The lion’s whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.
The book of Job is inspired, with its opening narrative and its closing statement in prose and all the rest poetry, and Job 28:8 stands as part of that central poetry. The book was written before the Exodus and presents Job as a real character. It must be studied as a whole to profit by its lesson on human suffering.
The verse declares that the lion's whelps, cubs, or young lions have not trodden the place spoken of, nor has the fierce lion passed by it or along its way. Even the strongest and most fearsome lions have never trodden it or passed through it, so that wisdom is shown to be beyond the reach of the wildest beasts. It is a path untouched by dangerous wild animals and inaccessible even to the strongest of them.
The verse belongs to a picture of precious things and hidden treasures deep in the earth, where miners search out and extract things such as metals. The way to those hidden treasures runs where even fierce lions have not gone, for miners reach places beyond the paths of wild animals. In contrast with those earthly treasures, the chapter is Job's praise and poem about the difficulty of finding wisdom and how inaccessible its place is even to the strongest wild beasts. Wisdom cannot be found by mining or bought with riches, is beyond the reach of wealth, and is made known by God. It is identified as the fear of the Lord, with turning from evil as understanding. As hidden riches are found by diligent searching, not by a superficial glance, so the Bible's treasures are found by tracing each subject through Scripture.
The untouched path is the narrow highway for the redeemed, the bright King's highway and way of faithful Christian life leading to Mount Zion and to Zion's hill. It is a holy path unknown to keen sight and untrodden by strong predators and by the world, reserved for God's ransomed and redeemed alone. It is clear and free of stumbling-blocks, so that those who keep to it do not stumble and fall. It is lifted above earth's death, noise, strife, perils, pain and poisoned air, and breathes life and strength and immortality from the mount.
Those who walk that highway, however weak, frail, faint, lame, deaf, sick or blind, gain vigor, with the lame leaping, the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, and the stammering tongue singing God's praise forever. Humble toilers rest by the cooling fount and eat fruit from life's healing tree whose leaves cure all sickness and restore health and immortality. There verdure never blights and birds live forever safe from hunters. No ravenous beast, vile serpent, or unclean bird enters those Eden bowers, and only the redeemed come singing to Zion with everlasting joy on their heads.
The book of Job is inspired, with its opening narrative and its closing statement in prose and all the rest poetry, and Job 28:8 stands as part of that central poetry. The book was written before the Exodus and presents Job as a real character. It must be studied as a whole to profit by its lesson on human suffering.
The verse declares that the lion's whelps, cubs, or young lions have not trodden the place spoken of, nor has the fierce lion passed by it or along its way. Even the strongest and most fearsome lions have never trodden it or passed through it, so that wisdom is shown to be beyond the reach of the wildest beasts. It is a path untouched by dangerous wild animals and inaccessible even to the strongest of them.
The verse belongs to a picture of precious things and hidden treasures deep in the earth, where miners search out and extract things such as metals. The way to those hidden treasures runs where even fierce lions have not gone, for miners reach places beyond the paths of wild animals. In contrast with those earthly treasures, the chapter is Job's praise and poem about the difficulty of finding wisdom and how inaccessible its place is even to the strongest wild beasts. Wisdom cannot be found by mining or bought with riches, is beyond the reach of wealth, and is made known by God. It is identified as the fear of the Lord, with turning from evil as understanding. As hidden riches are found by diligent searching, not by a superficial glance, so the Bible's treasures are found by tracing each subject through Scripture.
The untouched path is the narrow highway for the redeemed, the bright King's highway and way of faithful Christian life leading to Mount Zion and to Zion's hill. It is a holy path unknown to keen sight and untrodden by strong predators and by the world, reserved for God's ransomed and redeemed alone. It is clear and free of stumbling-blocks, so that those who keep to it do not stumble and fall. It is lifted above earth's death, noise, strife, perils, pain and poisoned air, and breathes life and strength and immortality from the mount.
Those who walk that highway, however weak, frail, faint, lame, deaf, sick or blind, gain vigor, with the lame leaping, the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, and the stammering tongue singing God's praise forever. Humble toilers rest by the cooling fount and eat fruit from life's healing tree whose leaves cure all sickness and restore health and immortality. There verdure never blights and birds live forever safe from hunters. No ravenous beast, vile serpent, or unclean bird enters those Eden bowers, and only the redeemed come singing to Zion with everlasting joy on their heads.