Job 28:12-21 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

But where shall wisdom be found?— Job continues to give further instances of the daring and yet successful attempts of mankind, to provide themselves with every necessary and conveniency of life; such as corn for bread; (Job 28:5.) fountains of water in the dry places, where they are wanted, cut out of the hard rock; (Job 28:10.) and rapid rivers restrained within their channels to prevent the mischiefs of their overflow: Job 28:11. To which he adds again gold and sapphires, and other precious stones, dug from the deep dark caverns of the earth, where the lion's foot never trod, nor the vulture's eye hath reached: in short, that there is scarcely any thing so concealed, but that the industry of man hath brought it to light; wisdom alone excepted; for all this is designed to introduce the great question, "Where shall wisdom be found?" Job 28:12-20. The reader cannot but take notice of that beautiful repetition which is here made of several of the particulars before mentioned, and the fine turn which is given to each: the depth saith, It is not in me; and the sea saith, It is not with me: as if he had said, "Men may dig into the bowels of the earth, and find gold and treasures there; but they will have as far to seek for wisdom as ever: nay, could they traverse the great sea itself, as they now cross a river or a strait, yet they would find that wisdom is not to be had in the way of commerce and exchange." It follows, It cannot be gotten for gold,—the onyx,—the sapphire,—the coral,—the pearl,—the topaz. The sapphire was mentioned before, and, being itself a Hebrew word, there can be no doubt about the meaning of it; but for the other words, whether we translate them rightly is a controverted point among the learned; and the obscurity of the text in this, as well as in other places, affords no inconsiderable argument of the antiquity of the book. One thing we cannot but remark from this passage; namely, how early the race of men had learned to set a value on those precious trinkets which are here so lavishly and temptingly exposed to view, that we could scarcely have forgiven the speaker, but for the honesty of his intention. It cannot, however, but give us a high idea of the splendor of Job's condition in the time of his prosperity, to see that he was so well acquainted with all those rare and costly things which the world calls treasures, and of which, no doubt, he had his share; but it gives one still a higher idea of his integrity and good sense, to find him representing wisdom as beyond comparison more valuable than them all. "But where then is this valuable thing to be found? Whence cometh wisdom? Job 28:20 and where is the place of understanding? Job 28:21. Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air, or heavens." Had augury been practised in the days of Job, one would think that he had here alluded to it. But I cannot find that there is the least mention in this book (which is another mark of its antiquity) of divination of any sort, except what Tully calls, improperly, the natural divination per somnia et vaticinationes, by dreams and extacies, or prophetic raptures; and it is remarkable, that he says of those two sorts, that many of the philosophers who discarded all the rest allowed of these; I suppose because they were supported by unquestionable facts. See Tull. de Divin. lib. 1: cap. 3. If one may take a hint from the old scholiast upon Homer, it should seem as if augury was introduced among the heathens together with their men-deities; for he tells us, "that Jupiter and the eagle, which of all the winged tribe gives the most certain omen, were born together." See Peters. Job, by mentioning the birds, appears to mean that wisdom was sealed up from all; from all beneath, Job 28:14 from all in the midst, Job 28:15. From all above; from all which walk the earth; from all which fly the heavens.