“God understands its way, and he knows its place.
Parallel translations
- KJV God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.
- BSB But God understands its way, and He knows its place.
- NKJV God understands its way, And He knows its place.
- NASB ¶“God understands its way, And He knows its place.
- NLT “God alone understands the way to wisdom; he knows where it can be found,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God alone understands the way to wisdom and knows its dwelling place.
Overview
Here Job answers the chapter's great question: wisdom belongs to God, who alone knows its way and its place. What is hidden from all creation is fully known to the Creator. This points to the truth that genuine wisdom comes only through relationship with God, and is supremely embodied in Christ, the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Prov 8:22–31“Yahweh possessed me in the beginning of his work, before his deeds of old.
- 1 Cor 1:30Because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who was made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption:
- Jude 1:25to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.
- Rom 11:33Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
- Prov 2:6For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.
- Ps 147:5Great is our Lord, and mighty in power. His understanding is infinite.
- Acts 15:18All of God’s works are known to him from eternity.’
- Matt 11:27All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him.
- Luke 10:21–22In that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.”
- Ps 19:7Yahweh’s law is perfect, restoring the soul. Yahweh’s testimony is sure, making wise the simple.
- Prov 8:14Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Christ at the center
Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.
How Job 28:23 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.