Job 28 7

Job 28:7 kjv

There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen:

Job 28:7 nkjv

That path no bird knows, Nor has the falcon's eye seen it.

Job 28:7 niv

No bird of prey knows that hidden path, no falcon's eye has seen it.

Job 28:7 esv

"That path no bird of prey knows, and the falcon's eye has not seen it.

Job 28:7 nlt

These are treasures no bird of prey can see,
no falcon's eye observe.

Job 28 verses

Job 28 7 Meaning

Job 28:7 speaks of a hidden "path" – a metaphor for the way to true wisdom and understanding – which remains utterly unknown and unseen even to creatures renowned for their extraordinary sight and ability to survey vast distances from great heights. This emphasizes the profound inaccessibility of divine wisdom through any form of natural human ingenuity, perception, or searching. Though humanity can delve into the earth for hidden treasures, the "path" to God's ultimate wisdom lies far beyond the reach of the keenest natural abilities, implying that only God Himself knows its secret.

Job 28 7 Context

Job chapter 28 is a profound poetic interlude, appearing after the third cycle of debates between Job and his friends, and before God's ultimate intervention. This chapter stands apart from the direct arguments and functions as a hymn or ode to wisdom. Job himself, or perhaps an unnamed narrator, explores humanity's remarkable ability to unearth precious materials and engineer great feats of mining from the earth's depths. He vividly describes the intricate ways humans cut tunnels, bring light into darkness, and extract silver, gold, and jewels, mastering the physical world (vv. 1-11). However, in a stark contrast, Job 28 then asks a rhetorical question: "But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?" (v. 12). Verses 7-9 serve as a vivid illustration of this contrast. While humanity can navigate dark, remote underground passages, the true "path" to divine wisdom is so elevated and inaccessible that not even creatures with the keenest natural abilities – the birds of prey that survey the highest reaches – can perceive it. The chapter concludes by affirming that God alone knows the way to wisdom and reveals it (v. 23-28), effectively asserting the limitations of human intellect and discovery in discerning God's profound, hidden truth.

Job 28 7 Word analysis

• That path (נָתִיב, nathiv): Refers to a marked or beaten way, a course of travel. Here, it is a metaphorical path, representing the way to, or the understanding of, true wisdom. Unlike human-made paths, this path is divinely known and lies beyond earthly discovery.
• no bird of prey (לֹא־יְדָעוֹ עַיִט, lo-yedā‘o ‘ayit): The term ‘ayit broadly refers to birds that snatch or swoop, particularly raptors like eagles, vultures, or hawks, known for their powerful flight and remarkable aerial perspective. The phrase signifies that even these creatures, with their inherent advantage of altitude and acute vision, are entirely unaware of this path. Their superior natural abilities are insufficient to discern it.
• knows (יְדָעוֹ, yedā‘o): Implies a comprehensive knowing, not just seeing. It highlights that the "path" is not simply visually obscure, but completely unapprehended by creatures whose very nature equips them to find things hidden or distant.
• Nor has (וְלֹא, ve-lo): A conjunctive "and not," serving to strengthen the previous negation and introduce a further, more specific example.
• the falcon’s eye (עֵין אַיָּה, ‘ên ‘ayyāh): ‘Ayyah specifically refers to the falcon or kite, known for their exceptionally sharp vision (a proverbial trait even today) and ability to spot minute details from immense heights. The "eye" emphasizes the organ of perception itself, suggesting that even the most perfect natural vision is inadequate. The Hebrew word shĕzāfattû ("has seen it") is a unique, perhaps Aramaic, verb chosen for its strong sense of 'gazing upon' or 'beholding clearly,' reinforcing the idea of precise observation.
• seen it (שְׁזָפַתּוּ, shĕzāfattû): The verb emphasizes a keen, direct, and searching look. Not only is the path unknown, but even the most piercing natural sight cannot even catch a glimpse of it.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "That path no bird of prey knows": This opening phrase establishes the theme of inaccessibility. The "path" (of wisdom) is not something that can be intuitively grasped or discovered through powerful, wide-ranging reconnaissance, which is the forte of birds of prey. It signifies that wisdom's domain transcends instinctive, natural, or purely observational capacities.
• "Nor has the falcon’s eye seen it": This second part intensifies the metaphor. By specifying the falcon, a creature revered for its unparalleled keenness of sight and ability to soar to extreme altitudes, the verse emphatically reiterates the idea that divine wisdom lies beyond any earthly, natural perception, however acute. The combination stresses that not only is it intellectually unknowable through natural means, it's also visually imperceptible even to the best-equipped natural "observers." This underscores wisdom's spiritual, divine nature, distinct from physical or creaturely realms.

Job 28 7 Bonus section

The imagery in Job 28:7, particularly the high-flying, keen-sighted birds of prey, resonates deeply with other biblical descriptions of creatures symbolizing sharp natural ability. Job himself later describes the eagle and the hawk's impressive capabilities (Job 39:26-30). This connection reinforces the hyperbolic nature of the current verse: if these birds, with their unmatched vision and high vantage points, cannot find this "path," it must indeed be utterly concealed from any earthly search. The chapter is not simply an intellectual treatise but a polemic against human pride and self-sufficiency, suggesting that human wisdom derived from observation, experience, or ingenuity (as powerful as it might be in earthly domains) ultimately falls short of comprehending divine truth. This foreshadows the New Testament concept that "the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Cor 2:14). Thus, the path to wisdom is not discovered, but revealed.

Job 28 7 Commentary

Job 28:7 forms a pivotal part of the hymn to wisdom, vividly portraying wisdom's inaccessibility to human enterprise and even superior natural instincts. Humanity, with all its ingenuity, can plumb the earth's depths to find material treasures, demonstrating remarkable skill and persistence in mastering the physical world. Yet, the path to ultimate wisdom is of a wholly different order. The metaphor of birds of prey – specifically the sharp-eyed falcon – highlights that this wisdom is beyond natural comprehension or discernment. These birds symbolize the apex of natural perception and surveying ability from vast heights, able to see what lies below from an extraordinary vantage point. If even they, with their keen senses and unparalleled perspective, cannot discern this path, it profoundly establishes wisdom's transcendence and inherent unreachableness by human or even animalistic efforts. It is a divine secret, dwelling at a height beyond the scope of creation's most powerful observers, ultimately discoverable only by divine revelation, not human searching.