Job 28:10
He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.
Original Language Analysis
בַּ֭צּוּרוֹת
among the rocks
H6697
בַּ֭צּוּרוֹת
among the rocks
Strong's:
H6697
Word #:
1 of 7
properly, a cliff (or sharp rock, as compressed); generally, a rock or boulder; figuratively, a refuge; also an edge (as precipitous)
יְאֹרִ֣ים
rivers
H2975
יְאֹרִ֣ים
rivers
Strong's:
H2975
Word #:
2 of 7
a channel, e.g., a fosse, canal, shaft; specifically the nile, as the one river of egypt, including its collateral trenches; also the tigris, as the m
בִּקֵּ֑עַ
He cutteth out
H1234
בִּקֵּ֑עַ
He cutteth out
Strong's:
H1234
Word #:
3 of 7
to cleave; generally, to rend, break, rip or open
וְכָל
H3605
וְכָל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
4 of 7
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
יְ֝קָ֗ר
every precious thing
H3366
יְ֝קָ֗ר
every precious thing
Strong's:
H3366
Word #:
5 of 7
value, i.e., (concretely) wealth; abstractly, costliness, dignity
Historical Context
Ancient mining operations required hydraulic engineering—water channels for washing ore, cooling tunnels, and transport. Miners developed expertise in identifying valuable minerals amid worthless stone, a skill requiring years of training. Job's description shows intimate knowledge of mining technology, likely reflecting personal observation in patriarchal Arabia where mining flourished. The passage emphasizes human achievement to highlight by contrast wisdom's inaccessibility through natural means.
Questions for Reflection
- How does spiritual blindness persist even in those with sharp perception in earthly matters (business, academics, technology)?
- What does it mean that 'seeing every precious thing' in this world doesn't enable seeing the most precious thing (wisdom)?
- How should Christians pray for illumination (opened eyes to spiritual truth) rather than mere information?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
He cutteth out rivers among the rocks—miners channel water through tunnels for ore processing and transport. The Hebrew yeor (יְאֹר, "rivers") often refers to the Nile but here means artificial channels. And his eye seeth every precious thing uses yaqar (יְקָר, "precious"), meaning costly or valuable. The miner's trained eye discerns valuable ore from worthless rock—specialized knowledge enabling wealth extraction.
Job's irony deepens: humans engineer underground rivers and identify precious minerals through practiced discernment, yet this same careful observation cannot locate wisdom. The "eye" that sees gold and gems is blind to spiritual treasure. Jesus warned: "if therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matthew 6:23). Spiritual perception requires regeneration, not education. The Reformed doctrine of illumination teaches that the Holy Spirit must open spiritually blind eyes (2 Corinthians 4:4-6). Job's poem anticipates this: verse 28 reveals wisdom comes through divine revelation ("the fear of the LORD"), not human perception.