Job 1:19

And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

And, behold, there came {H935} a great {H1419} wind {H7307} from {H5676} the wilderness {H4057}, and smote {H5060} the four {H702} corners {H6438} of the house {H1004}, and it fell {H5307} upon the young men {H5288}, and they are dead {H4191}; and I only am escaped {H4422} alone to tell {H5046} thee.

when suddenly a strong wind blew in from over the desert. It struck the four corners of the house, so that it fell on the young people; they are dead, and I'm the only one who escaped to tell you."

when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on the young people and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you!โ€

and, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

Commentary

Context of Job 1:19

Job 1:19 is the culmination of a rapid succession of devastating news delivered to Job, a righteous and prosperous man. This verse describes the final and most grievous loss: the death of all his children. It follows immediately after reports of his oxen and asses being stolen and servants killed (Job 1:14-15), his sheep and more servants consumed by fire (Job 1:16), and his camels plundered with further servants slain (Job 1:17). This entire series of calamities is presented as a direct result of a divine allowance given to Satan to test Job's faithfulness, as recounted in Job 1:12. The swift, overwhelming blows are designed to provoke Job to curse God, setting the stage for his profound response and the subsequent theological debates in the book.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Sudden and Total Loss: The verse vividly portrays the abrupt and complete destruction of Job's family. The phrase "smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men" implies a comprehensive structural collapse, leaving no survivors among his children. This emphasizes the overwhelming and inescapable nature of the tragedy.
  • Satan's Agency: While the "great wind" appears to be a natural phenomenon, the preceding narrative clearly establishes it as a tool employed by Satan to execute his destructive plan against Job. This highlights the often unseen forces at play in human suffering and the reality of spiritual opposition.
  • The Fragility of Earthly Blessings: Job's immense wealth and large family were considered peak blessings in his ancient Near Eastern culture. This verse powerfully illustrates how quickly such blessings can be stripped away, challenging the conventional understanding that prosperity is always a direct sign of divine favor.
  • The Messenger Motif: The chilling phrase "I only am escaped alone to tell thee" is a recurring literary device in the book of Job, used by each messenger to underscore the absolute totality of the disaster and the miraculous (or perhaps agonizing) survival of the sole bearer of bad news.

Linguistic Insights

The "great wind" is translated from the Hebrew ruach gedolah (ืจื•ึผื—ึท ื’ึฐึผื“ื•ึนืœึธื”). While ruach can simply mean "wind," it often carries connotations of "spirit" or "breath," especially when described as "great." In the context of Satan's direct involvement, this suggests a wind of extraordinary, possibly supernatural, force, far beyond a typical desert storm. The detail that it came "from the wilderness" (ืžึดืŸ ื”ึทืžึดึผื“ึฐื‘ึธึผืจ - *min hammidbar*) might evoke a sense of untamed, destructive power often associated with desolate regions in ancient thought.

Practical Application

Job 1:19 serves as a stark reminder of life's unpredictability and the reality of profound suffering, even for those who are righteous. It compels us to consider:

  • Responding to Tragedy: When faced with sudden, inexplicable loss, this verse encourages empathy and a recognition of the deep pain involved. Job's experience sets the stage for a journey through grief, questioning, and lament, which are natural human responses to such devastation.
  • The Nature of Trials: It reminds us that not all suffering is a direct consequence of personal sin. Sometimes, trials are part of a larger spiritual dynamic, testing faith and revealing the depth of one's devotion. The book of Job ultimately points to God's ultimate sovereignty even amidst chaos, a theme beautifully articulated in Job 42:2.
  • Enduring Faith: Despite the overwhelming devastation, Job's initial response to these tragedies (found in Job 1:20-22) demonstrates a profound trust in God's ultimate wisdom and goodness, even when His ways are inscrutable. This verse, though bleak, sets the stage for a powerful testament to enduring faith through unimaginable hardship.
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Cross-References

  • Genesis 42:36 (2 votes)

    And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved [of my children]: Joseph [is] not, and Simeon [is] not, and ye will take Benjamin [away]: all these things are against me.

  • Jeremiah 4:11 (2 votes)

    At that time shall it be said to this people and to Jerusalem, A dry wind of the high places in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to fan, nor to cleanse,

  • Jeremiah 4:12 (2 votes)

    [Even] a full wind from those [places] shall come unto me: now also will I give sentence against them.

  • Acts 28:4 (2 votes)

    And when the barbarians saw the [venomous] beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.

  • Ephesians 2:2 (2 votes)

    Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

  • Judges 16:30 (2 votes)

    And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with [all his] might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that [were] therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than [they] which he slew in his life.

  • 1 Kings 20:30 (2 votes)

    But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and [there] a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men [that were] left. And Benhadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.