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
The trial of the righteous man. The central subject of this book is the trial of the righteous man. Job is acknowledged of God to be "a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil." Yet he is tried, and tried sorely, and by permission of God. The difficulty to be solved by the history of Job is—How can it come to pass that the righteous suffer? To what end is this permitted? The trial of Job is divided into two parts—the first is briefly recounted, it contains the... read more
Job's unparalleled calamities. Everything is done to heighten and intensify the impression of Job's calamities. Let us note their salient features. I. THEY OCCUR AT A SEASON OF FESTIVITY . It was a feast-day, and Job's whole family was gathered together in his eldest son's house. Then of all times the affectionate father would be least prepared for ominous rumours of calamity. The thunderbolt fell from the cloudless blue sky. Without a note of warning, the fearful storm burnt... read more
The first trial of the patriarch. I. THE PREPARATION FOR THE TRIAL . The patriarch at the height of his prosperity. The season pitched upon for making an assault upon the patriarch was a day of: 1 . Festive rejoicing ; when the patriarch's family were convened at a banquet of unusual magnificence, "eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house;" such a sumptuous entertainment doubtless as became the firstborn to provide. 2 . Busy industry ; when the... read more
The invasion of trouble, and its first effect on Job. The lessons on which we have been dwelling, and on which Job had doubtless deeply meditated in the leisure of his prosperous days, were now to receive the illustration of actual experience. A series of waves breaks in upon his peaceful home and heart, and, in the space of a few short hours, turns the smiling scene into utter desolation. We may notice in the story the following points: the calamities of Job, and their first effect upon his... read more
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said (see the comment on Job 1:16 ), Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house (comp. Job 1:13 ). It is a common proverb that "misfortunes never come singly." Shakespeare says they "come not single foes, but in battalions." Still, so overwhelming a series of calamities falling upon a single individual all in one day could not but strike those who heard of them as abnormal, and almost... read more
Eating and drinking wine - ; the notes at Job 1:4, Job 1:13. read more
Job 1:18. While he was yet speaking there came also another Bringing tidings the most distressing of all. One messenger immediately followed another in this manner, through the contrivance of Satan, by God’s permission, that there might seem to be more than ordinary displeasure of God against Job in his troubles, and that he might not have leisure to recollect himself, but be overwhelmed by a complication of calamities Thus the children of God are often in heaviness, λυπηθεντες , ... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 1:13-19
We have here a particular account of Job's troubles. I. Satan brought them upon him on the very day that his children began their course of feasting, at their eldest brother's house (Job 1:13), where, he having (we may suppose) the double portion, the entertainment was the richest and most plentiful. The whole family, no doubt, was in perfect repose, and all were easy and under no apprehension of the trouble, now when they revived this custom; and this time Satan chose, that the trouble,... read more