1.
Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.
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 20:1-29 .
is = doth exist.
vein = outlet: i.e. mine, or shaft.
2.
Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.
earths = dust.
3.
He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.
he = man: i.e. the miner.
4.
The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.
men = mortal men.
5.
As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.
6.
The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.
7.
There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen:
8.
The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.
lion's whelps = sons of pride: i.e. ravenous beasts. nor = and . . . not.
9.
He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.
rock = flint.
10.
He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.
11.
He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.
12.
But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
13.
Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.
14.
The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.
15.
It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
16.
It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
17.
The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.
18.
No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.
19.
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
20.
Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
21.
Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
22.
Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.
Destruction. Hebrew. Abaddon.
23.
God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.
winds. Hebrew. ruach. App-9 .
24.
For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;
25.
To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.
26.
When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:
27.
Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.
28.
And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
the fear = the reverence.
the LORD* . One of the 134 alterations of the Sopherim ( App-32 ), by which the name "Jehovah" in the primitive text, was changed to Adonai.
that is wisdom. This was a libel on Job, for Job had this "fear" or reverence; yet he was suffering. That was the very point in question, and leads up to the answer. This was Zophar's philosophy. The fear of the LORD is not true wisdom; it is only "the beginning of wisdom" (Psalms 111:10 . Proverbs 1:7 ; Proverbs 9:10 ). True wisdom is to take the place of the sinner before God, and Job takes this place (Job 42:5 , Job 42:6 ). This is "the end of the LORD" (James 5:11 ), and it is "the end" of this book. This wisdom "justifies God" (Psalms 51:3 , Psalms 51:4 , Psalms 51:6 . Matthew 11:19 . Luke 7:35 ). True wisdom is "given", and we have to be "made" to know it (Proverbs 30:24 . 2 Timothy 3:15 . 2Ti 38:36 ). Compare Job 33:27 , Job 33:28 ; Job 34:31 ; Job 35:11 ; Job 39:17 . Zophar's was human wisdom founded on human merit. To depart from evil is what every prudent man would do from good policy.