Albert Barnes

Neither gold nor crystal can compare to it, nor jewels of fine gold be exchanged for it.

“The gold and the crystal - A crystal, in chemistry, is an inorganic body which, by the operation of affinity, has assumed the form of a regular solid, terminated by a number of plane and smooth surfaces.”

Coral and quartz are unworthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.

“No mention shall be made of coral - That is, as a price by which to purchase wisdom, or in comparison with wisdom. The margin here is, “Ramoth” - retaining the Hebrew word ראמה râ'mâh. Jerome renders it, “excelsa” - exalted or valuable things.”

Topaz from Cush cannot compare to it, nor can it be valued in pure gold.

“The topaz - The topaz is a precious stone, whose colors are yellow, green, blue, and red. Its natural place is in various primitive rocks, such as the topaz-rock, gneiss, and clay-slate.”

But God understands its way, and He knows its place.

“God understandeth the way thereof - These are doubtless the words of Job. The meaning is, that the reason of the divine dispensations could be known only to God himself. He had given no clew by which man could discover this.”

then He looked at wisdom and appraised it; He established it and searched it out.

“Then did he see it - That is, then did he see wisdom. When in the work of creation he gave laws to the rain and the thunder storm; when he weighed out the winds and measured out the waters, then he saw and understood…”

And Job continued his discourse:

“Moreover, Job continued his parable - See the notes at Job 27:1. It is probable that Job had paused to see if anyone would attempt a reply.”

when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness,

“When his candle shined upon my head - Margin, or, “lamp;” compare notes Job 18:6. It was remarked in the note on that place, that it was common to have lamps or lights always burning in a house or tent.”

when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!

“When I washed my steps with butter - On the word rendered “butter,” see the notes at Isa 7:15. It properly means curdled milk. Umbreit renders it, Sahne; cream. Noyes, milk, and so Wemyss. The Septuagint, “When my ways flowed with butter” - βουτύρῳ bouturō.”

When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,

“When I went out to the gate - The “gate” of a city was a place of public concourse, and where courts were usually held.”

The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.

“The blessing of him that was ready to perish ... - Of the man who was falsely accused, and who was in danger of being condemned, or of him who was exposed to death by poverty and want.”

I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban.

“I put on righteousness - Or “justice” - as a magistrate, and in all his transactions with his fellow-men. It is common to compare moral conduct or traits of character with various articles of apparel; compare Isa 11:5, note; Isa 61:10, note.”

I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame.

“I was eyes to the blind - An exceedingly beautiful expression, whose meaning is obvious. He became their counsellor and guide. And feet was I to the lame - I assisted them, and became their benefactor.”

I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.

“And I brake the jaws of the wicked - Margin, “jaw-teeth, or, grinders.” The Hebrew word מתלעה methalle‛âh, the same, with the letters transposed, as מתלעות, is from לתע, to “bite” - and means “the biters,” the grinders, the teeth.”

My roots will spread out to the waters, and the dew will rest nightly on my branches.

“My root was spread out by the waters - Margin, as the Hebrew, “opened.” The meaning is, that it was spread abroad or extended far, so that the moisture of the earth had free access to it; or it was like a tree planted near…”

They waited for me as for rain and drank in my words like spring showers.

“And they waited for me as for the rain - That is, as the dry and thirsty earth waits for the rain.”

I chose their course and presided as chief. So I dwelt as a king among his troops, as a comforter of the mourners.

“I chose out their way - That is, I became their guide and counsellor. Rosenmuller and Noyes explain this as meaning, “When I came among them;” that is, when I chose to go in their way, or in their midst.”

“But now they mock me, men younger than I am, whose fathers I would have refused to entrust with my sheep dogs.

“But now they that are younger than I - Margin, “of fewer days.” It is not probable that Job here refers to his three friends.”

They were banished from among men, shouted down like thieves,

“They were driven forth from among men - As vagabonds and outcasts. They were regarded as unfit to live among the civilized and the orderly, and were expelled as nuisances. (They cried after them as after a thief.)”

They cried out among the shrubs and huddled beneath the nettles.

“Among the bushes - Coverdale, “Upon the dry heath went they about crying.” The Hebrew word is the same which occurs in Job 30:4, and means bushes in general. They were heard in the shrubbery that grew in the desert. They brayed - ינהקו yinâhaqû.”

And now they mock me in song; I have become a byword among them.

“And now am I their song - See Job 17:6; compare Psa 69:12, “I was the song of the drunkards;” Lam 3:14, “I was a derision to all my people, and their song all the day.””

They abhor me and keep far from me; they do not hesitate to spit in my face.

“They abhor me - Hebrew, They regard me as abominable. They flee far from me - Even such an impious and low born race now will have nothing to do with me.”

Because God has unstrung my bow and afflicted me, they have cast off restraint in my presence.

“Because he hath loosed my cord - According to this translation, the reference here is to God, and the sense is, that the reason why he was thus derided and contemned by such a worthless race was, that God had unloosened his cord.”

They tear up my path; they profit from my destruction, with no one to restrain them.

“They mar my path - They break up all my plans. Perhaps here, also, the image is taken from war, and Job may represent himself as on a line of march, and he says that this rabble comes and breaks up his path altogether.”

Terrors are turned loose against me; they drive away my dignity as by the wind, and my prosperity has passed like a cloud.

“Terrors are turned upon me - As if they were all turned upon him, or made to converge toward him. Everything suited to produce terror seemed to have a direction given it toward him.”

And now my soul is poured out within me; days of affliction grip me.

“And now my soul is poured out upon me - So in Psa 42:4, “I pour out my soul in me.” We say that one is dissolved in grief.”