Albert Barnes Commentary Job 28:18

"No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal: Yea, the price of wisdom is above rubies." — Job 28:18 (ASV)

No mention shall be made of coral – That is, as a price by which to purchase wisdom, or in comparison with wisdom. The margin here is, “Ramoth” – retaining the Hebrew word ראמה râ'mâh. Jerome renders it, “excelsa” – exalted or valuable things. So the Septuagint, Μετέωρα Meteōra – exalted or sublime things; as if the word were from רום, to be exalted.

According to the rabbis, the word here means “red coral.” It also occurs in Ezekiel 27:16, where it is mentioned as a valuable commodity in merchandise in which Syria traded with Tyre, and occurs in connection with emeralds, purple, broidered work, fine linen, and agate. Coral is a well-known marine substance, not valued now as if it were a precious stone, but probably in the time of Job regarded as valuable enough to be reckoned with gems. It was not rare, though its uses were not known. As a beautiful object, it might at that time have deserved to be mentioned in connection with pearls.

It is now found in abundance in the Red Sea, and probably that which was known to Job was obtained there. Shaw says, “In rowing gently over it (the port Tor), while the surface of the sea was calm, such a diversity of “Madrepores Furuses,” and other marine vegetables, presented themselves to the eye, that we could not refrain from taking them, as Pliny (Book 13, Chapter 25) had done before us, for a forest under water. The branched Madrepores particularly contributed very much to authorize the comparison, for we passed over several that were eight or ten feet high, growing sometimes pyramidal like the cypress, and at other times had their branches more open and diffused, like the oak; not to speak of others which, like the creeping plants, spread themselves over the bottom of the sea;” Travels, p. 384, Ed. Oxford, 1738.

It should be added, however, that there is no absolute certainty that Job referred here to coral. The Hebrew word would suggest simply that which was “exalted in value,” or of great price; and it is not easy to determine to what particular substance Job meant to apply it.

Or of pearls – גבישׁ gâbı̂ysh. This word occurs nowhere else, though אלגבישׁ 'elgâbı̂ysh — is found in Ezekiel 13:11, Ezekiel 13:13; Ezekiel 38:22, where it means hailstones, or pieces of ice. Perhaps the word here means merely “crystal” – resembling ice. So Umbreit, Gesenius, and others understand it. Professor Lee supposes that the word used here denotes that which is “aggregated” and then what is “massive,” or “vast;” see his note on this place. Jerome renders it, “eminentia” – exalted, lofty things; the Septuagint retains the word without attempting to translate it – γαβὶς gabis – and the fact that they have not attempted to render it, is a strong indication that it is now hopeless to attempt to determine its meaning.

Above rubies – The ruby is a precious stone of a carmine red color, sometimes verging to violet. There are two kinds of rubies, the oriental or corundum, and the spinel. The ruby is next in hardness to the diamond, and approaches it in value. The oriental ruby is the same as the sapphire. The ruby is found in the kingdom of Pegu, in the Mysore country, in Ceylon, and in some other places, and is usually embedded in gneiss.

It is by no means certain, however, that the word used here (פנינים pânı̂ynı̂ym) means rubies. Many of the rabbis suppose that “pearls” are meant by it; and so Bochart, Hieroz. II. Lib. V. c. 6, 7, understands it. John D. Michaelis understands it to mean “red corals,” and Gesenius concurs with this opinion. Umbreit renders it, “Perlen” – “pearls.” The word occurs in Proverbs 3:15; Proverbs 8:11; Proverbs 20:15; Proverbs 31:10; Lamentations 4:7. In Proverbs, as here, it is used in comparison with wisdom, and undoubtedly denotes one of the precious gems.