English Standard Version
Job 28:18
18No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal; the price of wisdom is above pearls.
Job 28:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.
- New International Version (NIV)Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.
- New King James Version (NKJV)No mention shall be made of coral or quartz, For the price of wisdom is above rubies.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Coral and jasper are worthless in trying to get it. The price of wisdom is far above rubies.
Context of Job 28:18
16It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire. 17Gold and glass cannot equal it, nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold. No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal; the price of wisdom is above pearls. 19The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, nor can it be valued in pure gold. 20"From where, then, does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding?
Read all of Job 28Job 28:18 word by word
רָאמ֣וֹת וְ֭גָבִישׁ לֹ֣א יִזָּכֵ֑ר וּמֶ֥שֶׁךְ חָ֝כְמָ֗ה מִפְּנִינִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 28:18
- Ezekiel 27:16Syria did business with you because of your abundant goods; they exchanged for your wares emeralds, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and ruby.
- Matthew 7:6"Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.
- Matthew 13:45"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,
- 1 Timothy 2:9likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire,
- Revelation 17:4The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality.
- Revelation 18:12cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble,
- Revelation 21:21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
- Proverbs 3:15She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.
- Proverbs 31:10An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.
- Lamentations 4:7Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, the beauty of their form was like sapphire.
Commentaries on Job 28:18
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18No mention shall be made of coral - That is, as a price by which to purchase wisdom, or in comparison with wisdom. The margin here is, “Ramoth” - retaining the Hebrew word ראמה râ'mâh Jerome renders it, “excelsa” - exalted or valuable things. So the Septuagint, ́ Meteōra - exalted or sublime things; as if the word were from רום, to be exalted. According to the rabbis, the word here means “red coral.” It occurs also in Ezekiel 27:16, where it is…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-19Verses 12-19 Job here speaks of wisdom and understanding, the knowing and enjoying of God and ourselves. Its worth is infinitely more than all the riches in this world. It is a gift of the Holy Ghost which cannot be bought with money. Let that which is most precious in God's account, be so in ours. Job asks after it as one that truly desired to find it, and despaired of finding it any where but in God; any way but by Divine revelation. (Job 28:20-28)Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-19The metals, gems, and glass listed here were valuable in the ancient world. However, the speaker says wisdom is more valuable than wealth.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. Red coral (Eze 27:16). pearls--literally, "what is frozen." Probably crystal; and Job 28:17 will then be glass. rubies--Umbreit translates "pearls" (see La 4:1; Pr 3:15). The Urim and Thummim, the means of consulting God by the twelve stones on the high priest's breastplate, "the stones of the sanctuary" (La 4:1), have their counterpart in this chapter; the precious stones symbolizing the "light" and "perfection" of the divine wisdom.Read the comment
Topics related to Job 28:18
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries