Job 28:28

Job 28:28 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
• New International Version (NIV)And he said to the human race, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he said to man, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.'"
• New King James Version (NKJV)And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.’ ”

Context of Job 28:28

26When He made a limit for the rain And a way for the thunderbolt, 27Then He saw wisdom and declared it; He established it and searched it out. But to man He said, ‘Behold, the reverential and worshipful fear of the Lord—that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.’ ”

Job 28:28 word by word

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר׀ לָֽאָדָ֗ם הֵ֤ן יִרְאַ֣ת אֲ֭דֹנָי הִ֣יא חָכְמָ֑ה וְס֖וּר מֵרָ֣ע בִּינָֽה׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And unto manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Behold, the fearיִרְאָהyir'âh · fearH3374
• of the Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
• wisdomחׇכְמָהchokmâh · wisdomH2451
• and to departסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: turn asideH5493
• from evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• understandingבִּינָהbîynâh · understandingH998

Cross-references for Job 28:28

• Deuteronomy 29:29“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things which are revealed and disclosed belong to us and to our children forever, so that we may do all of the words of this law.
• Proverbs 8:4“To you, O men, I call, And my voice is directed to the sons of men.
• Deuteronomy 4:6So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’
• Psalms 111:10The [reverent] fear of the Lord is the beginning (the prerequisite, the absolute essential, the alphabet) of wisdom; A good understanding and a teachable heart are possessed by all those who do the will of the Lord; His praise endures forever.
• Proverbs 1:7The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence]; But arrogant fools despise [skillful and godly] wisdom and instruction and self-discipline.
• Proverbs 9:10The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of wisdom [its starting point and its essence], And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding and spiritual insight.
• Ecclesiastes 12:13When all has been heard, the end of the matter is: fear God [worship Him with awe-filled reverence, knowing that He is almighty God] and keep His commandments, for this applies to every person.
• James 3:13Who among you is wise and intelligent? Let him by his good conduct show his [good] deeds with the gentleness and humility of true wisdom.
• Psalms 34:14Turn away from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.
• Proverbs 3:7Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord [with reverent awe and obedience] and turn [entirely] away from evil.
• Proverbs 13:14The teaching of the wise is a fountain and source of life, So that one may avoid the snares of death.
• Proverbs 16:17The highway of the upright turns away and departs from evil; He who guards his way protects his life (soul).
• Isaiah 1:16“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Get your evil deeds out of My sight. Stop doing evil,
• 2 Timothy 2:19Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God [which He has laid] stands [sure and unshaken despite attacks], bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord stand apart from wickedness and withdraw from wrongdoing.”
• 1 Peter 3:11He must turn away from wickedness and do what is right. He must search for peace [with God, with self, with others] and pursue it eagerly [actively—not merely desiring it].

Commentaries on Job 28:28

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 28Unto man he said - לאדם laadam, unto man, he said: This probably refers to the revelation of his will which God gave to Adam after his fall. He had before sought for wisdom in a forbidden way. When he and Eve saw that the tree was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, they took and did eat, Genesis 3:6. Thus they lost all the wisdom that they had, by not setting the fear of the Lord before their eyes; and became foolish, wicked…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28And unto man he said - At what time, or how, Job does not say. Prof. Lee supposes that this refers to the instruction which God gave in Paradise to our first parents; but it may rather be supposed to refer to the universal tenor of the divine communications to man, and to all that God had said about the way of true wisdom. The meaning is, that the substance of all that God had said to man was, that true wisdom was to be found in profound veneration of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-28Verses 20-28 There is a two-fold wisdom; one hid in God, which is secret, and belongs not to us; the other made known by him, and revealed to man. One day's events, and one man's affairs, have such reference to, and so hang one upon another, that He only, to whom all is open, and who sees the whole at one view, can rightly judge of every part. But the knowledge of God's revealed will is within our reach, and will do us good. Let man look upon this as his…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 28the fear of the Lord (Hebrew, ’adonay): In the book of Job, this name for God appears only here. This might suggest that chapter 28 is a poem by the person narrating.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2828. Rather, "But unto man," &c. My wisdom is that whereby all things are governed; Thy wisdom is in fearing God and shunning evil, and in feeling assured that My wisdom always acts aright, though thou dost not understand the principle which regulates it; for example, in afflicting the godly (Joh 7:17). The friends, therefore, as not comprehending the Divine Wisdom, should not infer Job's guilt from his sufferings. Here alone in Job the name of God…Read the comment

Topics related to Job 28:28

• Fear of God
• Holiness
• Readings, Select
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Bind
• Decree
• Equal
• Fain
• Fear of the Lord the
• Fine
• Wisdom
• Wise, wisdom
• Baruch, Book of
• Ethics

Commentaries on Job 28

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings