Job 1:4

4 And his sons used to go and hold a feast {at each other's house}[a] on his day, and they would send, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

Job 1:4 Meaning and Commentary

Job 1:4

And his sons went and feasted in their houses, everyone his
day
It appears by this that Job's sons were grown up to men's estate, that they were from him, and were for themselves, and carried on a separate business on their own accounts, and had houses of their own, and, perhaps, were married; and being at some distance from each other, they met by appointment at certain times in their own houses, and had friendly and family entertainments in turn; for such were their feasts, not designed for intemperance, luxury, and wantonness, for then they would not have been encouraged, nor even connived at, by Job; but to cherish love and affection, and maintain harmony and unity among themselves, which must be very pleasing to their parent; for a pleasant thing it is for any, and especially for parents, to behold brethren dwelling together in unity, ( Psalms 133:1 ) , besides, these feasts were kept, not in public houses, much less in houses of ill fame, but in their own houses, among themselves, at certain seasons, which they took in turn; and these were either at their time of sheep shearing, which was a time of feasting, ( 1 Samuel 25:2 1 Samuel 25:36 ) , or at the weaning of a child, ( Genesis 21:8 ) , or rather on each of their birthdays, which in those early times were observed, especially those of persons of figure, ( Genesis 40:20 ) , and the rather, as Job's birthday is called his day, as here, ( Job 3:1 ) ,

and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with
them;
not to make a feast in their turn, but to partake of their entertainment; which, as is commonly observed, showed humanity, kindness, tenderness, and affection in them to their sisters, to invite them to take part with them in their innocent and social recreations, and modesty in their sisters not to thrust themselves into their company, or go without an invitation; these very probably were with Job, and went to the feasts with his leave, being very likely unmarried, or otherwise their husbands would have been invited also.

Job 1:4 In-Context

2 And seven sons and three daughters were born to him.
3 Then his livestock came to be seven thousand sheep and goats and three thousand camels and five hundred pairs of oxen and five hundred female donkeys, and he had very many slaves, and that man was greater than all the people of the east.
4 And his sons used to go and hold a feast {at each other's house} on his day, and they would send, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
5 {Then when} the days of the feast had run their course, {Job would send}, and he would sanctify them. Thus he would arise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings [according to] the number of all of them, because Job thought, "Perhaps my children have sinned and {cursed} God in their heart." This is what Job used to do {all the time}.
6 And it happened {one day} {that} the sons of God came to present themselves before Yahweh, and Satan also came into their midst.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Literally "at the house of a man," or "at the house of each"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.