Job 28:4

Job 28:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.
• New International Version (NIV)Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft, in places untouched by human feet; far from other people they dangle and sway.
• English Standard Version (ESV)He opens shafts in a valley away from where anyone lives; they are forgotten by travelers; they hang in the air, far away from mankind; they swing to and fro.
• New King James Version (NKJV)He breaks open a shaft away from people; In places forgotten by feet They hang far away from men; They swing to and fro.

Context of Job 28:4

2Iron is taken from the dust, And copper is smelted from rock. 3Man puts an end to darkness, And to the farthest limit he searches out The rock in gloom and deep shadow. He sinks a shaft far from habitation, Forgotten by the foot; They hang and swing to and fro far from men. 5The earth, from it comes food, And underneath it is turned up as fire. 6Its rocks are the source of sapphires, And its dust contains gold.

Job 28:4 word by word

פָּ֤רַץ נַ֨חַל׀ מֵֽעִם־גָּ֗ר הַֽנִּשְׁכָּחִ֥ים מִנִּי־רָ֑גֶל דַּ֖לּוּ מֵאֱנ֣וֹשׁ נָֽעוּ׃Read the interlinear

• sinksפָּרַץpârats · to break throughH6555
• a shaftנַ֫חַלnachal nachlâh nachălâh · torrent: riverH5158
• habitationגּוּרgûr · to sojournH1481
• Forgottenשָׁכַחshâkach shâkêach · to forgetH7911
• by the footרֶ֫גֶלregel · footH7272
• They hangדָּלַלdâlal · to languishH1809
• and swingנוּעַnûa‛ · to shakeH5128
• far from menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582

Commentaries on Job 28:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant - This passage is very difficult. Some think it refers to mining; others to navigation. If it refer to the former, it may be intended to point out the waters that spring up when the miners have sunk down to a considerable depth, so that the mine is drowned, and they are obliged to give it up. Previously to the invention of the steam-engine this was generally the case: hence ancient mines may be reopened and…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant - It would be difficult to tell what idea our translators affixed to this sentence, though it seems to be a literal version of the Hebrew. There has been a great variety of rendering given to the passage. Noyes translates it: “From the place where they dwell they open a shaft, Unsupported by the feet, They are suspended, they swing away from men.” Herder: “A flood goeth out from the realm of oblivion, They draw…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. 44. Three hardships in mining: 1. "A stream (flood) breaks out at the side of the stranger"; namely, the miner, a strange newcomer into places heretofore unexplored; his surprise at the sudden stream breaking out beside him is expressed (English Version, "from the inhabitant"). 2. "Forgotten (unsupported) by the foot they hang," namely, by ropes, in descending. In the Hebrew, "Lo there" precedes this clause, graphically placing it as if before the eyes…Read the comment

Topics related to Job 28:4

• Readings, Select

In the dictionaries

• Bind
• Decree
• Equal
• Fain
• Fine
• Mine
• Wisdom
• Baruch, Book of
• Ethics
• Eunice

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