Job 1 Study Notes

1:12 The limitation God imposed on Satan’s testing demonstrated the Lord’s desire that Job be a trophy of God’s grace even in his suffering.

1:13-15 The Sabeans mentioned here were apparently nomads from northern Arabia, not the later wealthy kingdom of south Arabia whose renowned queen Sheba visited King Solomon (1Kg 10:1-13) and whose people Isaiah prophesied would submit to Israel (Is 45:14).

1:16 God’s fire (probably lightning) is normally a divine weapon (2Kg 1:10-14). Ironically, Satan was given permission to use it against God’s servants.

1:17 Like the Sabeans, the Chaldeans were nomadic raiders. King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon was a Chaldean (2Kg 24:1; Dn 1:1).

1:18-19 As after the Sabean raid (v. 15), a force of nature completed the attack against Job’s family.

1:20 Tearing one’s garments (Gn 37:34; 2Ch 34:19) and shaving one’s head (Am 5:10) were symbolic acts of grief. Job’s falling to the ground to worship God reflected a traditional method of showing reverence (Jos 5:14; Rv 1:17).

1:21-22 Job recognized that ultimately the Lord determines all things, so he submitted himself to God’s sovereign will. The word blessed occurs in v. 11 where it is translated “curse” (see note at vv. 4-5). Rather than cursing God as Satan had predicted, Job blessed his name and did not blame God. The word name reflects the revealed character and reputation of God (Jl 2:26). The term name came to be a surrogate for God (Dn 9:18-19) and was later applied to Christ (Ac 5:41; 3Jn 7).