Job 28:28 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

And Or, rather, but, unto man For this is added by way of opposition, to show that man's wisdom doth not lie in a curious inquiry into, or an exact knowledge of God's secret counsels, and the ways of his providence, but in things of quite another nature; he said Unto Adam, in the day when he was created, and in and with him to all his posterity: that is, God spake it partly, and at first inwardly, to the mind of man, in which he wrote this with his own finger; and partly afterward, by the holy patriarchs and prophets, and other teachers whom he sent into the world, to teach men true wisdom; which accordingly they did, not by acquainting the people with the secrets of God's counsels and providence, but by declaring to them his revealed will, and instructing them in their duty toward God and one another; making it their great and principal, if not only business, to make men wise unto salvation: see Deuteronomy 4:6; Deuteronomy 29:29. Behold Which expression denotes the great importance of this doctrine, and man's backwardness to apprehend, consider, and practise it; and withal, man's proneness to place his wisdom in vain and curious speculations; the fear of the Lord True religion in all its branches, including the knowledge and love of God, followed by obedience to his will, and every part of godliness and righteousness: that is wisdom In that only consists man's true wisdom; because that, and that only, is his duty, and his safety and happiness, both for this life and for the next; and because this is attainable, whereas the depths of God's counsels are unknown and unsearchable to man and all created beings. And to depart from evil From sin, which is called evil eminently, as being the chief evil, and the cause of all other evils. Religion consists of two branches, doing good, and forsaking evil; the former is expressed in the former clause of this verse, and the latter in these words. Is understanding Is the best kind of knowledge or wisdom to which man can attain in this life. The design of Job, in this close of his discourse, is not only to reprove the boldness of his friends, in prying into God's secrets, and passing such a rash censure upon him, and upon God's carriage toward him; but also to vindicate himself from the imputation of hypocrisy, which they fastened upon him, by showing that he had ever esteemed it to be his best wisdom to fear God, and to depart from evil.