Job 28:15–19

Job's friends thought they had "the secrets of wisdom" (ch. 11:6), but Job could see that their arguments were not wise at all. So he confronts them: wisdom is not so easy to get. In fact, wisdom cannot be bought with gold or silver (v.15).

Something of such priceless value is now tested against everything man counts as treasure. Pure gold and silver, weighed out without limit, cannot buy it. The fine gold of Ophir, the precious onyx and the sapphire — "a king's ransom" — have no place here… We search all of nature in vain for anything to compare with it, for its price is above every treasure on earth. If only men saw this, so that they might find the one jewel of eternal value. Everything else is nothing without it.

In other words, nothing in nature can come near the value of true wisdom. True wisdom is spiritual, not natural… A person receives this wisdom only through faith in the Lord Jesus, as the Spirit of God reveals it. How wonderful this is, far above all natural understanding!

Again we ask, why will men not work like this for the "hidden wisdom"? Why will they not sift for it, when it lies so close by? Or, if they must, why not remove the very mountains of difficulty by faith? "The course of this world" rushes past like a river, and it would swallow the true riches. So why do men not dam it, or turn it away, so that they may have the one thing worth more than all wealth? "The one who seeks finds" is still true. But this seeking and finding are not like the hard work of digging for gold. Wisdom is hidden, and the way to it is unknown, because God is unknown, and men will not listen to Him.

What a very solemn thing that is! True wisdom and true understanding not found in the earth at all! It comes down from heaven. It is found only in Christ; and Christ had not yet come; and further, this is what came out still more by Christ's rejection and Christ's death.

God alone can declare what wisdom really is and what it is worth. He "said to man, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.'" Solomon said the same thing later: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight" (Prov. 9:10). So until God has His rightful place in a man's mind and heart, that man cannot see anything wisely. His thoughts are off centre. His starting point is all wrong.

"He dams up the streams so that they do not trickle, and the thing that is hidden he brings out to light. But where shall wisdom be found?" No, there is no wisdom in all that. There is self in all that. There is what will make a man rich; there is what will bring money and perhaps distinction; but where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? Well, it is not on the earth, and it is not down in these dark mines where man is so quick to go after what he values.

Something of such priceless value is now tested by all that man counts treasure. Pure gold and silver, weighed out without limit, cannot buy it. The fine gold of Ophir, the precious onyx and the sapphire — "a king's ransom" — have no place here… Men ransack nature in vain to find anything to compare with wisdom, whose price is above all the treasures of earth. Would that men realised this, so that they might find the one jewel of eternal value. All else is nothing without it.

The two stones called "precious" have very significant places. The precious onyx is the first stone named in the Bible (Genesis 2:12). The same verse also mentions gold and bdellium, the substance manna looked like in colour (Numbers 11:7). We find the onyx on the shoulders and breastplate of the high priest in Exodus 28. It appears again in Job 28, in relation to wisdom. Later, in Ezekiel 28:13, it adorns with other gems the king full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

Absolutely nothing in nature can approach the value of true wisdom, for this is spiritual, not natural… "But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory" (1 Corinthians 2:7). This wisdom is received only through faith in the Lord Jesus, by the revelation of the Spirit of God (v. 10).

What then is this wisdom, of such infinite value, and yet so unattainable? We shall be told in a little while by the Author of it. It must be enough for us here to say that it is the knowledge of the truth, the nature of all things, taken from God Himself. It is a knowledge which does not puff up, nor separate from God. It gives the soul a living principle of peace and joy in communion with Him.

It is useless to hope for a fair exchange. Men weigh out gold or silver in vain. No gem of Ophir will do, nor onyx, nor sapphire, nor golden glass, nor work of art in gold, nor coral or pearl, nor topaz, nor jewel of the clearest lustre… God understands its way and He knows its place… Yet He also laid down the foundation of all righteousness, and this for favoured man on earth to hear. It is to give God His rights. "Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding."

Job's friends thought they had "the secrets of wisdom" (ch.11:6), but Job could see that their arguments were not wise at all. So he confronts them with this: wisdom is not so easily obtained. In fact, wisdom cannot be bought with gold or silver (v.15).

Job next contrasts the doom of the ungodly rich, described in the previous chapter, with the true riches, which can never be lost. The opening part of the chapter describes the toil and care with which men search for the dug-out gold, which so often brings only the "strife and curse" that fall on it. He then passes on to the true riches — wisdom. Where can it be found?

zekukith, Job 28:17: probably richly decorated glass, of the kind made in Egypt. Here it is listed with gold; but wisdom, the gift of God, is worth far more than such things.

A thing of such priceless value is now tested against everything man counts as treasure. Pure gold and silver, weighed out without limit, cannot buy it. The fine gold of Ophir, the precious onyx and the sapphire — "a king's ransom" — have no place here. Gold is named again, along with transparent crystal — "pure gold, like transparent glass" — jewels as beautiful as they are rare; corals, pearls, rubies — wisdom's price is higher than all of them. The topaz of far-off Ethiopia looks dull beside this bright jewel of God's glory. Men search all of nature in vain for anything to compare with what is worth more than every earthly treasure.

Job continues his subject of wisdom, saying that the finest gold (from Ophir) or onyx or sapphire stones, or crystal, or jewellery of fine gold have no value at all compared with wisdom (vv.16-17)... In other words, nothing in nature can come near the value of true wisdom, for wisdom is spiritual, not natural.

What a very solemn thing that is! True wisdom and true understanding are not found in the earth at all! It comes down from heaven. It is found only in Christ... "Therefore the deep says, 'It is not in me.'" There are silver and gold in the deep, and other such goods, and precious stones. "The sea says, 'It is not with me.'"

If man does not know its price, and if it is not to be found in the land of the living... then where am I to turn? If it cannot be bought with gold or precious stones — if the wealth of the universe cannot equal it, and no cleverness of man can discover it — where shall I find it?

Scripture urges people elsewhere to "buy," though "without money and without price" (Isa. 55:1)... In fact, the very terms of the gospel are that "the gift of God" cannot be obtained with money, or with anything that might count as its religious equivalent. Pride that will not take a free gift as a gift must be sent away empty.

A thing of such priceless value is now tested by everything man counts as treasure. Pure gold and silver, weighed out without limit, cannot buy it... corals, pearls, rubies — wisdom's price is greater than them all. The topaz of far-off Ethiopia looks dull beside this bright jewel of God's glory. Men search all of nature in vain for anything to compare with what is worth more than every earthly treasure.

No one knows for certain which precious stone this word means. Scripture uses it as a symbol of great worth: "the price of wisdom is above rubies"; the value of a virtuous woman is far above rubies. Job 28:18; Prov. 3:15; Prov. 8:11; Prov. 20:15; Prov. 31:10.

Job 28:18 is no exception, for gabiysh means crystal, not pearl.

No one on earth knows its price, and in fact it is not found in the land of the living. The deep says wisdom is not in it, and the sea says so even more strongly. There is no hope of trading anything of equal value for it. Weighing out gold or silver is useless. So is the gem of Ophir, or onyx, or sapphire, or golden glass, or fine work in gold, or coral or pearl, or topaz, or the jewel of clearest shine.

Why will men not work like this for the "hidden wisdom"? Why will they not sift it out when it lies so close by, or, if they must, remove the very mountains of difficulty by faith?... "The one who seeks finds" is still true, though the seeking and the finding are not what the toil for gold would suggest. The wisdom is hidden and the way to it unknown, because men do not know God and will not listen to Him.

Coral and quartz are not worth mentioning when we weigh the value of wisdom, and neither are rubies... In other words, nothing in nature can come near the value of true wisdom, for this is spiritual, not natural... 1 Corinthians 2:7 tells us, "But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory." We receive this wisdom only through faith in the Lord Jesus, as the Spirit of God reveals it.

The depths of the earth will not reveal it, and its value is far above gold and rubies. God alone can declare its true nature and value: "And He said to man, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.'"... So until God has His rightful place in a man's mind and heart, he cannot view anything wisely. His thoughts are off centre. His beginning is all wrong.

Something of such priceless value is now tested by all that man counts as treasure. Pure gold and silver, weighed out without limit, cannot buy it. The fine gold of Ophir, the precious onyx and the sapphire — a king's ransom — have no place here. Gold comes up again, along with transparent crystal — "pure gold, like transparent glass." These jewels are as beautiful as they are rare. Corals, pearls, rubies — wisdom's price is beyond them all. The topaz of far-off Ethiopia finds its shine dim beside this bright jewel of God's glory. Men search all of nature in vain for anything to compare with it. Its price is above every treasure on earth.

The Hebrew word is pitdah, and has been thought to come from an island in the Red Sea called Topazos. That would explain why the ancient versions call it 'topaz,' but the gem is thought to match our chrysolite. Job 28:19 speaks of 'the topaz of Ethiopia.' It was one of the jewels in the breastplate, Ex. 28:17; Ex. 39:10.

Man is in eager pursuit of what is rare in this world — a restless search after gold, silver and precious stones of every kind. But where is wisdom to be found? Man can steer his course across the waters. Man can cut a road through the rocks. He can level mountains and fill valleys to get what he wants. He can even go where the vulture does not fly and does not see... But where is wisdom to be found? The finest gold cannot buy it. The most precious gems and the finest works of art are no fair exchange. The treasures of the deep, even pearls, fail in comparison.

Coral and quartz are not worth mentioning, nor rubies either, in estimating the value of wisdom, nor the topaz of Ethiopia, nor any pure gold (vv.18-19). In other words, absolutely nothing in nature can approach the value of true wisdom, for this is spiritual, not natural... 1 Corinthians 2:7 tells us, "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory." We receive this wisdom only through faith in the Lord Jesus, when the Spirit of God reveals it.

If wisdom is not in creation, where does it come from? Where is the place of understanding, since it is hidden from the eyes of all living? The answer comes back: "God understands its way." And "destruction and death" had heard the fame of it. This is surely a hint of the Cross of Christ. Yes, God knew the wisdom that was needed. When that "hidden wisdom" came out in Christ, and the world crucified the Lord of glory, then death and destruction heard its fame!

There is a wisdom above man. "And to man He said: 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.'" And that is exactly what a soul feels at conversion. He may know nothing more than that; he sees how he has been in almost all evil, and he departs from it.