12 But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? 13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; Neither is it found in the land of the living.
14 The deep saith, It is not in me; And the sea saith, It is not with me. 15 It cannot be gotten for gold, Neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof. 16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, With the precious onyx, or the sapphire. 17 Gold and glass cannot equal it, Neither shall it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold. 18 No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal: Yea, the price of wisdom is above rubies. 19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, Neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
20 Whence then cometh wisdom? And where is the place of understanding? 21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, And kept close from the birds of the heavens. 22 Destruction and Death say, We have heard a rumor thereof with our ears. 23 God understandeth the way thereof, And he knoweth the place thereof. 24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, And seeth under the whole heaven; 25 To make a weight for the wind: Yea, he meteth out the waters by measure. 26 When he made a decree for the rain, And a way for the lightning of the thunder; 27 Then did he see it, and declare it; He established it, yea, and searched it out.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 28:12-27
Commentary on Job 28:12-19
(Read Job 28:12-19)
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.
Commentary on Job 28:20-28
(Read Job 28:20-28)
There is a two-fold wisdom; one hid in God, which is secret, and belongs not to us; the other made known by him, and revealed to man. One day's events, and one man's affairs, have such reference to, and so hang one upon another, that He only, to whom all is open, and who sees the whole at one view, can rightly judge of every part. But the knowledge of God's revealed will is within our reach, and will do us good. Let man look upon this as his wisdom, To fear the Lord, and to depart from evil. Let him learn that, and he is learned enough. Where is this wisdom to be found? The treasures of it are hid in Christ, revealed by the word, received by faith, through the Holy Ghost. It will not feed pride or vanity, or amuse our vain curiosity. It teaches and encourages sinners to fear the Lord, and to depart from evil, in the exercise of repentance and faith, without desiring to solve all difficulties about the events of this life.