Job 1:13
And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:
Original Language Analysis
וַיְהִ֖י
H1961
וַיְהִ֖י
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
1 of 10
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
הַיּ֑וֹם
And there was a day
H3117
הַיּ֑וֹם
And there was a day
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
2 of 10
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
וּבָנָ֨יו
when his sons
H1121
וּבָנָ֨יו
when his sons
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
3 of 10
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
וּבְנֹתָ֤יו
and his daughters
H1323
וּבְנֹתָ֤יו
and his daughters
Strong's:
H1323
Word #:
4 of 10
a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)
בְּבֵ֖ית
house
H1004
בְּבֵ֖ית
house
Strong's:
H1004
Word #:
8 of 10
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
Cross References
Luke 21:34And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.Job 1:4And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.Proverbs 27:1Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.Ecclesiastes 9:12For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
Historical Context
The narrative structure emphasizes the swiftness and completeness of Job's losses, occurring during what should have been a joyful family celebration, thus maximizing the emotional trauma.
Questions for Reflection
- How do you reconcile God's sovereignty with the reality of evil and suffering?
- When have you experienced trials arriving in rapid succession? How did this affect your faith?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
The timing 'a day' when Job's children were feasting connects directly to verse 4, showing God's sovereignty over the exact moment of testing. The simultaneity of the calamities (all on one day) amplifies the severity of the trial while revealing God's sovereign orchestration even in Satan's attacks. This doesn't make God the author of evil, but shows His use of evil for holy purposes (Genesis 50:20).