Job 42:16

After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, [even] four generations.

After {H310} this lived {H2421} Job {H347} an hundred {H3967} and forty {H705} years {H8141}, and saw {H7200} his sons {H1121}, and his sons {H1121}' sons {H1121}, even four {H702} generations {H1755}.

After this, Iyov lived 140 years, long enough to see his sons and grandsons, four generations.

After this, Job lived 140 years and saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.

And after this Job lived a hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sonsโ€™ sons, even four generations.

Commentary

Job 42:16 marks the triumphant conclusion of Job's story, highlighting the profound restoration and blessings he received from God after enduring immense suffering. This verse emphasizes the longevity and abundant progeny granted to Job, signifying a complete reversal of his previous misfortunes.

Context

This verse immediately follows God's direct interaction with Job, where Job humbles himself and repents in dust and ashes (Job 42:6). After Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored Job's fortunes, giving him twice as much as he had before. The preceding verses detail his renewed wealth and the birth of new children, replacing those he lost (Job 1:18). Job 42:16 focuses on the duration of his subsequent life and the continuation of his lineage, underscoring the completeness of God's blessing. This account is set in the patriarchal age, where long life and numerous descendants were highly valued as signs of divine favor and prosperity.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Restoration: The verse is a powerful testament to God's ability to completely restore and bless those who remain faithful, even through the most severe trials. Job's life after his ordeal is a clear demonstration of God's overflowing grace and justice.
  • Longevity as a Blessing: Living "an hundred and forty years" after his trials signifies an exceptionally long and blessed life. In ancient cultures, a prolonged life was often seen as a reward for righteousness and a mark of divine favor, signifying a full and complete life journey.
  • Abundant Posterity: Seeing "his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations" highlights the restoration of his family and the continuation of his lineage. In the ancient Near East, a numerous offspring and a lasting legacy were paramount blessings, representing prosperity and divine approval, contrasting sharply with his initial loss of all his children (Job 1:2).
  • Hope and Perseverance: Job's story, culminating in this verse, offers profound hope that suffering is not the end. God's ultimate plan is for good, and faithfulness during trials can lead to an even greater blessing than before, providing encouragement for those enduring hardship.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew phrase "ื•ึทื™ึผึดื—ึฐื™ึถื” ืึดื™ึผื•ึนื‘ ืึทื—ึฒืจึตื™ึพื–ึนืืช ืžึตืึธื” ื•ึฐืึทืจึฐื‘ึผึธืขึดื™ื ืฉืึธื ึธื”" (vayyihyeh 'Iyyov 'acharei-zo't me'ah ve'arba'im shanah) translates directly to "And Job lived after this one hundred and forty years." The simplicity of the language emphasizes the direct, declarative nature of the blessing. There isn't a complex linguistic nuance in this verse beyond the straightforward declaration of his prolonged and fruitful life, underscoring the magnitude of God's favor.

Practical Application

Job 42:16 provides immense encouragement for believers facing hardship. It teaches us that:

  • God is a Restorer: No matter how devastating our losses or how deep our pain, God has the power and desire to bring about complete restoration in our lives, often exceeding what we had before. This promise offers comfort and strength.
  • Faithfulness is Rewarded: While not every trial ends with material blessings like Job's, God always rewards faithfulness with spiritual blessings, peace, and often, an unexpected abundance in various forms. Our perseverance in faith matters to God.
  • Hope for the Future: This verse reminds us that our present suffering is temporary, and God's plan for us includes a future of hope and blessing (Jeremiah 29:11). It encourages us to persevere and trust in His sovereign timing.
  • Value of Legacy: The emphasis on Job seeing four generations encourages us to consider the lasting impact of our faith and how our walk with God can bless future generations.
Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Proverbs 17:6

    ยถ Children's children [are] the crown of old men; and the glory of children [are] their fathers.
  • Psalms 128:6

    Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, [and] peace upon Israel.
  • Genesis 50:23

    And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third [generation]: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees.
  • Genesis 50:26

    So Joseph died, [being] an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
  • Genesis 47:28

    And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years.
  • Genesis 25:7

    And these [are] the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years.
  • Joshua 24:29

    ยถ And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, [being] an hundred and ten years old.
โ† Back