Job 28:2 Commentary and Bible Study

Even at this early stage in man’s history, he had developed skills to extract metals from ores and knew the different uses of various metals. ‘The use of gold and silver’, Barnes says, ‘commonly precedes the discovery of iron, and consequently the mention of iron in any ancient book indicates a considerably advanced state of society.’ In the case of these metals which need to be chemically separated from the ores in which they are found, additional knowledge is require. It is not enough to find the right rocks and extract them from the earth; it is not immediately obvious from what is dug out of the ground that there is any use to it. Human ingenuity had to discover this use and how to extract the metal, but man persevered and he succeeded and he obtained iron for his pains, a workable metal that can be used to form many useful tools, sharp edges, weapons, and agricultural equipment. Cooper with its beautiful lustre was used to make enduring vessels in which exquisite patterns were etched.