Job 28:16

"It can’t be gotten for gold, neither will silver be weighed for its price."

Key Reflection

In Job 28:16, the author emphasizes the unparalleled value of wisdom by stating that it cannot be purchased with gold or silver. This verse paints a picture where even precious metals like gold and silver, traditionally seen as the highest form of wealth, are insufficient to measure or buy wisdom. The cultural context of first-century Israel highlights how the pursuit of material wealth was common, but this text asserts that true wisdom has an inestimable value far beyond anything monetary could offer.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

The gold of Ophir -Uniformly spoken of as the most precious gold; see the notes atJob 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”ὄνυξonuxto the gem from its resemblance to the color of the thumbnail; see Passow. Or the sapphire -See the notes atJob 28:6.

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