Job 1 · Verse 15

Job 1:15

And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
Job 1:15, King James Version

Job 1:15 in other translations

BSBthe Sabeans swooped down and took them away. They put the servants to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
WEBand the Sabeans attacked, and took them away. Yes, they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
ASVand the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away: yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
YLTand Sheba doth fall, and take them, and the young men they have smitten by the mouth of the sword, and I am escaped--only I alone--to declare it to thee.'
DARBYand they of Sheba fell upon them and took them, and the servants have they smitten with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped, alone, to tell thee.
BBEAnd the men of Sheba came against them and took them away, putting the young men to the sword, and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news.
WebsterAnd the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yes, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only have escaped alone to tell thee.

What does Job 1:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
15. Sabeans--not those of Arabia-Felix, but those of Arabia-Deserta, descending from Sheba, grandson of Abraham and Keturah (Ge 25:3). The Bedouin Arabs of the present day resemble, in marauding habits, these Sabeans (compare Ge 16:12). I alone am escaped--cunningly contrived by Satan. One in each case escapes (Job 1:16, 17, 19), and brings the same kind of message. This was to overwhelm Job, and leave him no time to recover from the rapid succession of calamities--"misfortunes seldom come single."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 15 And the Sabeans fell - The Vulgate alone understands this of a people. The Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic, understand it as implying a marauding party. The Chaldee says, "Lilith, queen of Zamargad, rushed suddenly upon them, and carried them away." The Sabeans mentioned here are supposed to have been the same with those who were the descendants of Abraham by Keturah, whose son Jokshan begat Sheba. The sons of Keturah were sent by Abraham into the east, Gen 25:6, and inhabited Arabia Deserta, on the east of the land of Uz. Hordes of predatory banditti were frequent in those countries and continue so to the present day. They made sudden incursions, and carried off men, women, children, cattle, and goods of every description; and immediately retired to the desert, whither it was in vain to pursue them.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 1:13-19

Satan brought Job's troubles upon him on the day that his children began their course of feasting. The troubles all came upon Job at once; while one messenger of evil tidings was speaking, another followed. His dearest and most valuable possessions were his ten children; news is brought him that they are killed. They were taken away when he had most need of them to comfort him under other losses. In God only have we…

Read the full comment on Job 1:13-19 →

Job 1:15 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַתִּפֹּ֤לva.ti.Poland it fellH5307
שְׁבָא֙she.Va'Sabean[s]H7614
וַתִּקָּחֵ֔םva.ti.ka.Chemand it took themH3947
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
הַנְּעָרִ֖יםha.ne.'a.Rimthe servantsH5288
הִכּ֣וּhi.Kuthey struckH5221
לְפִי\־le.fi-to [the] mouth ofH6310
חָ֑רֶבCha.rev[the] swordH2719
וָֽאִמָּ֨לְטָ֧הva.'i.Mal.Tahand I have escaped !H4422
רַק\־rak-onlyH7535
אֲנִ֛י'a.NiIH589
לְבַדִּ֖יle.va.Dito alone meH905
לְהַגִּ֥ידle.ha.Gidto tellH5046
לָֽךְ\׃Lakhto you

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Job 1:15

  • Genesis 10:7

    And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.

  • Job 6:19

    The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.

  • Joel 3:8

    And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the Lord hath spoken it.

  • 1 Samuel 22:20-21

    And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David. And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the Lord’s priests.

  • Ezekiel 23:42

    And a voice of a multitude being at ease was with her: and with the men of the common sort were brought Sabeans from the wilderness, which put bracelets upon their hands, and beautiful crowns upon their heads.

  • Genesis 25:3

    And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.

  • Isaiah 45:14

    Thus saith the Lord, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.

  • Job 1:19

    And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

  • Psalms 72:10

    The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.

  • Job 1:16-17

    While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

  • Genesis 10:28

    And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Sabeans.
Ge 10:7,28; 25:3; Ps 72:10; Isa 45:14; Eze 23:42; Joe 3:8
and I only.
16,17,19; 1Sa 22:20,21

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 1:14

    And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:

  • Job 1:15

    And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

  • Job 1:16

    While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

Read all of Job 1

Job 1:15 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Acometieron los Sabeos, y tomáronlos, é hirieron á los mozos á filo de espada: solamente escapé yo para traerte las nuevas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et ceux de Sheba sont tombés sur eux et les ont pris, et ils ont frappé les jeunes hommes par le tranchant de l’épée; et j’ai échappé, moi seul, pour te l’annoncer.
German
Elberfelder 1871		da fielen Sabäer ein und nahmen sie weg, und die Knechte erschlugen sie mit der Schärfe des Schwertes; und ich bin entronnen, nur ich allein, um es dir zu berichten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et irruerunt Sabæi, tuleruntque omnia, et pueros percusserunt gladio: et evasi ego solus, ut nuntiarem tibi.