It cannot be bought for gold, and silver cannot be weighed as its price.
Job, having spoken of the wealth of the world, which men put such a value upon and take so much pains for, here comes to speak of another more valuable jewel, and that is, wisdom and understanding, the knowing and enjoying of God and ourselves. Those that found out all those ways and means to enrich themselves thought themselves very wise; but Job will not own theirs to be wisdom.
Commenting on Job 28:12-19
It cannot be gotten for gold,.... Having in general said that there is nothing in the whole compass of the terraqueous globe, nothing that is upon the surface of the earth, or in the bowels of it, or in the vast ocean, that is an equivalent price for wisdom, Job descends to particulars, and instances first in gold, that being the most valuable of metals...
Not the usual word for "gold"; from a Hebrew root, "to shut up" with care; that is, purest gold (Kg1 6:20, Margin). weighed--The precious metals were weighed out before coining was known (Gen 23:16).