden" and "light" metaphorically points to a revelation, where previously inaccessible or unknown elements are made known and brought into plain view. In the broader chapter, this accomplishment serves as a dramatic foil for humanity's inability to uncover true divine wisdom.
Job 28 11 Bonus section
h2Bonus sectionThe recurring pronoun "he" throughout Job 28, from the detailed descriptions of mining operations (e.g., v. 3: "He sets an end to darkness...") leading up to verse 11, deliberately underscores human agency and capacity. This consistent focus on what "man" can accomplish, particularly in dominating elements of the natural world, prepares the reader for the ultimate paradox: despite this impressive human prowess in uncovering physical secrets, mankind cannot, by his own efforts, uncover the ultimate "secret"—divine wisdom. The transition to divine prerogative occurs powerfully in verses 23-27, where it is explicitly stated that "God understands its [wisdom's] way; He knows its place," subtly highlighting the distinction between man's "bringing out to light" physical matter and God's exclusive ability to comprehend and reveal all wisdom and hidden truths, including those that order creation itself.
Job 28 11 Commentary
h2CommentaryJob 28:11 serves as the culmination of the poetic depiction of human ingenuity and arduous labor in the pursuit of material wealth. The imagery of "fettering streams from overflowing" portrays not only an extraordinary feat of engineering—damming or draining powerful underground waters that relentlessly threaten to flood mining tunnels—but also speaks to humanity's determination. Through such mastery over nature's forces, individuals successfully penetrate the deepest, darkest recesses of the earth to expose "what is hidden," revealing precious metals and gems that lie concealed beneath countless layers of rock.
This verse eloquently sets the stage for the profound rhetorical question that immediately follows in the chapter: "But where shall wisdom be found?" (v. 12). While humans demonstrate an unparalleled ability to uncover earthly riches through skill and perseverance, even reaching depths unknown to animals (vv. 7-8), this remarkable physical quest is juxtaposed against the human inability to find or acquire divine wisdom. The very fact that humans can bring literal hidden "light" (minerals) out of physical darkness serves to heighten the irony that spiritual, life-giving wisdom remains beyond human reach through their own endeavors. It implies that true wisdom is not a hidden treasure to be excavated but a divine revelation, possessed and bestowed only by God, as the chapter concludes.