Christian Standard Bible
Job 1:16
16He was still speaking when another messenger came and reported, “God’s fire fell from heaven. It burned the sheep and the servants and devoured them, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
Job 1:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
- New International Version (NIV)While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
- English Standard Version (ESV)While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you."
- New King James Version (NKJV)While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
Context of Job 1:16
14a messenger came to Job and reported, “While the oxen were plowing and the donkeys grazing nearby, 15the Sabeans swooped down and took them away. They struck down the servants with the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!” He was still speaking when another messenger came and reported, “God’s fire fell from heaven. It burned the sheep and the servants and devoured them, and I alone have escaped to tell you!” 17That messenger was still speaking when yet another came and reported, “The Chaldeans formed three bands, made a raid on the camels, and took them away. They struck down the servants with the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!” 18He was still speaking when another messenger came and reported, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house.
Read all of Job 1Job 1:16 word by word
ע֣וֹד׀ זֶ֣ה מְדַבֵּ֗ר וְזֶה֮ בָּ֣א וַיֹּאמַר֒ אֵ֣שׁ אֱלֹהִ֗ים נָֽפְלָה֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַתִּבְעַ֥ר בַּצֹּ֛אן וּבַנְּעָרִ֖ים וַתֹּאכְלֵ֑ם וָאִמָּ֨לְטָ֧ה רַק־אֲנִ֛י לְבַדִּ֖י לְהַגִּ֥יד לָֽךְ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- yet speakingדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- there cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- also another, and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- The fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
- of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- is fallenנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
- from heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
- and hath burned upבָּעַרbâ‛ar · to burn: burnH1197
- the sheepצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
- and the servantsנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- and consumedאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- them; and I only am escapedמָלַטmâlaţ · to escapeH4422
- alone to tellנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
Cross-references for Job 1:16
- Genesis 19:24Then out of the sky the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah burning sulfur from the Lord.
- Leviticus 9:24Fire came from the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell facedown.
- 1 Kings 18:38Then the Lord’s fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.
- 2 Kings 1:10Elijah responded to the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.
- Amos 7:4The Lord God showed me this: The Lord God was calling for a judgment by fire. It consumed the great deep and devoured the land.
- Revelation 13:13It also performs great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in front of people.
- Exodus 9:28Make an appeal to the Lord. There has been enough of God’s thunder and hail. I will let you go; you don’t need to stay any longer.”
- 1 Samuel 14:15Terror spread through the Philistine camp and the open fields to all the troops. Even the garrison and the raiding parties were terrified. The earth shook, and terror spread from God.
Commentaries on Job 1:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16The fire of God is fallen - Though the fire of God may mean a great, a tremendous fire, yet it is most natural to suppose lightning is meant; for as thunder was considered to be the voice of God, so lightning was the fire of God. And as the prince of the power of the air was permitted now to arm himself with this dreadful artillery of heaven, he might easily direct the zigzag lightning to every part of the fields where the sheep were feeding, and so…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16While he was yet speaking - All this indicates the rapidity of the movement of Satan, and his desire to “overwhelm” Job with the suddenness and greatness of his calamities. The. object seems to have been to give him no time to recover from the shock of one form of trial before another came upon him. If an interval had been given him he might have rallied his strength to bear his trials; but afflictions are much more difficult to be borne when they come in…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-19Verses 13-19 Satan brought Job's troubles upon him on the day that his children began their course of feasting. The troubles all came upon Job at once; while one messenger of evil tidings was speaking, another followed. His dearest and most valuable possessions were his ten children; news is brought him that they are killed. They were taken away when he had most need of them to comfort him under other losses. In God only have we a help present at all…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16The fire of God … from heaven: This might have been lightning, fire in the desert, or the activity of a volcano (20:26; Leviticus 10:2; 1 Kings 18:38; 2 Kings 1:10–14; Numbers 11:1–3; Genesis 19:24).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. fire of God--Hebraism for "a mighty fire"; as "cedars of God"--"lofty cedars" [Psa 80:10]. Not lightning, which would not consume all the sheep and servants. Umbreit understands it of the burning wind of Arabia, called by the Turks "wind of poison." "The prince of the power of the air" [Ep 2:2] is permitted to have control over such destructive agents.Read the comment
Topics related to Job 1:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Job 1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Christian Standard Bible — © 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Commentaries