TRV
Translation
King James Version
The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.
Complete Jewish Bible
There where no one lives, they break open a shaft; the feet passing over are oblivious to them; far from people, suspended in space, they swing to and fro.
Berean Standard Bible
Far from human habitation he cuts a shaft in places forgotten by the foot of man. Far from men he dangles and sways.
American Standard Version
He breaketh open a shaft away from where men sojourn; They are forgotten of the foot; They hang afar from men, they swing to and fro.
World English Bible Messianic
He breaks open a shaft away from where people live. They are forgotten by the foot. They hang far from men, they swing back and forth.
Geneva Bible (1599)
The flood breaketh out against the inhabitant, and the waters forgotten of the foote, being higher then man, are gone away.
Young's Literal Translation
A stream hath broken out from a sojourner, Those forgotten of the foot, They were low, from man they wandered.
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In the KJVVerse 13,509 of 31,102
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Commentary on Job 28 verses 1–11
1 ¶ Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.
2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.
3 He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.
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.
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.
9 He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.
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.
Here Job shows, 1. What a great way the wit of man may go in diving into the depths of nature and seizing the riches of it, what a great deal of knowledge and wealth men may, by their ingenious and industrious searches, make themselves masters of. But does it therefore follow that men may, by their wit, comprehend the reasons why some wicked people prosper and others are punished, why some good people prosper and others are afflicted? No, by no means. The caverns of the earth may be discovered, but not the counsels of heaven. 2. What a great deal of care and pains worldly men take to get riches. He had observed concerning the wicked man (Job 27:16) that he heaped up silver as the dust; now here he shows whence that silver came which he was so fond of and how it was obtained, to show what little reason wicked rich men have to be proud of their wealth and pomp. Observe here,
I. The wealth of this world is hidden in the earth. Thence the silver and the gold, which afterwards they refine, are fetched, Job 28:1. There they lay mixed with a great deal of dirt and dross, like a worthless thing, of no more account than common earth; and abundance of them will so lie neglected, till the earth and all the works therein shall be burnt up. Holy Mr. Herbert, in his poem called Avarice, takes notice of this, to shame men out of the love of money: -
Money, thou bane of bliss, thou source of woe,
Whence com'st thou, that thou art so fresh and fine?
I know thy parentage is base and low;
Man found thee poor and dirty in a mine.
Surely thou didst so little contribute
To this great kingdom which thou now hast got
That he was fain, when thou wast destitute,
To dig thee out of thy dark cave and grot.
Man calleth thee his wealth, who made thee rich,
And while he digs out thee falls in the ditch.
Iron and brass, less costly but more serviceable metals, are taken out of the earth (Job 28:2), and are there found in great abundance, which abates their price indeed, but is a great kindness to man, who could much better be without gold than without iron. Nay, out of the earth comes bread, that is, bread-corn, the necessary support of life, Job 28:5. Thence man's maintenance is fetched, to remind him of his own original; he is of the earth, and is hastening to the earth. Under it is turned up as it were fire, precious stones, that sparkle as fire - brimstone, that is apt to take fire - coal, that is proper to feed fire. As we have our food, so we have our fuel, out of the earth. There the sapphires and other gems are, and thence gold-dust is digged up;, Job 28:6. The wisdom of the Creator has placed these things, 1. Out of our sight, to teach us not to set our eyes upon them, Pro 23:5. 2. Under our feet, to teach us not to lay them in our bosoms, nor to set our hearts upon them, but to trample upon them with a holy contempt. See how full the earth is of God's riches (Psa 104:24) and infer thence, not only how great a God he is whose the earth is and the fulness thereof (Psa 24:1), but how full heaven must needs be of God's riches, which is the city of the great King, in comparison with which this earth is a poor country.
II. The wealth that is hidden in the earth cannot be obtained but with a great deal of difficulty. 1. It is hard to be found out: there is but here and there a vein for the silver, Job 28:1. The precious stones, though bright themselves, yet, because buried in obscurity and out of sight, are called stones of darkness and the shadow of death. Men may search long before they light on them. 2. When found out it is hard to be fetched out. Men's wits must be set on work to contrive ways and means to get this hidden treasure into their hands. They must with their lamps set an end to darkness; and if one expedient miscarry, one method fail, they must try another, till they have searched out all perfection, and turned every stone to effect it, Job 28:3. They must grapple with subterraneous waters (Job 28:4, Job 28:10, Job 28:11), and force their way through rocks which are, as it were, the roots of the mountains, Job 28:9. Now God has made the getting of gold, and silver, and precious stones, so difficult, (1.) For the exciting and engaging of industry. Dii laboribus omnia vendunt - Labour is the price which the gods affix to all things. If valuable things were too easily obtained men would never learn to take pains. But the difficulty of gaining the riches of this earth may suggest to us what violence the kingdom of heaven suffers. (2.) For the checking and restraining of pomp and luxury. What is for necessity is had with a little labour from the surface of the earth; but what is for ornament must be dug with a great deal of pains out of the bowels of it. To be fed is cheap, but to be fine is chargeable.
III. Though the subterraneous wealth is thus hard to obtain, yet men will have it. He that loves silver is not satisfied with silver, and yet is not satisfied without it; but those that have much must needs have more. See here, 1. What inventions men have to get this wealth. They search out all perfection, Job 28:3. They have arts and engines to dry up the waters, and carry them off, when they break in upon them in their mines and threaten to drown the work, Job 28:4. They have pumps, and pipes, and canals, to clear their way, and, obstacles being removed, they tread the path which no fowl knoweth (Job 28:7, Job 28:8), unseen by the vulture's eye, which is piercing and quick-sighted, and untrodden by the lion's whelps, which traverse all the paths of the wilderness. 2. What pains men take, and what vast charge they are at, to get this wealth. They work their way through the rocks and undermine the mountains, Job 28:10. 3. What hazards they run. Those that dig in the mines have their lives in their hands; for they are obliged to bind the floods from overflowing (Job 28:11), and are continually in danger of being suffocated by damps or crushed or buried alive by the fall of the earth upon them. See how foolish man adds to his own burden. He is sentenced to eat bread in the sweat of his face; but, as if that were not enough, he will get gold and silver at the peril of his life, though the more is gotten the less valuable it is. In Solomon's time silver was as stones. But, 4. Observe what it is that carries men through all this toil and peril: Their eye sees every precious thing, Job 28:10. Silver and gold are precious things with them, and they have them in their eye in all these pursuits. They fancy they see them glittering before their faces, and, in the prospect of laying hold of them, they make nothing of all these difficulties; for they make something of their toil at last: That which is hidden bringeth he forth to light, Job 28:11. What was hidden under ground is laid upon the bank; the metal that was hidden in the ore is refined from its dross and brought forth pure out of the furnace; and then he thinks his pains well bestowed. Go to the miners then, thou sluggard in religion; consider their ways, and be wise. Let their courage, diligence, and constancy in seeking the wealth that perisheth shame us out of slothfulness and faint-heartedness in labouring for the true riches. How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! How much easier and safer! Yet gold is sought for, but grace neglected. Will the hopes of precious things out of the earth (so they call them, though really they are paltry and perishing) be such a spur to industry, and shall not the certain prospect of truly precious things in heaven be much more so?
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–11. Public domain.
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Gregory the DialogistAD 604
47. What was that people of the Jews, hard by unbelief, that refused to behold by faith that Author of life, whom it foretold by prophecy, but ‘a stone of darkness?’ because it proved at once hard by cruelty, and clouded by unbelief. Which same is also called by another term ‘the shadow of death.’ For a shadow is drawn such and of the same sort as the outlines were of that object, from which it is derived, And who is designated by the name of’ death’ but the devil? Of whom in a kind of mode of representation by his minister’ it is said, And his name was Death. [Rev. 6, 8] Of whom that people was a shadow, because in following his wickedness, it presented in itself a semblance of him. But what is named by the title of the ‘torrent,’ save that fire that issues forth from the sight of the Awful Judge in the final Inquest, and divides the Elect and the damned? Whence too it is said by the Prophet, A fiery and rapid stream came forth from before Him. [Dan. 7, 10]
48. But what People is ‘on travel’ in this world, but that which hastening to the inheritance of the Elect knows well that it has its native country in the heavenly world, and expects that it will there find its own the more, in proportion as here it reckons all things that pass away to be unconnected with itself? Thus the ‘pilgrim People’ is the number of all the Elect, who accounting this life a species of exile to themselves, pant with the whole bent of the heart after their native country Above; of which persons Paul saith, And confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things, declare plainly that they seek a country. [Heb. 11, 13. 14.] This pilgrim state that same Apostle also was undergoing when he said, Knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we go pilgrims [peregrinamur] away from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. [2 Cor. 5, 6. 7.] The woes of this pilgrim state he was in haste to get quit of when he said, Having a desire to depart and to be with Christ; [Phil. 1, 23] and again, To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. [ver. 21] The burthen of this pilgrimage the Psalmist felt lying heavy upon him, when he said; Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in ,the tents of Kedar! My soul hath been much a sojourner. [Ps. 120, 5. 6.] From this he was panting to be extricated as speedily as possible, when inflamed with heavenly aspirations he said, My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God! [Ps. 42, 2] But this desire they are strangers to, who rivet their heart on earthly gratifications. For whilst they love only the things that are visible, surely the invisible things, even if they believe them to exist, they do not love, in that whilst they follow themselves too much with the outward following, even in the interior they become carnal. Thus both people run together in this life, but do not together attain to the life everlasting, because, the stone of darkness and the shadow of death the torrent divides from the people on travel. As if he said in plain speech, ‘Those whom in this present time either infidelity makes blind, or cruelty makes hard, the fiery stream that issues from before the Judge Eternal doth then sever from the People of the Elect, that thus from the company of good men the fire of the strict Inquest should part those, whom the darkness of evil habits makes blind in their lusts.
49. Perhaps by the designation of the ‘torrent,’ the actual whatering of holy preaching may be understood, according to that, that is said by Solomon; The eye that sneereth at his father and despiseth the travail of his mother, lo the ravens from the torrents shall pick it out. [Prov. 30, 17] For bad men, while they find fault with the judgments of God, do ‘sneer at their father,’ and heretics of all sorts whilst in mocking they contemn the preaching of Holy Church, and her fruitfulness, what else is this but that they ‘despise the travail of their mother?’ whom we not unjustly call the mother of them as well, because from the same they come forth, who speak against the same, as John bears witness, who says, They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us. [1 John 2, 19] But ‘the ravens from the torrents come,’ when the true Preachers come forth for the defence of Holy Church from the streams of the Sacred Books. Which same also are rightly termed ‘ravens,’ because they never pride themselves on the light of their righteousness, but by the grace of humility confess in themselves the blackness of sins. Whence too, it is spoken by the Church of Elect souls, I am black, but comely. And John says, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. Which same ravens, no doubt, ‘pick out the eyes’ of him that ‘sneereth,’ because they overcome the aim of bad and froward men. Thus by this testimony, if here as well ‘the torrent’ is to be taken for preaching; the stone of darkness, and shadow of death, the torrent divides from the people on travel; because the preaching of the Saints gives over the hardened minds of the lost, and betakes itself to the pious hearts of the lowly. Hence it is yet further subjoined,
Those whom the foot of the needy man forgot, a1~d the inaccessible ones.
50. What other in this place is taken to be the needy man, saving Him concerning Whom it is said by Paul, Though He was rich, yet .for your sakes He became poor. [2 Cor. 8, 9] The ‘feet’ of which ‘needy man’ were the holy Preachers, by the presence of which same compassing the Gentile world, He went round about the whole globe. Of whom it is said by the Prophet, And I will walk in them. [Lev. 26, 12] Was not he His foot, who whilst held fast in fetters, said, For which I am an ambassador in bonds? [2 Cor. 6, 16. Eph 6, 20] But those, who proved themselves ‘a shadow of death and a stone of darkness,’ ‘the foot of the needy Man forgot,’ because in the very outset of the new born Church, whereas the holy Apostles were minded to have preached the kingdom of heaven to Judaea, seeing that they profited for nothing at all, they went off for the preaching to the Gentiles, as they themselves say in their Acts; It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you; but seeing ye put it ,from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. [Acts 13, 23] Concerning whom also it is said by the Psalmist, The mountains shall be carried into the heart of the sea [Ps. 46, 2]; because the Apostles, being thrust off by Judaea, were ‘carried’ into this scene of the Gentile world. Who then are those, that by unbounded hardness and from dimsightedness of heart, like a kind of’ stone of darkness and the shadow of death,’ are divided from the People of the Saints going on travel, saving those whom’ the foot of the needy Man forgot,’ i.e. whom the Preachers of the Lord, poor as He was, that is, in respect of human nature, abandoned on account of the swelling of their pride; and those they wholly forgot, whilst they transferred the seeds of their preaching to the getting fruit of the Gentiles only? Whom moreover he rightly calls’ inaccessible’ also, because while they were hardened in their infidelity, they refused to give the words of life access to their heart. But this Judaea which grows thus hardened, whether what she was for 1ong, or what she underwent afterwards, let us listen to.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Job 28:4 is a vivid poetic description embedded within a larger hymn to wisdom, illustrating humanity's extraordinary ingenuity and relentless determination in the pursuit of material wealth from the earth's deepest recesses. It meticulously details the arduous challenges of ancient mining practices, specifically the management of subterranean waters in places utterly untouched by human presence. This verse serves to underscore humanity's remarkable capacity to conquer the physical world's hidden depths, thereby setting a profound stage for the chapter's central contrast: humanity's inability to discover true, divine wisdom through its own efforts alone.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Job 28:4 is rich in Vivid Imagery, painting a compelling and almost tactile picture of the dark, dangerous, and water-logged depths of ancient mines. Phrases like "flood breaketh out," "forgotten of the foot," and "dried up, gone away" create a tangible sense of the subterranean environment and the intense human actions taking place within it. The entire passage (Job 28:1-11) functions as an extended Metaphor for human endeavor and the relentless pursuit of knowledge or treasure. The physical act of mining, with its inherent challenges and eventual triumphs, serves as a powerful symbolic representation of humanity's impressive capacity to conquer and exploit the physical world. This detailed description then sets up a profound Contrast with the elusive and ultimately unsearchable nature of true wisdom, which, unlike earthly treasures, cannot be unearthed by human effort alone. The subtle Personification of the "foot" forgetting the waters emphasizes the untouched, pristine nature of these hidden depths before human intervention.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 28:4, while primarily describing human technological prowess and determination, subtly points to deeper theological truths. It affirms humanity's God-given capacity for dominion and stewardship over creation, evident in our ability to penetrate and manage the earth's hidden resources. However, its primary theological thrust, when read in its broader context, is to highlight the vast chasm between human ingenuity in uncovering material wealth and humanity's inherent inability to discover divine wisdom through its own efforts. This verse, therefore, serves as a powerful preamble to the chapter's central message: true wisdom is not found in the depths of the earth or the treasures it holds, but is a divine revelation, accessible only through God. It underscores that while we can conquer the physical world, the spiritual realm of ultimate truth and wisdom remains beyond our grasp without divine intervention, emphasizing God's sovereignty over wisdom itself and reminding us that He is the ultimate source of all true understanding.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 28:4 challenges us to critically consider the objects of our deepest pursuits and the extent of our efforts. Just as ancient miners risked life and limb, enduring immense hardship to extract material riches from the earth's forgotten depths, so too do we often expend immense energy, time, and resources in the relentless pursuit of earthly treasures—be they financial success, social status, fleeting pleasures, or even intellectual mastery. This verse, within its broader context, implicitly asks a piercing question: If we are willing to go to such extraordinary lengths for what is perishable and temporary, how much more fervent and diligent should our pursuit be for eternal wisdom, which is far more valuable and enduring than any earthly gain? It calls us to re-evaluate our priorities, reminding us that while human ingenuity is a precious gift from God, it has inherent limits, especially when it comes to understanding the profound mysteries of life, the nature of suffering, and divine purpose. Our diligence in worldly endeavors should serve as a mirror reflecting the even greater diligence we ought to apply to seeking God's wisdom, which alone provides true meaning, lasting satisfaction, and eternal life.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does Job 28:4 suggest that human ingenuity is inherently bad or condemned by God?
Answer: No, Job 28:4 does not condemn human ingenuity; rather, it marvels at it. The detailed description of mining operations throughout Job 28:1-11, including the management of subterranean waters in Job 28:4, highlights humanity's remarkable capacity for problem-solving, perseverance, and dominion over the physical world. This ingenuity is presented as a testament to human ability and a reflection of the creative intelligence God has endowed humanity with. The chapter's ultimate point, however, is not to diminish human skill but to establish a profound contrast: while humans can conquer the physical depths of the earth and extract its treasures, they cannot, by their own efforts, discover true wisdom, which resides only with God (as powerfully stated in Job 28:12-28). Thus, human ingenuity is celebrated for its power, but its limitations in the spiritual realm are also clearly defined, directing us to God as the sole source of ultimate wisdom.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Job 28:4 speaks of humanity's impressive ability to manage natural forces in the relentless pursuit of earthly treasures, its deeper Christ-centered fulfillment lies in the profound contrast it sets up: the unsearchable nature of true wisdom, which is ultimately found and fully embodied in Christ alone. Humanity's diligent efforts to drain "forgotten waters" and unearth hidden gems from the earth's deepest, most inaccessible places foreshadow the spiritual thirst that only Jesus can quench and the true, eternal treasure He embodies. Jesus declares Himself the source of "living water," promising that whoever drinks of it "will never be thirsty again" (John 4:14). This is a profound contrast to the physical waters miners must laboriously drain away; Jesus offers water that satisfies eternally and spiritually cleanses. Furthermore, the very wisdom that Job 28 declares to be beyond human discovery and acquisition is fully revealed and perfectly embodied in Christ. Paul proclaims that Christ is "the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:24), and that "in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3). Thus, the human quest for hidden treasures and the management of challenging waters in Job 28:4 ultimately points to the surpassing value of Christ, who is both the living water that cleanses and sustains, and the very embodiment of divine wisdom, freely given to those who seek Him with humble hearts (James 1:5).