Job 1:2

2 There were born to him seven sons and three daughters.

Job 1:2 Meaning and Commentary

Job 1:2

And there were born unto him
By his wife, in lawful wedlock, who was now living, and after mentioned:

seven sons and three daughters;
next to his religious character, his graces, and spiritual blessings, and as the chief of his outward mercies and enjoyments, his children are mentioned; and which are indeed blessings from the Lord, and such as good men, and those that fear the Lord, are sometimes blessed with, see ( Psalms 127:3 Psalms 127:4 Psalms 127:5 ) ( Psalms 128:3 Psalms 128:4 ) and to have a numerous offspring was always esteemed a very great favour and blessing, and as such was reckoned by Job; who, having so many sons, might hope to have his name perpetuated by them, as well as his substance shared among them; and having so many daughters, he might please himself with the thought of marrying them into families, which would strengthen his friendship and alliance with them; just the same number of sons and daughters had Bacchaeus, the third king of Corinth ^F25.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 Heraclides de Politiis ad calcem Aelian. Var. Hist. p. 439.

Job 1:2 In-Context

1 There was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.

2 There were born to him seven sons and three daughters.

3 He had seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred donkeys, and very many servants; so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east.

4 His sons used to go and hold feasts in one another's houses in turn; and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

5 And when the feast days had run their course, Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, "It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts." This is what Job always did.