English Standard Version
Job 1:20
20Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped.
Job 1:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
- New International Version (NIV)At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship.
Context of Job 1:20
18While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, 19and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you." Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. 21And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." 22In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.
Read all of Job 1Job 1:20 word by word
וַיָּ֤קָם אִיּוֹב֙ וַיִּקְרַ֣ע אֶת־מְעִל֔וֹ וַיָּ֖גָז אֶת־רֹאשׁ֑וֹ וַיִּפֹּ֥ל אַ֖רְצָה וַיִּשְׁתָּֽחוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then Jobאִיּוֹב'îyôb · JobH347
- aroseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
- and rentקָרַעqâra‛ · to tearH7167
- his mantleמְעִילme‛îyl · robeH4598
- and shavedגָּזַזgâzaz · to shearH1494
- his headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
- and fell downנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
- upon the groundאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: soilH776
- and worshippedשָׁחָהshâchâh · to bowH7812
Cross-references for Job 1:20
- Genesis 37:29When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes
- Ezra 9:3As soon as I heard this, I tore my garment and my cloak and pulled hair from my head and beard and sat appalled.
- Deuteronomy 9:18Then I lay prostrate before the Lord as before, forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all the sin that you had committed, in doing what was evil in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger.
- 2 Samuel 12:16David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground.
- 2 Chronicles 7:3When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, "For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever."
- Matthew 26:39And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."
- 1 Peter 5:6Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,
Commentaries on Job 1:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Rent his mantle - Tearing the garments, shaving or pulling off the hair of the head, throwing dust or ashes on the head, and fitting on the ground, were acts by which immoderate grief was expressed. Job must have felt the bitterness of anguish when he was told that, in addition to the loss of all his property, he was deprived of his ten children by a violent death. Had he not felt this most poignantly, he would have been unworthy of the name of man…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Then Job arose - The phrase to arise, in the Scriptures is often used in the sense of beginning to do anything. It does not necessarily imply that the person had been previously sitting; see 2 Samuel 13:13. And rent his mantle - The word here rendered “mantle” מעיל me‛ı̂yl means an upper or outer garment. The dress of Orientals consists principally of an under garment or tunic - not materially differing from the “shirt” with us - except that the sleeves…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-22Verses 20-22 Job humbled himself under the hand of God. He reasons from the common state of human life, which he describes. We brought nothing of this world's goods into the world, but have them from others; and it is certain we can carry nothing out, but must leave them to others. Job, under all his losses, is but reduced to his first state. He is but where he must have been at last, and is only unclothed, or unloaded rather, a little sooner than he…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head: These were common ceremonies in the Ancient Near East to show grief. People sometimes responded this way instead of harming themselves when shocked, in horror, or after hearing bad news (2:12; Genesis 37:29, 34; Judges 11:35; Jeremiah 16:6; Ezekiel 7:18; Amos 8:10). He fell to the ground and worshiped: Then in an unexpected move, Job did not give a desperate cry, but had hope (1 Peter 5:6).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. Job arose--not necessarily from sitting. Inward excitement is implied, and the beginning to do anything. He had heard the other messages calmly, but on hearing of the death of his children, then he arose; or, as Eichorn translates, he started up (2Sa 13:31). The rending of the mantle was the conventional mark of deep grief (Ge 37:34). Orientals wear a tunic or shirt, and loose pantaloons; and over these a flowing mantle (especially great persons and…Read the comment
Topics related to Job 1:20
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