God’s Word Translation
Job 28:20
20“Where does wisdom come from? Where does understanding live?
Job 28:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
- New International Version (NIV)Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell?
- English Standard Version (ESV)"From where, then, does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding?
- New King James Version (NKJV)“From where then does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding?
Context of Job 28:20
18be exchanged for it. Wisdom is more valuable than gems. 19Topaz from Ethiopia cannot equal its value. It cannot be bought for ⌞any amount of⌟ pure gold. “Where does wisdom come from? Where does understanding live? 21It is hidden from the eyes of every living being, hidden even from the birds in the air. 22Decay and Death say, ‘We’ve heard a rumor about it.’
Read all of Job 28Job 28:20 word by word
וְֽ֭הַחָכְמָה מֵאַ֣יִן תָּב֑וֹא וְאֵ֥י זֶ֝֗ה מְק֣וֹם בִּינָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 28:20
- Job 28:12“Where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding live?
- Proverbs 2:6The Lord gives wisdom. From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
- 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 2:6However, we do use wisdom to speak to those who are mature. It is a wisdom that doesn’t belong to this world or to the rulers of this world who are in power today and gone tomorrow.
- 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 28:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Whence then cometh wisdom? - Nearly the same words as in Job 28:12; (note), where see the note.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Whence then cometh wisdom? - This question is now repeated from Job 28:12, in order to give it greater emphasis. It is designed to fix the attention on the inquiry as one which found no solution in the discoveries of science, and whose solution was hidden from the most penetrating human intellect.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. 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. 2020. Job 28:12 repeated with great force.Read the comment
Topics related to Job 28:20
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
Commentaries