God’s Word Translation
Job 28:12
12“Where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding live?
Job 28:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
- New International Version (NIV)But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell?
- English Standard Version (ESV)"But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?
- New King James Version (NKJV)“But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?
Context of Job 28:12
10They cut out mineshafts in the rocks. Their eyes see every precious thing. 11They explore the sources of rivers so that they bring hidden treasures to light. “Where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding live? 13No mortal knows where it is. It cannot be found in this world of the living. 14The deep ocean says, ‘It isn’t in me.’ The sea says, ‘It isn’t with me.’
Read all of Job 28Job 28:12 word by word
וְֽ֭הַחָכְמָה מֵאַ֣יִן תִּמָּצֵ֑א וְאֵ֥י זֶ֝ה מְק֣וֹם בִּינָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 28:12
- Job 28:20“Where does wisdom come from? Where does understanding live?
- 1 Kings 3:9Give me a heart that listens so that I can judge your people and tell the difference between good and evil. After all, who can judge this great people of yours?”
- Psalms 51:6Yet, you desire truth and sincerity. Deep down inside me you teach me wisdom.
- Proverbs 2:4if you search for wisdom as if it were money and hunt for it as if it were hidden treasure,
- Proverbs 3:19By Wisdom the Lord laid the foundation of the earth. By understanding he established the heavens.
- Ecclesiastes 7:23I used wisdom to test all of this. I said, “I want to be wise, but it is out of my reach.”
- 1 Corinthians 1:19Scripture says, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise. I will reject the intelligence of intelligent people.”
- Colossians 2:3God has hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Christ.
- James 1:5If any of you needs wisdom to know what you should do, you should ask God, and he will give it to you. God is generous to everyone and doesn’t find fault with them.
Commentaries on Job 28:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12But where shall wisdom be found? - It is most evident that the terms wisdom and understanding are used here in a widely different sense from all those arts and sciences which have their relation to man in his animal and social state, and from all that reason and intellect by which man is distinguished from all other animals. Now as these terms חכמה chochmah, wisdom, and בינה binah, understanding or discernment, are often applied in the sacred writings in…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12But where shall wisdom be found? - That is, the full understanding of the plans of God - for this is the point of inquiry. The object of Job is to show that it is not to be found in the most profound science; by penetrating to the farthest extent of which man was capable in the earth, nor by any human investigations whatever. None of these things revealed the great plans of the Almighty in reference to his moral government, and particularly to the points…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. 1-28This section is an isolated speech. There is no speaker listed, so it might continue from earlier words. Some see it as a creative summary by the author of Job. It emphasizes the limits of human wisdom and sets the stage for the Lord's speeches.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-2712. Can man discover the Divine Wisdom by which the world is governed, as he can the treasures hidden in the earth? Certainly not. Divine Wisdom is conceived as a person (Job 28:12-27) distinct from God (Job 28:23; also in Pr 8:23, 27). The Almighty Word, Jesus Christ, we know now, is that Wisdom. The order of the world was originated and is maintained by the breathing forth (Spirit) of Wisdom, unfathomable and unpurchasable by man. In Job 28:28, the only…Read the comment
Topics related to Job 28:12
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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