Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 28:14
The depth saith, It [is] not in me: and the sea saith, [It is] not with me.
14. Three great regions are mentioned, none of which is the “place” of Wisdom, the land of the living, the deep, and the sea. These three exhaust the extent of the upper world. The “land of the living” is the earth as the abode of living beings, more especially of men, Psa 52:5. The “deep” is the primeval abyss, out of which perhaps the sea is fed, lying under the earth, Gen 1:2, Psa 24:2 an almost mythological conception. Down under all these, however, lies the underworld of the dead, ch. Job 26:5.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The depth saith – This is a beautiful personification. The object of this verse and the following is, to show that wisdom cannot be found in the deepest recesses to which man can penetrate, nor purchased by anything which man possesses. It must come from God only. The word depth here ( tehom) means properly a wave, billow, surge; then a mass of waters, a flood, or the deep ocean, Deu 8:7; Gen 7:11; Psa 36:6; and then a gulf, or abyss. It refers here to the sea, or ocean; and the idea is, that its vast depths might be sounded, and true wisdom would not be found there.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 14. The depth saith, It is not in me] Men may dig into the bowels of the earth, and there find gold, silver, and precious stones; but these will not give them true happiness.
The sea saith, It is not with me.] Men may explore foreign countries, and by navigation connect as it were the most distant parts of the earth, and multiply the comforts and luxuries of life; but every voyage and every enjoyment proclaim, True happiness is not here.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The depth, to wit, of the earth, because the sea here follows as a differing place. This is a very common figure, whereby speech is ascribed to dumb and senseless creatures. The meaning is, This is not to be found in any part of the land or sea, yea, though a man should dig or dive never so deep to find it, nor to be learned from any creatures; for though these discover the being, and power, and in part the wisdom of God, yet they do not instruct us in the methods and grounds of Gods providential dispensations to good and evil men: these are secrets of wisdom reserved for God himself.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
The depth saith, it [is] not in me,…. That is, the deep places of the earth, that are dug in it, the mines, and the like, could they speak, they would say there are no metal, nor minerals, no rich treasures of gold and silver ore, of pearls and precious stones, in the bowels of it, that are of the value of wisdom, or to be compared to it:
and the sea saith, [it is] not with me; had that a voice to speak, it would freely declare, that there is nothing in its vast compass, at the bottom of it, or to be got out of it, as corals that grow in it, and pearls fished from thence, after mentioned, that are a sufficient price for wisdom. Some understand these words, the former part of miners and colliers, and such sort of men, that dig and live in the depths of the earth; and the latter part of mariners, that are employed on the sea, who are generally ignorant and carnal men, and void of the knowledge of wisdom in every view of it; but the sense first given is best.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
14. The depth Uncreated Wisdom is subsequently represented as saying, (Pro 8:24,) “When there were no depths” primordial elements of the world “I was brought forth.” This vast abyss lifts up its voice, “Wisdom is not in me!”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Job 28:14 The depth saith, It [is] not in me: and the sea saith, [It is] not with me.
Ver. 14. The depth saith, It is not in me ] It is not to be had above ground, may some say; but what, underground? Not there either, saith Job; for the abyss saith, that is, if it could speak, it would surely say, “It is not in me”; and the sea gives us the same verdict: dig to the centre of the earth, dive to the bottom of the sea, you shall hear no tale or tidings of her; she neither groweth with gold and precious stones in the earth, nor with pearls and coral in the sea; we must be taught by God, and the Holy Spirit must join himself to our chariot, as Philip did to the eunuch’s, Act 8:29 ; he must teach us this wisdom from above, or we can never learn it, Isa 54:13 . A man may read the figure on the dial, but he cannot tell how the day goes unless the sun shine upon the dial; we may read over the book of the creature, and the book of the Scripture, but we cannot learn to purpose till the Spirit of God shine into our hearts, 2Co 4:6 . The gospel is full of jewels; but they are locked up from sense and reason, 1Co 2:10 . The angels in heaven are searching into these sacred depths, 1Pe 1:12 , and know not as much but they would fain know more of this manifold wisdom of God, , Eph 3:10 , that hath such an abundance of curious variety in it, as the word there signifieth, even such as is seen in the best pictures or textures.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Rom 11:33, Rom 11:34
Reciprocal: Job 28:22 – Destruction Job 41:32 – deep