Job Loses His Children and Possessions

While Job's children are feasting, one messenger after another arrives to report the loss of oxen, donkeys, sheep, camels, and servants. The blows come without pause, so that disaster feels layered and unstoppable.

O¹³ne day, while Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, ¹⁴a messenger came and reported to Job: “While the oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, ¹⁵the Sabeans swooped down and took them away. They put the servants to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!” ¹⁶While he was still speaking, another messenger came and reported: “The fire of God fell from heaven. It burned and consumed the sheep and the servants, and I alone have escaped to tell you!” ¹⁷While he was still speaking, another messenger came and reported: “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels, and took them away. They put the servants to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

A final messenger reports that a great wind struck the house where Job's sons and daughters were gathered, and all of them are dead.

¹⁸While he was still speaking, another messenger came and reported: “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, ¹⁹when 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!”

Job rises in grief, tears his robe, shaves his head, and falls to the ground in worship. He acknowledges that he came into the world empty and will leave it empty, blesses the name of the LORD, and does not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

²⁰Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped, ²¹saying: ²²In all this, Job did not sin or charge God with wrongdoing.