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THE MESSAGE

Job 28:20

"So where does Wisdom come from? And where does Insight live? It can't be found by looking, no matter how deep you dig, no matter how high you fly. If you search through the graveyard and question the dead, they say, ‘We've only heard rumors of it.'

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ignorance;   Readings, Select;   Wisdom;   Thompson Chain Reference - Call, Divine;   God's;   Wisdom;   Wisdom-Folly;   The Topic Concordance - Hiding;   Knowledge;   Wisdom;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Wisdom literature;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Understanding;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Wise, Wisdom;   Holman Bible Dictionary - God;   Job, the Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Mining and Metals;   Wisdom;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Winter ;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Where then does wisdom come from,and where is understanding located?
Hebrew Names Version
Whence then comes wisdom? Where is the place of understanding?
King James Version
Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
English Standard Version
"From where, then, does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding?
New Century Version
"So where does wisdom come from, and where does understanding live?
New English Translation
"But wisdom—where does it come from? Where is the place of understanding?
Amplified Bible
"From where then does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding?
New American Standard Bible
"Where then does wisdom come from? And where is this place of understanding?
World English Bible
Whence then comes wisdom? Where is the place of understanding?
Geneva Bible (1587)
Whence then commeth wisedome? and where is the place of vnderstanding,
Legacy Standard Bible
Where then does wisdom come from?And where is the place of understanding?
Berean Standard Bible
From where then does wisdom come, and where does understanding dwell?
Contemporary English Version
Where then is wisdom?
Complete Jewish Bible
"So where does wisdom come from? where is the source of understanding,
Darby Translation
Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
Easy-to-Read Version
"So where does wisdom come from? Where can we find understanding?
George Lamsa Translation
Whence then comes wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?
Good News Translation
Where, then, is the source of wisdom? Where can we learn to understand?
Lexham English Bible
Indeed, from where does wisdom come? And where in the world is the place of understanding?
Literal Translation
Where then does wisdom come from, and where is the place of understanding?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
From whece then commeth wy?dome? & where is the place of vnderstondinge?
American Standard Version
Whence then cometh wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?
Bible in Basic English
From where then does wisdom come, and where is the resting-place of knowledge?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Whence then cometh wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?
King James Version (1611)
Whence then commeth wisedome? and where is the place of vnderstanding?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Whence then commeth wysdome? and where is the place of vnderstanding?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Whence then is wisdom found? and of what kind is the place of understanding?
English Revised Version
Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor wherof cometh wisdom, and which is the place of vndurstondyng?
Update Bible Version
From where then comes wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?
Webster's Bible Translation
Whence then cometh wisdom? and where [is] the place of understanding?
New King James Version
"From where then does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding?
New Living Translation
"But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding?
New Life Bible
Where then does wisdom come from? Where is the place of understanding?
New Revised Standard
"Where then does wisdom come from? And where is the place of understanding?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Whence then cometh, wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?
Douay-Rheims Bible
Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?
Revised Standard Version
"Whence then comes wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?
Young's Literal Translation
And the wisdom -- whence doth it come? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Where then does wisdom come from? And where is the place of understanding?

Contextual Overview

20"So where does Wisdom come from? And where does Insight live? It can't be found by looking, no matter how deep you dig, no matter how high you fly. If you search through the graveyard and question the dead, they say, ‘We've only heard rumors of it.' 23"God alone knows the way to Wisdom, he knows the exact place to find it. He knows where everything is on earth, he sees everything under heaven. After he commanded the winds to blow and measured out the waters, Arranged for the rain and set off explosions of thunder and lightning, He focused on Wisdom, made sure it was all set and tested and ready. Then he addressed the human race: ‘Here it is! Fear-of-the-Lord—that's Wisdom, and Insight means shunning evil.'"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Job 28:12, Proverbs 2:6, Ecclesiastes 7:23, Ecclesiastes 7:24, 1 Corinthians 2:6-15, James 1:5, James 1:17

Reciprocal: Job 12:13 - wisdom Job 12:22 - discovereth Job 36:3 - fetch Job 37:19 - we

Cross-References

Genesis 28:1
So Isaac called in Jacob and blessed him. Then he ordered him, "Don't take a Caananite wife. Leave at once. Go to Paddan Aram to the family of your mother's father, Bethuel. Get a wife for yourself from the daughters of your uncle Laban.
Genesis 28:3
"And may The Strong God bless you and give you many, many children, a congregation of peoples; and pass on the blessing of Abraham to you and your descendants so that you will get this land in which you live, this land God gave Abraham."
Genesis 28:10
Jacob left Beersheba and went to Haran. He came to a certain place and camped for the night since the sun had set. He took one of the stones there, set it under his head and lay down to sleep. And he dreamed: A stairway was set on the ground and it reached all the way to the sky; angels of God were going up and going down on it.
Genesis 28:20
Jacob vowed a vow: "If God stands by me and protects me on this journey on which I'm setting out, keeps me in food and clothing, and brings me back in one piece to my father's house, this God will be my God. This stone that I have set up as a memorial pillar will mark this as a place where God lives. And everything you give me, I'll return a tenth to you."
1 Samuel 1:28
Hannah Pours Out Her Heart to God There once was a man who lived in Ramathaim. He was descended from the old Zuph family in the Ephraim hills. His name was Elkanah. (He was connected with the Zuphs from Ephraim through his father Jeroham, his grandfather Elihu, and his great-grandfather Tohu.) He had two wives. The first was Hannah; the second was Peninnah. Peninnah had children; Hannah did not. Every year this man went from his hometown up to Shiloh to worship and offer a sacrifice to God -of-the-Angel-Armies. Eli and his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, served as the priests of God there. When Elkanah sacrificed, he passed helpings from the sacrificial meal around to his wife Peninnah and all her children, but he always gave an especially generous helping to Hannah because he loved her so much, and because God had not given her children. But her rival wife taunted her cruelly, rubbing it in and never letting her forget that God had not given her children. This went on year after year. Every time she went to the sanctuary of God she could expect to be taunted. Hannah was reduced to tears and had no appetite. Her husband Elkanah said, "Oh, Hannah, why are you crying? Why aren't you eating? And why are you so upset? Am I not of more worth to you than ten sons?" So Hannah ate. Then she pulled herself together, slipped away quietly, and entered the sanctuary. The priest Eli was on duty at the entrance to God 's Temple in the customary seat. Crushed in soul, Hannah prayed to God and cried and cried—inconsolably. Then she made a vow: Oh, God -of-the-Angel-Armies, If you'll take a good, hard look at my pain, If you'll quit neglecting me and go into action for me By giving me a son, I'll give him completely, unreservedly to you. I'll set him apart for a life of holy discipline. It so happened that as she continued in prayer before God , Eli was watching her closely. Hannah was praying in her heart, silently. Her lips moved, but no sound was heard. Eli jumped to the conclusion that she was drunk. He approached her and said, "You're drunk! How long do you plan to keep this up? Sober up, woman!" Hannah said, "Oh no, sir—please! I'm a woman hard used. I haven't been drinking. Not a drop of wine or beer. The only thing I've been pouring out is my heart, pouring it out to God . Don't for a minute think I'm a bad woman. It's because I'm so desperately unhappy and in such pain that I've stayed here so long." Eli answered her, "Go in peace. And may the God of Israel give you what you have asked of him." "Think well of me—and pray for me!" she said, and went her way. Then she ate heartily, her face radiant. Up before dawn, they worshiped God and returned home to Ramah. Elkanah slept with Hannah his wife, and God began making the necessary arrangements in response to what she had asked. Before the year was out, Hannah had conceived and given birth to a son. She named him Samuel, explaining, "I asked God for him." When Elkanah next took his family on their annual trip to Shiloh to worship God , offering sacrifices and keeping his vow, Hannah didn't go. She told her husband, "After the child is weaned, I'll bring him myself and present him before God —and that's where he'll stay, for good." Elkanah said to his wife, "Do what you think is best. Stay home until you have weaned him. Yes! Let God complete what he has begun!" So she did. She stayed home and nursed her son until she had weaned him. Then she took him up to Shiloh, bringing also the makings of a generous sacrificial meal—a prize bull, flour, and wine. The child was so young to be sent off! They first butchered the bull, then brought the child to Eli. Hannah said, "Excuse me, sir. Would you believe that I'm the very woman who was standing before you at this very spot, praying to God ? I prayed for this child, and God gave me what I asked for. And now I have dedicated him to God . He's dedicated to God for life." Then and there, they worshiped God .
1 Samuel 14:24
Saul did something really foolish that day. He addressed the army: "A curse on the man who eats anything before evening, before I've wreaked vengeance on my enemies!" None of them ate a thing all day.
Psalms 22:25
Here in this great gathering for worship I have discovered this praise-life. And I'll do what I promised right here in front of the God-worshipers. Down-and-outers sit at God 's table and eat their fill. Everyone on the hunt for God is here, praising him. "Live it up, from head to toe. Don't ever quit!"
Psalms 56:12
God, you did everything you promised, and I'm thanking you with all my heart. You pulled me from the brink of death, my feet from the cliff-edge of doom. Now I stroll at leisure with God in the sunlit fields of life.
Psalms 66:13
I'm bringing my prizes and presents to your house. I'm doing what I said I'd do, What I solemnly swore I'd do that day when I was in so much trouble: The choicest cuts of meat for the sacrificial meal; Even the fragrance of roasted lamb is like a meal! Or make it an ox garnished with goat meat!
Psalms 76:11
Do for God what you said you'd do— he is, after all, your God. Let everyone in town bring offerings to the One Who Watches our every move. Nobody gets by with anything, no one plays fast and loose with him.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Whence then cometh wisdom? and where [is] the place of understanding?] The same questions as in Job 28:12; repeated to set forth the superior excellency of wisdom, and to carry on the discourse, and lead on to other things concerning it.

Job 28:12- :.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Whence then cometh wisdom? - This question is now repeated from Job 28:12, in order to give it greater emphasis. It is designed to fix the attention on the inquiry as one which found no solution in the discoveries of science, and whose solution was hidden from the most penetrating human intellect.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 28:20. Whence then cometh wisdom? — Nearly the same words as in Job 28:12, where see the note.


 
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