Job 28:28

Context

Chapter 28 of Job is commonly called the "Hymn to Wisdom" (or wisdom poem). Its opening section (vv. 1–11) depicts people digging shafts deep into the earth to mine silver, gold, and precious stones. Verses 12 and 20 then ask where wisdom comes from, and the answer is that wisdom is found neither in the earth nor in the sea and cannot be purchased with any treasure. From verse 23 onward, the poem states that God alone understands the way to wisdom. Verse 28 is the poem's conclusion. Framed as God speaking directly "unto man," it reveals what wisdom has been granted to human beings: "And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding."

Job 27:1 announces that Job begins to speak, and Job 29:1 announces that Job resumes his discourse. For this reason, commentators are divided over whether chapter 28 should be read as Job's own speech or as an independent poem inserted by the narrator.

Interpretation

• As a motto of wisdom literature: Here "fear" means reverent awe, and "understanding" refers to the insight that discerns matters clearly. This reading places verse 28 in the same context as the teaching of Proverbs and the Psalms that "the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom." It understands wisdom less as knowledge or skill than as a right relationship with God and a life consistent with it. Traditional commentary in many denominations, including the Reformed tradition, generally reads the verse this way.
• Within the narrative of Job: The verse shares vocabulary with Job 1:1 and 1:8, which introduce Job as "one that feared God, and eschewed evil." On this basis, some interpreters hold that Job himself was precisely the person who possessed this wisdom. This interpretation raises a further question: if one who fears God nonetheless suffers, then wisdom is not a formula of "believe rightly and you will be blessed." On this reading, the verse points to a wisdom that transcends the retributive logic advanced by Job's friends.
• Critical readings: Some scholars regard chapter 28, or verse 28 alone, as a later addition, because after asserting that wisdom is hidden from humanity, the poem concludes by presenting practical wisdom. They also note that the Hebrew text here uses the title Adonai ("Lord"), which is rare in the Book of Job. Other scholars, by contrast, regard this shift as an intended conclusion, explaining that it distinguishes between the wisdom known to God alone and the wisdom given to human beings.

Questions of Application

The verse has been the subject of little notable controversy between denominations. A frequently discussed question, however, is whether reading the phrase "to depart from evil is understanding" as a principle of reward according to one's deeds fits the overall movement of the Book of Job. Because Job is a book that challenges precisely such a simplistic understanding of retribution, some interpreters caution against quoting the verse out of context as a maxim for getting on in life.

Related Passages

• Job 1:1
• Proverbs 1:7
• Proverbs 9:10
• Psalm 111:10
• Ecclesiastes 12:13–14