It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.
It cannot be bought with gold, and silver cannot be weighed out to pay for it.
The writer is saying that true wisdom is so valuable it cannot be purchased with any amount of money or precious metals.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Job, which is set in ancient times during the patriarchal era, Job is reflecting on the elusive nature of wisdom in a poetic discourse. He compares human efforts to mine gold and silver from the earth with the impossibility of obtaining true wisdom through material means, emphasizing that wisdom is a divine gift beyond human reach. This highlights the cultural value placed on precious metals in the ancient Near East, where wealth was often seen as a measure of success, yet Job contrasts this with the superior, unattainable essence of godly insight.
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