Job 1:17

While he [was] yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

While he was yet speaking {H1696}, there came {H935} also another, and said {H559}, The Chaldeans {H3778} made out {H7760} three {H7969} bands {H7218}, and fell {H6584} upon the camels {H1581}, and have carried them away {H3947}, yea, and slain {H5221} the servants {H5288} with the edge {H6310} of the sword {H2719}; and I only am escaped {H4422} alone to tell {H5046} thee.

While he was still speaking, another one came and said, "The Kasdim, three bands of them, fell on the camels and carried them off; they put the servants to the sword too, and I'm the only one who escaped to tell you."

While he was still speaking, another messenger came and reported: “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels, and took them away. They put the servants to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have taken them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

Commentary

Job 1:17 continues the harrowing sequence of calamities befalling Job, showcasing the relentless nature of his trials. This verse reports the third of four devastating blows, each delivered by a lone survivor, amplifying the shock and despair.

Context

Following the Sabeans' raid on his oxen and donkeys (Job 1:14-15) and the "fire of God" destroying his sheep and servants (Job 1:16), this verse introduces the Chaldeans as the instrument of the next disaster. The rapid succession of these reports, with one messenger arriving while the previous one is still speaking, underscores the overwhelming intensity of Job's suffering, orchestrated by Satan's challenge to God's sovereignty over Job's faithfulness (Job 1:12).

Key Themes

  • Relentless Adversity: The verse emphasizes the continuous, compounding nature of Job's suffering. Before one shock can be processed, another hits, leaving no time for grief or recovery.
  • External Threats: The Chaldeans represent a human, militaristic threat. Hailing from Mesopotamia, these were known as fierce and organized raiders. Their attack on Job's camels (a significant part of his wealth, Job 1:3) and the slaying of his servants with the "edge of the sword" highlight the brutal and complete destruction of his livelihood and staff.
  • Total Devastation: The "three bands" suggest a coordinated and strategic attack, not random banditry, ensuring maximum damage. Just like the previous reports, only one servant escapes to deliver the horrific news, underscoring the completeness of the loss.
  • Testing of Faith: While not explicitly stated in the verse, the reader understands this calamity, like the others, is part of the divine permission for Satan to test Job's unwavering faith.

Linguistic Insights

The term "Chaldeans" (Hebrew: Kasdim) refers to a people from southern Mesopotamia, renowned for their military prowess and predatory raids. Their inclusion here signifies a well-organized, external human enemy, distinct from the supernatural "fire of God" or the Sabeans. The phrase "edge of the sword" (Hebrew: l'phi-cherev) is a common biblical idiom denoting a swift, decisive, and deadly blow.

Practical Application

Job 1:17 serves as a stark reminder that trials can come in rapid succession, from various sources (human, natural, or seemingly random), and can be utterly devastating. It challenges us to consider:

  • How do we respond when one crisis immediately follows another?
  • Do we recognize that even human-orchestrated evils can be permitted within a divine plan, though God is not the author of evil?
  • The verse prepares the reader for Job's remarkable response of worship and submission despite unimaginable loss, offering a profound example of enduring faith in extreme adversity.
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Cross-References

  • Genesis 11:28

    And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.

  • Habakkuk 1:6

    For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, [that] bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces [that are] not theirs.

  • Genesis 11:31

    And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.

  • 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.

  • 2 Samuel 1:3

    And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.

  • Isaiah 23:13

    Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, [till] the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; [and] he brought it to ruin.