It cannot be bought for gold, and silver cannot be weighed as its price.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that even the purest, most carefully guarded gold and silver, which were anciently paid by weight, can't possibly buy what true wisdom costs. This isn't just about immense value; it's about pointing to something fundamentally beyond material worth.
It cannot be bought for gold, and silver cannot be weighed as its price.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job has just explored the earth, the sea, and the fiery depths, searching for wisdom but finding it impossibly hidden. He concludes that even the most precious earthly treasures, like the purest gold and silver paid by weight, cannot possibly purchase this invaluable wisdom. This sets up the direct question that follows: where then can true wisdom be found if it's beyond all human price and effort?
We often think of wealth as the ultimate measure of value. But what if the most precious things in life can't be bought, no matter how rich you are?
Wisdom's Unpurchasable Value
Job 28 is on a quest to find wisdom. He’s explored the depths of the earth, the ocean, and even the skies, but wisdom remains elusive. In this verse, Job emphasizes that true wisdom is beyond any material price.
We live in a world that constantly tries to put a price tag on everything. But how do we measure what truly matters?
Beyond Monetary Worth
The verse uses specific imagery to drive home the point: gold cannot be given for it, and silver cannot be weighed as its price. This isn't just about not having enough money; it's about a fundamental difference in value.
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Understand the original words
zahav · Hebrew Noun
A precious metal symbolizing earthly wealth, value, or human resources. In Scripture, it is often contrasted with the incomparable value of spiritual treasures or divine revelation.
keseph · Hebrew Noun
A precious metal frequently used in the Bible as a medium of exchange or a measure of value. Like gold, it is used here to emphasize the inability of material wealth to purchase spiritual truth.
This passage directly parallels Job's sentiment, emphasizing that true wisdom is far more valuable than gold, silver, or any earthly treasure, making it desirable above all riches.
Matthew 13:44-46Jesus' parables here illustrate that the kingdom of heaven (which includes divine wisdom) is so valuable that one would willingly sell all they possess to obtain it, mirroring the priceless nature of wisdom described in Job.
1 Corinthians 1:18-25Paul highlights that the wisdom of God, seen in Christ crucified, is foolishness to the world and cannot be grasped by human wisdom or worldly power, reinforcing the idea that this ultimate wisdom transcends earthly value and means of acquisition.
Philippians 3:7-8Paul counts all his former prestigious achievements and earthly advantages as worthless refuse compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ, directly echoing Job's assertion that no earthly wealth can compare to true spiritual value.
bensonJob 28:15: "It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof."
Job 28:15-17 . It cannot be gotten for gold — The choicest gold laid up in treasures, as the word סגר , segor, signifies: neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof — Namely, in the balance; for in those times money was paid by weight. It cannot be valued with gold of Ophir — Though the gold that comes from thence be the purest of all, neither that, nor the most precious stones, can purc…
clarkeJob 28:15: "It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof."
It cannot be gotten for gold - Genuine religion and true happiness are not to be acquired by earthly property. Solomon made gold and silver as plentiful as the stones in Jerusalem, and had all the delights of the sons of men, and yet he was not happy; yea, he had wisdom, was the wisest of men, but he had not the wisdom of which Job speaks here, and therefore, to him, all was vanity and vexation of…
The verse highlights that even the purest, most carefully guarded gold and silver, which were anciently paid by weight, can't possibly buy what true wisdom costs. This isn't just about immense value; it's about pointing to something fundamentally beyond material worth.
Job has just explored the earth, the sea, and the fiery depths, searching for wisdom but finding it impossibly hidden. He concludes that even the most precious earthly treasures, like the purest gold and silver paid by weight, cannot possibly purchase this invaluable wisdom. This sets up the direct question that follows: where then can true wisdom be found if it's beyond all human price and effort?
Job has just explored the earth, the sea, and the fiery depths, searching for wisdom but finding it impossibly hidden. He concludes that even the most precious earthly treasures, like the purest gold and silver paid by weight, cannot possibly purchase this invaluable wisdom. This sets up the direct question that follows: where then can true wisdom be found if it's beyond all human price and effort?
"It cannot be bought for gold, and silver cannot be weighed as its price." — The verse highlights that even the purest, most carefully guarded gold and silver, which were anciently paid by weight, can't possibly buy what true wisdom costs. This isn't just about immense valu…
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Last reviewed October 2026