While he was yet speaking, there came another ,.... A servant of one of Job's sons, who was in waiting at the feast before mentioned, and here again repeated: and said, thy sons and thy daughters were eating, and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house ; See Gill on Job 1:13 . read more
And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness ,.... Most probably from the wilderness of Arabia, winds from such places being generally very strong, Jeremiah 4:11 as this was, and is called a "great one", a very strong and blustering one; and being so, and because of the effects of it, and being an uncommon and extraordinary one, as what follows shows, a "behold" is prefixed to the account, exciting attention and wonder: and smote the four corners of the house ; which shows... read more
Then Job arose ,.... Either from table, being at dinner, as some think, in his own house; it being the time that his children were feasting in their eldest brother's house; or from the business in which he was employed, which he stopped on hearing this news; or from his seat, or chair of state in which he sat; or rather the phrase only signifies, that he at once, with strength of body, and rigour of mind, which were not lost, as often they are in such cases, went about the following things... read more
And said, naked came I out of my mother's womb ,.... Either literally, where he was conceived and lay, and from whence he came into the world, though he afterwards wishes he never had, or had died as soon as he did, Job 3:10 , and so it is expressive of his birth, and the circumstance of it; or figuratively, his mother earth, from whence the first man sprang, and so all his posterity with him, being as he of the earth, earthly, see Ecclesiastes 12:7 , which sense is mentioned by Jarchi... read more
In all this Job sinned not ,.... Not that he was without sin, he was conscious to himself of it, and owns it, Job 9:20 ; but in all the above things he did or said he sinned not; not in his rending his garments, in shaving his head, and laying himself prostrate on the ground, which were done as common usages in such cases, and not through excess of passion; nor in anything that dropped from his lips, which were ill-becoming the character he bore as a religious man; and though he might be... read more
His substance also was seven thousand sheep - A thousand, says the Chaldee, for each of his sons. Three thousand camels: a thousand for each of his daughters. Five hundred yoke of oxen for himself. And five hundred she-asses for his wife. Thus the Targum divides the substance of this eminent man. A very great household - מאד רבה עבדה abuddah rabbah meod , "a very great estate." The word עבדה abuddah refers chiefly to husbandry, including all manner of labor in the field, with... read more
Feasted in their houses, every one his day - It is likely that a birthday festival is here intended. When the birthday of one arrived, he invited his brothers and sisters to feast with him; and each observed the same custom. read more
When the days of their feasting were gone about - At the conclusion of the year, when the birthday of each had been celebrated, the pious father appears to have gathered them all together, that the whole family might hold a feast to the Lord, offering burnt-offerings in order to make an atonement for sins of all kinds, whether presumptuous or committed through ignorance. This we may consider as a general custom among the godly in those ancient times. And cursed God in their hearts - ... read more
There was a day when the sons of God - All the versions, and indeed all the critics, are puzzled with the phrase sons of God; האלהים בני beney haelohim , literally, sons of the God, or sons of the gods. The Vulgate has simply filii dei , sons of God. The Septuagint, οἱ αγγελοι του θεου , the angels of God. The Chaldee, מלאכיא כתי kittey malachaiya , troops of angels. The Syriac retains the Hebrew words and letters, only leaving out the demonstrative ה he in the word האלהים ... read more
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John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 1:17
While he was yet speaking, there came also another ,.... Another messenger from another part of Job's possessions, where his camels were, and this before the last messenger had told his story out: and said, the Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away ; these were the 3000 camels, as in Job 1:3 and perhaps they were in three separate companies and places, 1000 in each, and therefore the Chaldeans divided themselves into three bands; or... read more