Job 28:23

23 God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells,

Job 28:23 in Other Translations

KJV
23 God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.
ESV
23 "God understands the way to it, and he knows its place.
NLT
23 “God alone understands the way to wisdom; he knows where it can be found,
MSG
23 "God alone knows the way to Wisdom, he knows the exact place to find it.
CSB
23 But God understands the way to wisdom, and He knows its location.

Job 28:23 Meaning and Commentary

Job 28:23

God understandeth the way thereof
And he only; not the way that men can come at the knowledge of wisdom, which at present appears to be past finding out; but rather the way which wisdom itself takes, and is in the deep, and its footsteps not known by any other, and the grounds and reasons of its taking such a course it does; which are only understood by the Lord: it may be applied to spiritual wisdom in men, and the way to come at it; which God only knows and instructs in, and is his special and peculiar gift; and to Christ, the wisdom of God, and the way which he has taken in the council and covenant of grace and peace, for the salvation of his people; and which he took in time, in the assumption of human nature, and by sufferings and death to obtain it for them:

and he knoweth the place thereof;
the seat of wisdom within himself, the source of all his dealings with men, his sovereign will and pleasure in his own heart; the place of spiritual wisdom and knowledge, the heart of a regenerate man, where his Gospel is, and has come with power, and took place and works effectually; and where Christ, the Logos, the Wisdom of God is, even with himself, and in his bosom, as in the times of Job, and now at his right hand, in human nature.

Job 28:23 In-Context

21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, concealed even from the birds in the sky.
22 Destruction and Death say, “Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.”
23 God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells,
24 for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.
25 When he established the force of the wind and measured out the waters,

Cross References 2

  • 1. Ecclesiastes 3:11; Ecclesiastes 8:17
  • 2. S Job 9:4; S Job 22:22; Proverbs 8:22-31
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