English Standard Version
Job 1:15
15and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."
Job 1:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
- New International Version (NIV)and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
- New King James Version (NKJV)when the Sabeans raided them and took them away—indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
- New Living Translation (NLT)when the Sabeans raided us. They stole all the animals and killed all the farmhands. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
Context of Job 1:15
13Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, 14and there came a messenger to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you." 16While 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." 17While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."
Read all of Job 1Job 1:15 word by word
וַתִּפֹּ֤ל שְׁבָא֙ וַתִּקָּחֵ֔ם וְאֶת־הַנְּעָרִ֖ים הִכּ֣וּ לְפִי־חָ֑רֶב וָֽאִמָּ֨לְטָ֧ה רַק־אֲנִ֛י לְבַדִּ֖י לְהַגִּ֥יד לָֽךְ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the Sabeansשְׁבָאshebâ' · ShebaH7614
- fellנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
- and took them awayלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- yea, they have slainנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- the servantsנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- with the edgeפֶּהpeh · lip: edgeH6310
- of the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
- and I only am escapedמָלַטmâlaţ · to escapeH4422
- alone to tellנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
Cross-references for Job 1:15
- Genesis 10:7The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan.
- Genesis 25:3Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.
- Psalms 72:10May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands render him tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts!
- Isaiah 45:14Thus says the Lord: "The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over to you and be yours; they shall follow you; they shall come over in chains and bow down to you. They will plead with you, saying: 'Surely God is in you, and there is no other, no god besides him.'"
- Ezekiel 23:42The sound of a carefree multitude was with her; and with men of the common sort, drunkards were brought from the wilderness; and they put bracelets on the hands of the women, and beautiful crowns on their heads.
- Joel 3:8I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a nation far away, for the Lord has spoken."
- Job 1:16While 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."
- 1 Samuel 22:20But one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David.
Commentaries on Job 1:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15And the Sabeans fell - The Vulgate alone understands this of a people. The Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic, understand it as implying a marauding party. The Chaldee says, "Lilith, queen of Zamargad, rushed suddenly upon them, and carried them away." The Sabeans mentioned here are supposed to have been the same with those who were the descendants of Abraham by Keturah, whose son Jokshan begat Sheba. The sons of Keturah were sent by Abraham into the east…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15And the Sabeans - Hebrew שׁבא shebâ' Vulgate, “Suboei.” The Septuagint gives a paraphrase, ̀ ̓́ ̔ ̓́ ̓́ kai elthonia hoi aichmalōteuontes ēchmalōteusan “And the plunderers coming, plundered them,” or made them captive. On the situation of Sheba and Seba, see Isaiah 43:3, note; Isaiah 45:14, note; Isaiah 9:6, note. The people here referred to were, undoubtedly, inhabitants of some part of Arabia Felix. There are three persons of the name of Sheba…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. 15The Sabeans were tribes who raided from the desert (compare Judges 6:3). By the 700s BC, the southern Sabeans became a powerful nation. They traded in gold, precious stones, sweet smelling liquids, and slaves (see Psalm 72:10; Isaiah 43:3; 45:14; 60:6; Jeremiah 6:20).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. Sabeans--not those of Arabia-Felix, but those of Arabia-Deserta, descending from Sheba, grandson of Abraham and Keturah (Ge 25:3). The Bedouin Arabs of the present day resemble, in marauding habits, these Sabeans (compare Ge 16:12). I alone am escaped--cunningly contrived by Satan. One in each case escapes (Job 1:16, 17, 19), and brings the same kind of message. This was to overwhelm Job, and leave him no time to recover from the rapid succession of…Read the comment
Topics related to Job 1:15
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries