Job 1:14

_AND THERE CAME A MESSENGER UNTO JOB, AND SAID, THE OXEN WERE PLOWING, AND THE ASSES FEEDING BESIDE THEM:_ The donkeys feeding beside them - Hebrew, she-asses. A graphic picture of rural repose and peace; the more dreadful, therefore, by contrast is the sudden attack of the plundering Arabs....

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 times....

Verse Job 1:14. _THE ASSES FEEDING BESIDE THEM_] אתנות _athonoth_, the _she-asses_, which appear to have been more domesticated, as of more worth and use than the others, both for their milk and their work....

AND THERE CAME A MESSENGER UNTO JOB - Hebrew מלאך _mal'âk_; the word usually rendered “angel,” appropriately rendered “messenger” here. The word properly means “one who is sent.” THE OXEN WERE PLOWING - Hebrew “the cattle” (בקר _bâqâr_) including not merely “oxen,” but probably also “cows;” see the notes at Job 1:3. AND THE ASSES - Hebrew אתון _'âthôn_ “she-asses.” The “sex” is here expressly mentioned and Dr. Good maintains that it should be in the translation. So it is in the Septuagint αἱ θήλειαι ὄνοι _hai_ _thēleiai_ _onoi_. So Jerome, “asinoe.” The reason why the sex is specified is, that female asses, o

EXPOSITION The "Historical Introduction" to Job extends to two chapters. In the first we are given an account, firstly, of his outward circumstances—his abode, wealth, family, etc; and of his character (Job 1:1); secondly, of the circumstances under which God allowed him to be tried by afflictions (Job 1:6); thirdly, of the earlier afflictions themselves (Job 1:13); and, fourthly, of his behaviour under them (Job 1:20-18). The second chapter gives, firstly, the ground of his further trial (Job 2:1); secondly, the nature of it, and his behaviour under it ...

AND THERE CAME A MESSENGER UNTO JOB,.... Not a messenger of Satan, as Jarchi, or one of his angels, or evil spirits; though this is a sense which is embraced not only by some Jewish Rabbins, but by several of the ancient Christian writers, as Sanctius on the place observes; and such they suppose the other messengers after mentioned were; but both this and they were servants of Job, who escaped the calamity that came upon the rest of their fellow servants: AND SAID, THE OXEN WERE PLOUGHING: the five hundred yoke of oxen Job had, Job 1:3, which were all out in the fields, and employed in ploughing them; and to plough with such was usual in those times and countries, as it now is in some places; see 1 Kings 19:19 AND THE ASSES FEEDING BESIDE THEM; beside the oxen, where they were

Job 1:1. _There was a man in the land of Uz,_ Job was a man indeed; a true man, a man of the highest type, for he was a man of God. Job 1:1. _Whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright,--_ Job was thoroughly true and sincere, and in this sense he «was perfect and upright,»- Job 1:1. _And one that feared God, and eschewed evil._ He had both sides of a godly character, a love of God and a hatred of sin. Job 1:2. _And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters._ Job was highly favoured in having such a family of sons and daughters....

II. THE CONTROVERSY BETWEEN JEHOVAH AND SATAN AND THE RESULTS CHAPTER 1:6-22 _ 1. A scene in heaven, Jehovah's challenge and Satan's, accusation (Job 1:6)_ 2. Satan's power manifested (Job 1:13) 3. Job's great grief and great victory (Job 1:20) Job 1:6. Suddenly the scene changeth. We are no longer on earth but heaven is opened and we read what is going on before the throne of God. While Job on earth with his loved ones is enjoying himself something takes place in heaven in which he is prominently concerned and yet he is ignorant of all. The whole scene is intensely interesting. It is not fiction but revelation, and what is h

JOB'S MISFORTUNE. The activity of the Satan is depicted, though he himself remains invisible. Between Job 1:12 and Job 1:13 there is an interval, an ominous silence like that which precedes the storm. The poet has drawn aside the curtain to us, and we know what is impending. Job knows nothing. he does not know that he is being played for like a pawn. Suddenly the catastrophe overtakes him. Messenger after messenger, each taking up his tale of ruin before the other has concluded his, announces that all has been taken from him (Davidson). The ideal character of the narrative should be observed. The catastrophe takes place on the day when the feast was in the eldest brother's house, _i.e._ the very day on which Job had just purified his children by sacrifice. Heaven and men alternate their strokes, which follow with ever-i

AND. Note the Figure of speech _Polysyndeton_ (App-6), to emphasize the details in all these reports of the calamities....