Job 28:5
New International Version
The earth, from which food comes, is transformed below as by fire;

New Living Translation
Food is grown on the earth above, but down below, the earth is melted as by fire.

English Standard Version
As for the earth, out of it comes bread, but underneath it is turned up as by fire.

Berean Standard Bible
Food may come from the earth, but from below it is transformed as by fire.

King James Bible
As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.

New King James Version
As for the earth, from it comes bread, But underneath it is turned up as by fire;

New American Standard Bible
“From the earth comes food, And underneath, it is turned over like fire.

NASB 1995
“The earth, from it comes food, And underneath it is turned up as fire.

NASB 1977
“The earth, from it comes food, And underneath it is turned up as fire.

Legacy Standard Bible
The earth, from it comes food, And underneath it is overturned as fire.

Amplified Bible
“[As for] the earth, out of it comes food, But underneath [its surface, down deep] it is turned over as fire.

Christian Standard Bible
Food may come from the earth, but below the surface the earth is transformed as by fire.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Food may come from the earth, but below the surface the earth is transformed as by fire.

American Standard Version
As for the earth, out of it cometh bread; And underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.

Contemporary English Version
Far beneath the grain fields, fires are built to break loose those rocks

English Revised Version
As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Above the ground food grows, but beneath it the food decays as if [it were burned] by fire.

Good News Translation
Food grows out of the earth, But underneath the same earth All is torn up and crushed.

International Standard Version
"While the ground produces food, underneath it is torn up and burning hot,

Majority Standard Bible
Food may come from the earth, but from below it is transformed as by fire.

NET Bible
The earth, from which food comes, is overturned below as though by fire;

New Heart English Bible
As for the earth, out of it comes bread; Underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.

Webster's Bible Translation
As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.

World English Bible
As for the earth, out of it comes bread. Underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
The earth! Bread comes forth from it, "" And its under-part is turned like fire.

Young's Literal Translation
The earth! from it cometh forth bread, And its under-part is turned like fire.

Smith's Literal Translation
The earth, from it will come forth bread, and under it was turned as fire.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The land, out of which bread grew in its place, hath been overturned with fire.

Catholic Public Domain Version
The land, where bread appeared in its place, has been destroyed by fire.

New American Bible
The earth, though out of it comes forth bread, is in fiery upheaval underneath.

New Revised Standard Version
As for the earth, out of it comes bread; but underneath it is turned up as by fire.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
They lay open the earth, out of which comes sustenance; and from under it is turned up material as if it were burned with fire.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
They lay bare the Earth from which food came forth, and under it is turned up as fire
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
As for the earth, out of it cometh bread, And underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
As for the earth, out of it shall come bread: under it has been turned up as it were fire.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Where Can Wisdom Be Found?
4Far from human habitation he cuts a shaft in places forgotten by the foot of man. Far from men he dangles and sways. 5Food may come from the earth, but from below it is transformed as by fire. 6Its rocks are the source of sapphires, containing flecks of gold.…

Cross References
Genesis 4:22
And Zillah gave birth to Tubal-cain, a forger of every implement of bronze and iron. And the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

Deuteronomy 8:9
a land where you will eat food without scarcity, where you will lack nothing; a land whose rocks are iron and whose hills are ready to be mined for copper.

Psalm 104:14
He makes the grass grow for the livestock and provides crops for man to cultivate, bringing forth food from the earth:

Proverbs 8:29
when He set a boundary for the sea, so that the waters would not surpass His command, when He marked out the foundations of the earth.

Isaiah 28:24-29
Does the plowman plow for planting every day? Does he continuously loosen and harrow the soil? / When he has leveled its surface, does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin? He plants wheat in rows and barley in plots, and rye within its border. / For his God instructs and teaches him properly. ...

Isaiah 45:1-3
This is what the LORD says to Cyrus His anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings, to open the doors before him, so that the gates will not be shut: / “I will go before you and level the mountains; I will break down the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron. / I will give you the treasures of darkness and the riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by name.

Ezekiel 28:13
You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every kind of precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald. Your mountings and settings were crafted in gold, prepared on the day of your creation.

Matthew 13:44
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and in his joy he went and sold all he had and bought that field.

Matthew 6:19-21
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. / But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. / For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Luke 12:33-34
Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. / For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Romans 11:33
O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!

1 Corinthians 3:12-13
If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, / his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work.

2 Corinthians 4:7
Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us.

Ephesians 3:8
Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

Colossians 2:3
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.


Treasury of Scripture

As for the earth, out of it comes bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.

out of it

Genesis 1:11,12,29
And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so…

Psalm 104:14,15
He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; …

Isaiah 28:25-29
When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place? …

fire

Ezekiel 28:13,14
Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created…

Jump to Previous
Below Bread Earth Face Fire Food Forth Transformed Turned Underneath
Jump to Next
Below Bread Earth Face Fire Food Forth Transformed Turned Underneath
Job 28
1. There is a knowledge of natural things
12. But wisdom is an excellent gift of God














The earth
The Hebrew word for "earth" is "אֶרֶץ" (erets), which can refer to the physical ground, land, or the entire world. In the context of Job, it emphasizes the vastness and complexity of God's creation. The earth is not just a static entity but a dynamic system designed by God to sustain life. This reflects the biblical theme of God's providence and the intricate design of creation, which is evident throughout Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation.

from which food comes
This phrase highlights the earth's role as a provider, a theme deeply rooted in the biblical narrative. The Hebrew word for "food" is "לֶחֶם" (lechem), which often refers to bread but can symbolize sustenance in general. This reflects the agricultural society of ancient Israel, where the land's fertility was seen as a direct blessing from God. The earth's ability to produce food is a testament to God's provision and care for His creation, as seen in passages like Psalm 104:14, where God is praised for making "grass grow for the cattle and plants for man to cultivate."

is transformed below
The transformation "below" suggests a hidden, mysterious process occurring beneath the surface. The Hebrew root "הָפַךְ" (haphak) implies a turning or changing, indicating that the earth undergoes significant changes that are not immediately visible. This can be seen as a metaphor for the hidden workings of God, who operates in ways that are often beyond human understanding. It also reflects the biblical theme of transformation and renewal, as God continually works to bring about His purposes, even when they are not apparent to us.

as by fire
Fire in the Bible often symbolizes purification, judgment, or transformation. The Hebrew word "אֵשׁ" (esh) is used here to convey the intense and transformative processes that occur within the earth, such as volcanic activity or the refining of metals. This imagery can be seen as a metaphor for the trials and tribulations that believers face, which God uses to purify and strengthen their faith, as described in passages like 1 Peter 1:7. The use of fire also points to the power and majesty of God, who controls even the most formidable forces of nature.

(5) As for the earth . . .--While the ploughman and the reaper till and gather the fruits of the earth on its surface, the miner far below maintains perpetual fires, as also does the volcanic mountain, with its fields and vineyards luxuriant and fertile on its sides.

Verse 5. - As for the earth, out of it cometh bread. Man's cleverness is such that he turns the earth to various uses. By tillage of its surface he causes it to produce the staff of life, bread: and by his mining operations the under part of it is turned up as fire, or rather, as by fire. Fire was used in some of the processes whereby masses of material were detached and forced to yield their treasures (see Pliny, 'Hist. Nat.,' 33:4. § 73).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Food
לָ֑חֶם (lā·ḥem)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3899: Food, bread, grain

may come
יֵֽצֵא־ (yê·ṣê-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

from
מִמֶּ֥נָּה (mim·men·nāh)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

the earth,
אֶ֗רֶץ (’e·reṣ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

but from below
וְ֝תַחְתֶּ֗יהָ (wə·ṯaḥ·te·hā)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of

it is transformed
נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ (neh·paḵ)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2015: To turn about, over, to change, overturn, return, pervert

as
כְּמוֹ־ (kə·mōw-)
Preposition
Strong's 3644: Like, as, when

by fire.
אֵֽשׁ׃ (’êš)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 784: A fire


Links
Job 28:5 NIV
Job 28:5 NLT
Job 28:5 ESV
Job 28:5 NASB
Job 28:5 KJV

Job 28:5 BibleApps.com
Job 28:5 Biblia Paralela
Job 28:5 Chinese Bible
Job 28:5 French Bible
Job 28:5 Catholic Bible

OT Poetry: Job 28:5 As for the earth out of it (Jb)
Job 28:4
Top of Page
Top of Page