Job 1:15

_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._ Sabeans - not those of Arabia Felix, but those of Arabia Deserta, descending from Sheba, grandson of Abraham and Keturah (Genesis 25:3). The Bedouin Arabs of the present day resemble, in marauding habits, these Sabeans (cf. Genesis 16:12). The Sabeans of Arabia Felix were mercantile (Job 6:19), not marauding in their habits. Perhaps "Sabeans" is used for Arabians in general (cf. Isaiah 13:20; Jer

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 1:15. _AND 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, Genesis 25:6, and inhabited Arabia Deserta, on the east of the land of Uz. Hordes of predatory banditti were frequent in those countries and continue so to the present day. They made sudden incursions, and carried off _men, women, children, cattle_, and _goods_ of every description; and im...

AND THE SABEANS - Hebrew שׁבא _sh__e__bâ'_, Vulgate, “Suboei.” The Septuagint gives a paraphrase, καὶ ἐλθόντες οἱ αἰχμαλωτεύοντες ἠχμαλώτευσαν _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 mentioned in the Scriptures....

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 THE SABEANS FELL UPON THEM,.... Or, "Sheba fell" e; that is, as Aben Ezra and Simeon Bar Tzemach supply it, an host of the Sabeans, or a company of them; these were not the descendants of that Sheba that sprung from Ham, Genesis 10:7 nor of him that came from Shem, Genesis 10:28, but from Sheba, the son of Jokshan, a son of Abraham by Keturah, who with the rest of her sons were sent into the east country, the country of Job; and these Sabeans, who descended from the same, were his near neighbours, Genesis 25:3, they were the inhabitants of one of the Arabias, it is generally said Arabia Felix; but that is not likely, since it was a very plentiful country, the inhabitants of which had no need to rob and plunde

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

THE SABEANS. Hebrew Sheba. Put by Figure of speech _Metonymy_ (of the Subject), for the people of Sheba. Compare Job 6:19; Isaiah 60:6. SERVANTS. young men....