New Living Translation
Job 28:16
16It’s worth more than all the gold of Ophir, greater than precious onyx or lapis lazuli.
Job 28:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
- New International Version (NIV)It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir, with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.
- English Standard Version (ESV)It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire.
- New King James Version (NKJV)It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, In precious onyx or sapphire.
Context of Job 28:16
14‘It is not here,’ says the ocean. ‘Nor is it here,’ says the sea. 15It cannot be bought with gold. It cannot be purchased with silver. It’s worth more than all the gold of Ophir, greater than precious onyx or lapis lazuli. 17Wisdom is more valuable than gold and crystal. It cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold. 18Coral and jasper are worthless in trying to get it. The price of wisdom is far above rubies.
Read all of Job 28Job 28:16 word by word
לֹֽא־תְ֭סֻלֶּה בְּכֶ֣תֶם אוֹפִ֑יר בְּשֹׁ֖הַם יָקָ֣ר וְסַפִּֽיר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 28:16
- 1 Chronicles 29:4I am donating more than 112 tons of gold from Ophir and 262 tons of refined silver to be used for overlaying the walls of the buildings
- Psalms 45:9Kings’ daughters are among your noble women. At your right side stands the queen, wearing jewelry of finest gold from Ophir!
- Isaiah 13:12I will make people scarcer than gold— more rare than the fine gold of Ophir.
- Exodus 28:20The fourth row will contain a blue-green beryl, an onyx, and a green jasper. All these stones will be set in gold filigree.
- Ezekiel 28:13You were in Eden, the garden of God. Your clothing was adorned with every precious stone— red carnelian, pale-green peridot, white moonstone, blue-green beryl, onyx, green jasper, blue lapis lazuli, turquoise, and emerald— all beautifully crafted for you and set in the finest gold. They were given to you on the day you were created.
Commentaries on Job 28:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16The gold of Ophir - Gold is five times mentioned in this and Job 28:17; and Job 28:19, and four of the times in different words. I shall consider them all at once. סגור Segor, from סגר sagar, to shut up. Gold. in the mine, or shut up in the ore; native gold washed by the streams out of the mountains, etc.; unwrought gold. Job 28:16; כתם Kethem, from כתם catham, to sign or stamp: gold made current by being coined, or stamped with its weight or value; what…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16The gold of Ophir - Uniformly spoken of as the most precious gold; see the notes at Job 22:24. With the precious onyx - The onyx is a semi-pellucid gem, with variously colored veins or zones. It is a variety of the chalcedony. The Arabic word denotes that which was of two colors, where the white predominated. The Greeks gave the name “onyx” ̓́ onux to the gem from its resemblance to the color of the thumbnail; see Passow. Or the sapphire - See the notes…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. 1616. gold of Ophir--the most precious (See on Job 22:24 and Psa 45:9). onyx--(Ge 2:12). More valued formerly than now. The term is Greek, meaning "thumb nail," from some resemblance in color. The Arabic denotes, of two colors, white preponderating.Read the comment
Topics related to Job 28:16
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries