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Commentary on Job 28 verses 1–11
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?
51. Judaea was wont to give bread, in that she used to set before men the words of the Law. Which same Law because the children of perdition could now no longer understand and interpret, the prophet Jeremiah bewails in the Lamentations, saying, The young children asked bread, and there was no man to break it unto them [Lam 4, 4]; but this ‘earth is overturned in its place with fire,’ because on beholding the miracles of the faithful it consumed itself with the firebrand of envy. For because envy is always used to be engendered from pride, she ‘perished in her place by fire,’ who for this reason burned with envy, because she did not abandon pride. And so ‘the earth, which first had bread, was afterwards overturned by fire,’ because the Synagogue, which set before men the commandments of God in the Law, by persecuting the new-born Church consumed itself with the fire of envy. Was it not in flames with the brands of its jealousy when on seeing the miracles of our Redeemer; it said by certain of its own, What do we? for this Man doeth many miracles? [John 11, 47] Or, surely, Ye see that we gain nothing; yea, the whole world goeth after Him. [ib. 12, 19] They saw that whereby they should have been converted, and they were thereby rendered the more froward. They sought to stifle Him, Whom they beheld give life to the dead. They held the Law in the mouth, but persecuted the Author of the Law. Therefore the earth, from which bread arose, was overturned in its place by fire. Because Judaea had in her own self first the Law that should refresh, and afterwards envy that should consume her.
“They have uncovered the earth, from which nourishment comes,” through the art of agriculture, [the author] says; [humans] produce what is necessary for nourishment which the earth offers according to the divine precept by which it received. Therefore, as the fire takes hold of the wood, so the earth acts in the same manner when the seeds are scattered on it; they drive their roots in it, and thanks to the power that they receive from it, they spring up. This is the meaning of the words “underneath it is turned up as by fire.”
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SUMMARY
Job 28:5 offers a profound poetic observation on the earth's dual nature: it is both the source of life-sustaining provision and the repository of hidden, fiery resources. This verse encapsulates humanity's remarkable ingenuity in extracting both daily necessities and valuable, often dangerous, treasures from the ground. It serves as a foundational statement within Job 28, a chapter that contrasts humanity's impressive mastery over the physical world with its inherent inability to discover true, divine wisdom through similar earthly endeavors.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Job 28:5 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message. Parallelism is evident in the two clauses, contrasting the earth's surface yield of "bread" with its subterranean yield of "fire" (or fiery materials). This creates a balanced yet contrasting image, highlighting the dual nature of the earth's provision. Metaphor is central to the phrase "turned up as it were fire," where "fire" is not literal combustion but a vivid descriptor for the appearance of valuable ores or the intense processes associated with their extraction and refinement. This also leans into Symbolism, where "bread" symbolizes life, sustenance, and the visible blessings of creation, while "fire" or fiery materials symbolize hidden wealth, human ingenuity, and the dangerous, transformative power of delving into the earth's depths. The verse's concise yet evocative language contributes to the overall poetic beauty and profound thematic development of Job 28.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 28:5, within its broader context, serves as a powerful theological statement about the nature of creation, human endeavor, and the ultimate source of wisdom. It affirms God's design in providing for humanity's basic needs through the earth's bounty, while simultaneously showcasing the remarkable, God-given capacity of humanity to explore and harness the deeper, hidden resources of the planet. However, the verse's true theological weight is revealed when contrasted with the rest of Job 28, which asserts that despite all this human ingenuity and mastery over the physical world, true wisdom cannot be found within the earth's depths or purchased with its treasures. This sets up the profound truth that wisdom is a divine attribute, originating solely with God, and is revealed according to His will, not discovered by human effort. It teaches humility in our achievements and directs our gaze beyond earthly pursuits to the divine source of all true understanding.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 28:5 invites us to a multi-layered reflection on our relationship with the created world and with the Creator. On one hand, it calls us to a profound sense of gratitude for God's consistent and abundant provision, from the daily nourishment that sustains life to the raw materials that enable civilization and technological advancement. This should foster a deep appreciation for the intricate design of creation and our dependence on its Giver. On the other hand, the verse, especially when viewed through the lens of the entire chapter, serves as a powerful reminder of the limits of human knowledge and the ultimate futility of seeking ultimate wisdom through purely earthly means. Despite our incredible capacity for discovery and innovation, the most profound truths, particularly those concerning life's ultimate meaning and purpose, remain beyond our grasp unless divinely revealed. This prompts us to cultivate humility in our achievements and to recognize that true wisdom is not something we can extract or purchase, but rather a gift to be sought from its divine source. It challenges us to prioritize the pursuit of God's wisdom over the accumulation of earthly treasures or the mastery of worldly knowledge.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the contrast between "bread" and "fire" in Job 28:5?
Answer: The contrast between "bread" and "fire" (or fiery materials) in Job 28:5 is highly significant. "Bread" symbolizes the earth's surface-level, visible, and essential provision for daily life—the sustenance that comes from agriculture. It represents the benevolent and accessible aspect of creation. "Fire" (or the materials that appear like fire, such as glittering ores or combustible resources) symbolizes the earth's hidden, deeper, and often more valuable treasures that require immense human effort, ingenuity, and even danger to extract. This contrast highlights humanity's dual relationship with the earth: as a source of basic needs and as a repository of profound, often dangerous, riches. It sets up the central theme of Job 28, which is that while humanity can master the earth's physical depths, true wisdom remains elusive and beyond human acquisition.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 28:5, with its depiction of the earth yielding both sustenance and hidden treasures, finds its ultimate fulfillment and reinterpretation in Christ. While the Old Testament passage marvels at humanity's ability to extract earthly goods, it simultaneously laments the inability to find true wisdom through such means. Jesus Christ, however, embodies the very wisdom that Job 28 declares to be unattainable by human effort. He is revealed as "the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:24), the one in whom "are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3). Furthermore, Christ is not merely the source of spiritual wisdom but also the ultimate "Bread of Life" (John 6:35), providing eternal sustenance far beyond the earthly bread that perishes. He is also the one who, through His death and resurrection, descended into the depths and brought forth the greatest treasure—salvation and eternal life—a spiritual "fire" that purifies and illuminates. Thus, the dual provision of the earth in Job 28:5 foreshadows Christ, who provides both the spiritual sustenance for our souls and the hidden, invaluable treasure of divine wisdom and redemption, freely given to those who seek Him, unlike the earthly treasures that must be laboriously extracted.