DAWN
Daily Arts Web Nucleus
Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture plus an explanation with links 2015 January 18
The Copper Mine (c. 1540)
Herri met de Bles (c. 1510 - c. 1555-1560)
Northern Renaissance and Northern Mannerism Style
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art
Explanation: In Job 28 Job continues his reply to his accusers. In this chapter Job compares the search for wisdom to the search for riches. The painting above depicts the search for copper, one of the most important metals in Bible times. It is mentioned in verse 2.
[ THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: Job 25. Job 26. Job 27. Job 29. Job 30. Job 31. ]
[ CHRONOLOGY: General. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ]
[ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]
In this chapter, Job offers a three part discussion of wisdom. In the first part, he tells us how great is the effort which men put into the search for riches. In the second part, he tells us how much more difficult is the search for wisdom. In the third part, he tells us that only God knows where to find wisdom; and he shows us how to obtain it from the Lord.
Silver, gold, iron, and brass (copper) can be found in their own places (1-2). Men search in the darkest places to find them: among "the stones, the dark, and the horrible shadow," as Coverdale translates it (3). These things are found in dry, desolate, and forgotten places where neither fowl, nor beast, nor man pass by; but God sees every precious thing that is there and brings them to light (4-11).
But it is far more difficult to find wisdom (12). And it is far more valuable: men do not have its price; it is not found in the land of the living. It is not in the depth or the breadth of the sea. It cannot be purchased for gold, silver, precious stones, coral, pearls, rubies, topaz, or the like. (13-19). Where then is wisdom? Death and destruction do not have it (20-22).
But God understands where to find it. He knows everything in earth and heaven; and he has searched it out. "And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding" (23-28).
Job 28
1 Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.
2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.
3 He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.
4 The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.
5 As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.
6 The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.
7 There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen:
8 The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.
9 He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.
10 He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.
11 He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.
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 depth 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 The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.
18 No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for 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 fowls of the air.
22 Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame 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 the weight for the winds; and he weigheth 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 prepared it, yea, and searched it out.
28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
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