Job 28:8
The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.
Original Language Analysis
לֹֽא
H3808
לֹֽא
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
1 of 8
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
הִדְרִיכ֥וּהוּ
have not trodden
H1869
הִדְרִיכ֥וּהוּ
have not trodden
Strong's:
H1869
Word #:
2 of 8
to tread; by implication, to walk; also to string a bow (by treading on it in bending)
בְנֵי
whelps
H1121
בְנֵי
whelps
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
3 of 8
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
לֹֽא
H3808
לֹֽא
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
5 of 8
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
עָדָ֖ה
passed
H5710
עָדָ֖ה
passed
Strong's:
H5710
Word #:
6 of 8
to advance, i.e., pass on or continue; causatively, to remove; specifically, to bedeck (i.e., bring an ornament upon)
Historical Context
Lions roamed ancient Palestine and the Near East (extinct in the region by the 13th century AD). Their strength and territorial range made them symbols of power and dominion. Job's audience would immediately recognize the irony: humans through technology access places even apex predators cannot reach, yet this doesn't grant access to wisdom. The passage subverts pride in human achievement by showing its irrelevance to the ultimate quest.
Questions for Reflection
- How does human technological advancement (accessing places creation cannot) create false confidence that we can discover ultimate truth independently?
- What does it mean that strength and natural dominance (symbolized by lions) are irrelevant to obtaining wisdom?
- How should Christians respond to our culture's equation of knowledge accumulation with wisdom?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it—even the most powerful and wide-ranging beasts haven't discovered the miner's hidden path. Hebrew shachal (שַׁחַל, "lion's whelps") refers to young lions, while layish (לַיִשׁ, "fierce lion") denotes a mature, powerful lion. The verb darak (דָּרַךְ, "trodden") means to walk or march, suggesting these territorial predators patrol vast ranges yet never encounter mining operations.
Job builds his argument: neither keen-sighted birds (verse 7) nor powerful ranging beasts know the secret path. If all creation—from sharpest eyes to strongest bodies—cannot find the miner's way, how can humanity find wisdom's location? The parallelism emphasizes human achievement: miners work where creation's most gifted members never go. Yet this triumph over nature means nothing regarding wisdom, which remains "hid from the eyes of all living" (verse 21). This establishes that wisdom isn't found through natural means—not observation, not strength, not experience.