Job 28:21
in Job 28It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing and concealed from the birds of the air.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, And kept close from the birds of the heavens.
KJV
Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
⋯
This verse in Job 28
Commentary
10 notes on this verseWhence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? Seeing that it is hid from the eyes of all living. It deserves to be especially considered, that it is asked by the holy man, whence Wisdom cometh. For It 'comes' from Him from Whom It sprung. Now because It is born of the Invisible and Coeternal Father, the way thereof is hidden. Whence too it is said by the Prophet, And who shall declare His generations?
This site's exposition
From where then does wisdom come
on Job 28:20-22
"From where then does wisdom come, and where does understanding dwell?" repeats the question of verse 12 almost word for word, framing the list of prices. "Abaddon and Death say" they have only heard a rumor of it, the poem's farthest reach before it turns to God.
This site's exposition
It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing
Barnes reads every living thing as all people and all animals: man's keenest discoveries and the sharpest eyes of beast and bird have missed it. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown note that the heathen credited birds with divination. The falcon of verse 7 is blind here too.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
These words suggest that even though Christ is presented through a simile, he is, however, above any simile or figure or type and is by no means comparable to the saints. He is said to be similar to the hidden and superior powers, but it …
The Medieval Church2 voices
He shows this source excels all human cognition, and so he then says, "She is hidden from the eyes of all the living," because, "the fount of wisdom is the word of God on high." (Qoheleth 1:5) There have been some augurs of omens who …
And is kept close also from the fowls of the air. [MYSTICAL INTERPRETATION] For in Holy Scripture 'birds' are sometimes given to be understood in a bad sense, and sometimes in a good sense. Since by the birds of the air occasionally the powers of the air are denoted, being hostile to the settled purposes of good men.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
"Have a little patience," says Death to the inquisitive soul: "I will fetch thee shortly to a place where even this wisdom will be found." When the mystery of God shall be finished it will be laid open, and we shall know as we are known; when the veil of flesh is rent, and the interposing clouds are scattered, we shall know what God does, though we know not now, John xiii.
Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
None can tell whence or where, seeing it, &c. fowls--The gift of divination was assigned by the heathen especially to birds. Their rapid flight heavenwards and keen sight originated the superstition.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
It is hid from the eyes of all living - That is, of all people, and of all animals. Man has not found it by the most sagacious of all his discoveries, and the keenest vision of beasts and fowls has not traced it out. And kept close - Hebrew “concealed.” From the fowls of the air - Compare the notes at Job 28:7. Umbreit remarks, on this passage, that there is attributed to the fowls in Oriental countries a deep knowledge, and an extraordinary gift of divination, and that they appear as the interpreters and confidants of the gods.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְֽ֭נֶעֶלְמָה | veneelmah | and it has been concealed | H5956 → | 28 times |
| מֵעֵינֵ֣י | meeinei | from [the] eyes of | H5869 → | 887 times |
| כָל־ | khol- | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| חָ֑י | chai | living [thing] | H2416 → | 498 times |
| וּמֵע֖וֹף | umeof | and from [the] bird[s] of | H5775 → | 71 times |
| הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם | hashamayim | the heavens | H8064 → | 421 times |
| נִסְתָּֽרָה׃ | nistarah | it has been hidden | H5641 → | 80 times |
וְֽ֭נֶעֶלְמָהand it has been concealed
veneelmahH5956 →28 times
מֵעֵינֵ֣יfrom [the] eyes of
meeineiH5869 →887 times
כָל־every
khol-H3605 →5413 times
חָ֑יliving [thing]
chaiH2416 →498 times
וּמֵע֖וֹףand from [the] bird[s] of
umeofH5775 →71 times
הַשָּׁמַ֣יִםthe heavens
hashamayimH8064 →421 times
נִסְתָּֽרָה׃it has been hidden
nistarahH5641 →80 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 13:35So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world.”
it leads to
- Psalms 78:2
I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the beginning,
- Ephesians 3:9
and to illuminate for everyone the stewardship of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.
- Romans 16:25–26
Now to Him who is able to strengthen you by my gospel and by the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery concealed for ages past
- 1 Peter 1:20–21
He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake.
- 1 Corinthians 2:7
No, we speak of the mysterious and hidden wisdom of God, which He destined for our glory before time began.
- Psalms 78:2
Through
Colossians 2:3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 1:24
but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
- 1 Corinthians 1:24
Through
Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
it leads to
- Matthew 21:16
“Do You hear what these children are saying?” they asked. “Yes,” Jesus answered. “Have you never read: ‘From the mouths of children and infants You have ordained praise’?”
- Psalms 8:2
From the mouths of children and infants You have ordained praise on account of Your adversaries, to silence the enemy and avenger.
- Matthew 21:16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
About Job
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON JOB 28:21; Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVIII; Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book XIX; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.