Job 28:24
in Job 28For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For he looketh to the ends of the earth, And seeth under the whole heaven;
KJV
For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;
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This verse in Job 28
Commentary
9 notes on this verseHe that governs the world is, [1.] Omniscient; for he looks to the ends of the earth, both in place and time; distant ages, distant regions, are under his view. We do not understand our own way, much less can we understand God's way, because we are short-sighted.
This site's exposition
But God understands its way
on Job 28:23-27
"But God understands its way, and He knows its place" answers the chapter's question: wisdom belongs to God. "He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens", a sight no mine or sea could claim.
This site's exposition
He looks to the ends of the earth
Verse 23 says God knows the place of wisdom, and this verse gives the ground: nothing escapes His sight. Barnes contrasts man, who sees few things dimly. Henry adds that God's view reaches distant ages as well as distant regions.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
So to show that God knows the place of wisdom, he continues saying that he knows the universe of creatures. First he shows this as to the most elevated creatures under which all things are contained, and so he then says, "He sees the ends …
For he regardeth the ends of the earth, and seeth all things that are under the heaven. For God's 'regarding' is the renewing to His grace the things that were lost and undone; whence it is written, A King that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with His eyes. For by regarding He restrained the evils of our lightness, and bestowed great worth of maturedness.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
For - He, and he only knows it, because his providence, is infinite and universal, reaching to all places, and times, past, present, and to come; whereas the most knowing men have narrow understandings, and the wisdom, and justice, and beauty of God's works are not fully seen 'till all the parts of them be laid together.
For he looketh to the ends of the earth,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
For he looketh to the ends of the earth - His knowledge is unlimited, and his power infinite.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For he looketh to the ends of the earth - That is, God sees and knows everything. He looks upon the whole universe. Man sees objects dimly; he sees but a few, and he little understands the bearing of one thing or another.
The words behind it
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| ה֭וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| לִקְצוֹת־ | liktzot- | to [the] ends of | H7098 → | |
| הָאָ֣רֶץ | haaretz | the earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
| יַבִּ֑יט | yabit | he looks | H5027 → | 69 times |
| תַּ֖חַת | tachat | under | H8478 → | 505 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם | hashamayim | the heavens | H8064 → | 421 times |
| יִרְאֶֽה׃ | yireh | he sees | H7200 → | 1300 times |
כִּי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
ה֭וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
לִקְצוֹת־to [the] ends of
liktzot-H7098 →
הָאָ֣רֶץthe earth
haaretzH776 →2504 times
יַבִּ֑יטhe looks
yabitH5027 →69 times
תַּ֖חַתunder
tachatH8478 →505 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הַשָּׁמַ֣יִםthe heavens
hashamayimH8064 →421 times
יִרְאֶֽה׃he sees
yirehH7200 →1300 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
2 Chronicles 16:9For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him. You have acted foolishly in…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 16:17
For My eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from My face, and their guilt is not concealed from My eyes.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 5:21
For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and the LORD examines all his paths.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Peter 3:12
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
- Proverbs 15:3
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.
- Psalms 34:15
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry.
- Jeremiah 16:17
Through
Proverbs 15:3The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him. You have acted foolishly in…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Hebrews 4:13
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
- 2 Chronicles 16:9
Through
Zechariah 4:10For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven eyes of the LORD, which scan the whole earth, will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.”
it leads to
- Job 8:7
Though your beginnings were modest, your latter days will flourish.
- Job 8:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
About Job
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; 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); Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Job; Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book XIX; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.