1 There is a knowledge of natural things
12 But wisdom is an excellent gift of God

vein. or, mine. the silver Ge 2:11,12 23:15 24:22 1Ki 7:48-50 10:21 1Ch 29:2-5

where they fine it Ps 12:6 Pr 17:3 27:21 Isa 48:10 Zec 13:9 Mal 3:2,3 1Pe 1:7

2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.

Iron Ge 4:22 Nu 31:22 De 8:9 1Ch 22:14

earth. or, dust

3 He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.

searcheth Pr 2:4 Ec 1:13 Hab 2:13 Mt 6:33 Lu 16:8

the stones 10:21,22 12:22 38:16,17

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.

out of it Ge 1:11,12,29 Ps 104:14,15 Isa 28:25-29

fire Eze 28:13,14

6 The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.

sapphires 16 Ex 24:10 So 5:14 Isa 54:11 Re 21:19

dust of gold. or, gold ore

7 There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen:

a path 21-23 11:6 38:19,24 Ro 11:33

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.

rock. or, flint. he overturneth Na 1:4-6

10 He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.

every precious thing Pr 14:23 24:4 Hab 3:9

11 He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.

bindeth 26:8 Isa 37:25 44:27

overflowing. Heb. weeping. and the thing Isa 45:2,3 1Co 4:5

12 But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?

20,28 1Ki 3:9 Ps 51:6 Pr 2:4-6 3:19 Ec 7:23-25 1Co 1:19,20 Col 2:3 Jas 1:5,17

13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

knoweth 15-19 Ps 19:10 119:72 Pr 3:14,15 8:11,18,19 16:16 23:23 Ec 8:16,17

in the land 21,22 Ps 52:5 Isa 38:11 53:8

14 The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.

Ro 11:33,34

15 It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

It cannot be gotten for gold. Heb. Fine gold shall not be given for it 18 Pr 3:13-15 8:10,17,19 16:16

16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

the gold 1Ch 29:4 Ps 45:9 Isa 13:12

onyx Ex 28:20 Eze 28:13

17 The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

crystal Eze 1:22 Re 4:6 21:11 22:1

jewels. or, vessels

18 No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

coral. or, Ramoth Eze 27:16

pearls Mt 7:6 13:45,46 1Ti 2:9 Re 17:4 18:12 21:21

rubies Pr 3:15 31:10 La 4:7

19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

topaz Ex 28:17 39:10 Eze 28:13 Re 21:20

20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?

See on 12 Pr 2:6 Ec 7:23,24 1Co 2:6-15 Jas 1:5,17

21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.

hid Ps 49:3,4 Mt 11:25 13:17,35 1Co 2:7-10 Col 2:3

from the fowls 7

air. or, heaven

22 Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.

Destruction 14 Ps 83:10-12

23 God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.

Ps 19:7 147:5 Pr 2:6 8:14 Mt 11:27 Lu 10:21,22 Ac 15:18 Ro 11:33 1Co 1:30 Jude 1:25

24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;

2Ch 16:9 Pr 15:3 Zec 4:10 Re 5:6

25 To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.

To make the weight, etc. (God has given an atmosphere to the earth, which, possessing a certain degree of gravity perfectly suited to the necessities of all animals, vegetables, and fluids, should be the cause, in His hands, of preserving animal and vegetable life; for by it the blood circulates in the veins of animals, and the juices in the tubes of vegetables. Without this atmospheric pressure there could be no respiration; and the elasticity of the particles of air in animal and vegetable bodies, would rupture the vessels in which they are contained, and destroy both kinds of life) Ps 135:7 Isa 40:12

he weigheth (He has exactly proportioned the aqueous surface of the earth to the terrene parts, for the purpose of evaporation, etc.)

26 When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:

he made 36:26,32 38:25 Ps 148:8 Jer 14:22 Am 4:7 Zec 10:1

a way 37:3 Ps 29:3-10

27 Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.

declare it. or, number it. he prepared it Ps 19:1 Pr 8:22-29

28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

unto man De 29:29 Pr 8:4,5,26-32

fear De 4:6 Ps 111:10 Pr 1:7 9:10 Ec 12:13 Jas 3:13-17

to depart Ps 34:14 Pr 3:7 13:14 16:17 Isa 1:16 2Ti 2:19 1Pe 3:11