"Then shook and trembled the earth, The foundations of the hills moved and were shaken, Because he was angry. Smoke went up from his nostrils, Fire from his mouth devoured, Coals were kindled by it. Then were seen the channels of the waters, And the foundations of the world were discovered, At thy rebuke--O Jehovah-- At the blast of the breath of thy nostrils." In another place in the Psalms we find volcanic action thus tersely sketched: "He looketh on the earth and it trembleth, He toucheth the hills and they smoke." --Psalm civ., 32. Perhaps the most remarkable discourse on this subject in the whole Bible is that in Job xxviii., in which mining operations are introduced as an illustration of the difficulty of obtaining true wisdom. This passage is interesting both from its extreme antiquity, and the advancement in knowledge and practical skill which it indicates. It presents, however, many difficulties; and its details have almost entirely lost their true significance in our common English version: "Surely there is a vein for silver, And a place for the gold which men refine; Iron is taken from the earth, And copper is molten from the ore. To the end of darkness and to all extremes man searcheth, For the stones of darkness and the shadow of death. He opens a passage [shaft] from where men dwell, Unsupported by the foot, they hang down and swing to and fro.[80] The earth--out of it cometh bread; And beneath, it is overturned as by fire.[81] Its stones are the place of sapphires, And it hath lumps[82] of gold. The path (thereto) the bird of prey hath not known, The vulture's eye hath not seen it.[83] The wild beasts' whelps have not trodden it, The lion hath not passed over it. Man layeth his hand on the hard rock, He turneth up the mountains from their roots, He cutteth channels [_adits_] in the rocks, His eye seeth every precious thing. He restraineth the streams from trickling, And bringeth the hidden thing to light. But where shall wisdom be found, And where is the place of understanding?"