Giobbe 28:18 Commento

The strain of this chapter is very unlike the rest of this book. Job forgets his sores, and all his sorrows, and talks like a philosopher or a virtuoso. Here is a great deal both of natural and moral philosophy in this discourse; but the question is, How does it come in here? Doubtless it was not merely for an amusement, or diversion from the controversy; though, if it had been only so, perhaps it would not have been much amiss. When disputes grow hot, better lose the question than lose our temper. But this is pertinent and to the business in hand. Job and his friends had been discoursing about the dispensations of Providence towards the wicked and the righteous. Job had shown that some wicked men live and die in prosperity, while others are presently and openly arrested by the judgments of God. But, if any ask the reason why some are punished in this world and not others, they must be told it is a question that cannot be answered. The knowledge of the reasons of state in God's government of the world is kept from us, and we must neither pretend to it nor reach after it. Zophar had wished that God would show Job the "secrets of wisdom" (Job 11:6). No, says Job, "secret things belong not to us, but things revealed," Deu 29:29. And here he shows, I. Concerning worldly wealth, how industriously that is sought for and pursued by the children of men, what pains they take, what contrivances they have, and what hazards they run to get it (Job 28:1-11). II. Concerning wisdom (Job 28:12). In general, the price of it is very great; it is of inestimable value (Job 28:15-19). The place of it is very secret (Job 28:14, Job 28:20, Job 28:22). In particular, there is a wisdom which is hidden in God (Job 28:23-27) and there is a wisdom which is revealed to the children of men (Job 28:28). Our enquiries into the former must be checked, into the latter quickened, for that is it which is our concern.

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 28 The design of this chapter is either to show the folly of such who are very diligent in their search and pursuit after earthly things, and neglect an inquiry after that which is infinitely more valuable, true wisdom; or rather to observe, that though things the most secret, and which are hidden in the bowels of the earth, may be investigated and discovered by the sagacity and diligence of men, yet wisdom cannot, especially the wisdom of God in his providences, which are past finding out; and particularly in what concerns the prosperity of the wicked, and the afflictions of the righteous; the reason of which men should be content to be ignorant of for the present, and be studious to possess that wisdom which is attainable, and be thankful for it, if they have it; which lies in the fear of the Lord, and a departure from evil, with which this chapter concludes. It begins with setting forth the sagacity of men in searching and finding out useful metals, and other things the earth produces; the difficulty, fatigue, and labour, that attend such a search, and the dangers they are exposed unto in it, Job 28:1; then it declares the unsearchableness of wisdom, its superior excellency to things the most valuable, and that it is not to be found by sea or land, or among any of the creatures, Job 28:12; and that God only knows its way and place, who has sought it out, prepared and declared it, Job 28:23; and that which he has thought fit to make known of it, and is most for his glory and the good of men, is, that it is to fear God, and depart from evil, Job 28:28.

No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls,.... Coral is a marine plant, is as hard as a stone, and of such value as to be reckoned among precious stones; See Gill on Eze 27:16. In Arabia Felix, on the shore of the Red sea, is a place called Coralia (n); it may be from coral found there. Pearls are from shellfish taken out of the sea, though these seem rather intended in the next clause: the words "ramoth" and "gabish" are left untranslated by some, and by others are taken for precious stones, though unknown, so called because they are found in high places, which both words signify. The Targum renders the first by "sandalchin", and seems to be the same with the sardonyx, a precious stone found in Arabia, and which found there is by Pliny (o) said to excel. Junius and Tremellius render it by "sandastros"; which, as Pliny says (p), some call "Garamantis", being bred in a place of that name in India; and he also observes, that it is found in Arabia towards the south, and has shining golden drops in the body of it; it is a sort of a carbuncle. "Gabish" seems to have some affinity with "chabazios", mentioned by Orpheus (q) as a precious stone; but whatever precious stones are meant, as it is hard to determine what, they are not to be spoken of with wisdom, or to be compared to it: for the price of wisdom is above rubies; or rather pearls, as Bochart (r) seems to have abundantly proved, who renders the words, "the extraction of wisdom is greater than the extraction of pearls;'' and so the Targum; there being, as he thinks, an allusion to the extraction of pearls out of the sea by divers into it (s); who get them through much art, difficulty, and danger; and he observes, that there is a double extraction, or drawing them out, first of the shellfish out of the sea, and then of the pearls out of the shells; but the drawing out of wisdom, or the attainment of that; is more difficult, and superior to it, as well as attended with greater advantage; see Pro 3:15 and See Gill on Lam 4:7; and though of pearls some are very large, Oviedo (t) speaks of one that weighed thirty one carats, and another twenty six; some as big as hazel nuts, and even as a middling walnut, and of very great price, as that bought by Pope Paul at 44,000 ducats (u); that by Philip the Second, of the size of a pigeon's egg, valued at an hundred forty four thousand ducats; that drank by Cleopatra at a draught, reckoned worth eighty thousand pounds sterling; and that of the emperor of Persia, bought at 110,400 pounds (w); yet the price of wisdom is above them. (n) Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 28. (o) Ib. l. 37. c. 6. (p) Ib. c. 7. (q) , p. 240. (r) Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 5. c. 6. col. 681, &c. (s) Of fishing for pearls in this way, see the Account of it in Vartoman. Navigat. l. 3. c. 2. in P. Martyr. Decad. 3. l. 2. and Oviedo de Occident. Ind. c. 4. and with nets, Aelian. de Animal. l. 15. c. 8. Vid. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 9. c. 35. (t) Ut supra. (Oviedo de Occident. Ind. c. 4.) (u) P. Martyr, Decad. 3. l. 10. (w) See Chambers's Dictionary on the word "Pearl".

“The highest and loftier things are not worthy of mention in comparison with it.” He shows that not only amassed riches but also the heights of honors and the highest peaks of official dignity become worthless in comparison with it. “Wisdom is drawn from what is hidden.” Since he had depreciated all the things that delight the eyes, or entice the other senses or deceive the minds, in comparison with the honor of wisdom, he also avenges [wisdom] from that offense, in order that it may not appear to be open to everybody, that is, it may not be accused of dwelling in the desires and the actions of the crowd.

Nor shall they be mentioned in comparison with her. For wisdom is drawn from out of sight. For all the Elect of the Country Above are indeed holy and righteous, but by a participation of Wisdom, not by comparison therewith. For what are men compared with God? Now 'Light' Wisdom is used to be called, 'light' also the servants of Wisdom are wont to be called; but She as light lighting up, they as light lighted up; as it was written; That was the true Light, Which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. But to these it is only said, Ye are the light of the world. 'Righteousness' indeed Wisdom is called, 'righteousness' the servants of 'Wisdom' as well are called: but She righteousness that maketh righteous, they righteousness that is made righteous. For of God, Who is 'Wisdom,' it is said, That He might Himself be just and the Justifier; but these say, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. So then it is after one sort that the 'Light lighting' is to be reverenced, after another that the 'light lighted' is to be; in one way the Righteousness that maketh righteous, in another way the righteousness that is made righteous. Now Wisdom both is and is wise, nor has She for one thing to be, and for another thing to be wise; but the servants of 'Wisdom' are indeed able to be wise men, but yet they have not their being the same thing as being wise. For they may be, and not be wise. Wisdom hath life, but She hath not one thing, and is another thing, inasmuch as, to Her it is that to be that it is to live. But the servants of 'Wisdom' whilst they have life are one thing and have another, inasmuch as to whom to be is not the identical thing it is to live. For they may be after a sort, and yet not live. For to them it is one thing to be, and a different thing to live; for in the very first parent they had being by a beginning, and life by an addition, since man was first made of the earth, and afterwards as it is written; He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. Now Wisdom hath being, She hath life; but this, which She hath, She Her own Self is. Wherefore She lives unchangeably, because she lives not by contingency, but essentially. He then alone Is truly with the Father and the Holy Spirit, to Whose Being ours compared, is not to Be. To this Wisdom if we be joined, we are, we live, we are wise. If we be compared to Him, we neither are wise, nor live at all, nor are. Hence it is that all the Saints, when they advance in the vision of God, the more they view the interior depths of the Divine Nature, see so much the more that they themselves are nothing. For it is no where read that Abraham confessed that he was dust and ashes except when he obtained to enjoy the converse of God. For he says, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes. For he would perchance have thought that he was something, if he had not perceived at all the true Essence that is above himself. But when for the contemplating of the Unchangeable One he was transported above himself, being filled with so mighty a power of contemplation, when he saw Him, he saw that he himself was nought but 'dust.' Hence it is that the Prophet being filled with the same Wisdom crieth out, Remember, O Lord, that we are but dust; who again viewing the unchangeableness of that Essence, saith, Yea, all of them shall wax old as doth a garment, and as a vesture shalt Thou change them, and they shall be changed; but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail. Hence it is said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM: Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, HE THAT IS hath sent me unto you. For He alone truly IS, Who alone unchangeably continues. For every thing that now is after this way, and now after another way, is near to not being. For to continue in its standing, it is not able. And in some manner there is a going on not to be, whilst from that which was, it is by the enforings of time ever being led away to some other thing. In order then that in the partaking of His Body we may be something, let us know and see our own selves, that we are well nigh nothing. Therefore it is well said, Nor shall they be made mention of in comparison with her; because vessels of gold high and overtopping, which by participation of Wisdom are fit objects of reverence to us, in comparison of Wisdom are not even fit to be made mention of. 'Wisdom is drawn from out of sight;' because whereas She is invisible, She cannot be found saving in an invisible way. And She is rightly said to be 'drawn' also, because like as we draw the breath, that the body may live, so from the interior depths of Wisdom the Spirit is derived, that the soul may hold on to life. Whence the Psalmist says, I opened my mouth, and drew in the spirit. Which very Wisdom, taking human flesh together with a rational soul, when It had presented Itself from the interior depths close at hand, because this world could not behold its invisible Maker, Him Whom it saw visible Man, it also knew as invisible God as well. The Gentile world was converted from the darkness of its unbelief, being before full of pride by its avertedness; signs and wonders being exhibited, faith gained ground; and the faith being spread abroad, the summit of Holy Church shone forth in reverence with all men. To which same when there were wanting open adversaries, she began to be tried by her own members. For numberless heresies springing up in her, they arrayed against her wars of cruel conflict. For she must be exercised at this time by toiling, who is on the way to her recompensing in that which follows. Whereby it has come to pass that some in her should come forth who should call the Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus, created mere man, but one by grace made God, and should attribute so much of holiness to him as they knew in the rest of the Saints, the same being His servants. Which persons blessed Job being inspired with the spirit of prophecy, reproves by the laying out of his sentence.

Just as they cannot be exchanged for wisdom, so also all these things are accounted as nothing in comparison to wisdom, and so he then says, "none are thought anything in comparison to her," because they are not even worth remembering when one mentions the excellence of wisdom. Because he had said that some corporeal things were precious because they were hidden from us, he consequently shows that wisdom does not lack even this value when he says, "Wisdom has its source in hidden things." For the origin of human wisdom is hidden in two ways. In one way on the part of the light of the intellect, which is derived in us from the most hidden cause of all, God. In another way on the part of things known. Wisdom seeks the hidden properties and essences of these things, and by these ascends to the knowledge of divine matters, which is especially characteristic of wisdom.

The timidity of the wicked. Quick succession in the government of a country is a punishment to the land. Of the poor who oppress the poor. The upright poor man is preferable to the wicked rich man. The unprofitable conduct of the usurer. The prosperity of the righteous a cause of rejoicing. He is blessed who fears always. A wicked ruler a curse. The murderer generally execrated. The faithful man. The corrupt judge. The foolishness of trusting in one's own heart. The charitable man. When the wicked are elevated, it is a public evil.

JOB'S SPEECH CONTINUED. (Job 28:1-28) vein--a mine, from which it goes forth, Hebrew, "is dug." place for gold--a place where gold may be found, which men refine. Not as English Version, "A place--where," (Mal 3:3). Contrasted with gold found in the bed and sand of rivers, which does not need refining; as the gold dug from a mine does. Golden ornaments have been found in Egypt, of the times of Joseph.

Red coral (Eze 27:16). pearls--literally, "what is frozen." Probably crystal; and Job 28:17 will then be glass. rubies--UMBREIT translates "pearls" (see Lam 4:1; Pro 3:15). The Urim and Thummim, the means of consulting God by the twelve stones on the high priest's breastplate, "the stones of the sanctuary" (Lam 4:1), have their counterpart in this chapter; the precious stones symbolizing the "light" and "perfection" of the divine wisdom.