Job 1 · Verse 17

Job 1:17

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.
Job 1:17, King James Version

Job 1:17 in other translations

BSBWhile 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!”
WEBWhile he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans made three bands, and swept down on the camels, and have taken them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
ASVWhile he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have taken them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
YLTWhile this one is speaking another also hath come and saith, ‘Chaldeans made three heads, and rush on the camels, 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.'
DARBYWhile he was yet speaking, there came another and said, The Chaldeans made three bands, and fell upon the camels 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 this one was still talking when another came, and said, The Chaldaeans made themselves into three bands, and came down on the camels 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.
WebsterWhile he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yes, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only have escaped alone to tell thee.

What does Job 1:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
17. Chaldeans--not merely robbers as the Sabeans; but experienced in war, as is implied by "they set in array three bands" (Ha 1:6-8). Rawlinson distinguishes three periods: 1. When their seat of empire was in the south, towards the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates. The Chaldean period, from 2300 B.C. to 1500 B.C. In this period was Chedorlaomer (Ge 14:1), the Kudur of Hur or Ur of the Chaldees, in the Assyrian inscriptions, and the conqueror of Syria. 2. From 1500 to 625 B.C., the Assyrian period. 3. From 625 to 538 B.C. (when Cyrus the Persian took Babylon), the Babylonian period. "Chaldees" in Hebrew--Chasaim. They were akin, perhaps, to the Hebrews, as Abraham's sojourn in Ur, and the name "Chesed," a nephew of Abraham, imply. The three bands were probably in order to attack the three separate thousands of Job's camels (Job 1:3).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 17 The Chaldeans made out three bands - The Chaldeans inhabited each side of the Euphrates near to Babylon, which was their capital. They were also mixed with the wandering Arabs, and lived like them on rapine. They were the descendants of Chesed, son of Nahor and brother of Huz, from whom they had their name Casdim, which we translate Chaldeans. They divided themselves into three bands, in order the more speedily and effectually to encompass, collect, and drive off the three thousand camels: probably they mounted the camels and rode off.

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 1:17 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.

ע֣וֹד\׀odstillH5750
זֶ֣הzehthis [one]H2088
מְדַבֵּ֗רme.da.Ber[was] speakingH1696
וְזֶה֮ve.Zehand this [one]H2088
בָּ֣אba'he cameH935
וַיֹּאמַר֒vai.yo.Marand he saidH559
כַּשְׂדִּ֞יםkas.Dim[the] ChaldeansH3778
שָׂ֣מוּ\׀Sa.muthey formedH7760
שְׁלֹשָׁ֣הshe.lo.ShahthreeH7969
רָאשִׁ֗יםra.ShimcompaniesH7218
וַֽיִּפְשְׁט֤וּvai.yif.she.Tuand they made a raidH6584
עַל\־'al-onH5921
הַגְּמַלִּים֙ha.ge.ma.Limthe camelsH1581
וַיִּקָּח֔וּםvai.yi.ka.Chumand they 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
וָאִמָּ֨לְטָ֧הva.'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 1:17

  • Genesis 11:28

    And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.

  • Habakkuk 1:6

    For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.

  • Genesis 11:31

    And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.

  • Isaiah 23:13

    Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.

  • 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.

  • 2 Samuel 1:3

    And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
The Chaldeans.
Ge 11:28; Isa 23:13; Hab 1:6
fell. Heb. rushed. I only am.
15; 2Sa 1:3

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Job 1:17

    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.

  • Job 1:18

    While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:

Read all of Job 1

Job 1:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Todavía estaba éste hablando, y vino otro que dijo: Los Caldeos hicieron tres escuadrones, y dieron sobre los camellos, y tomáronlos, é hirieron á los mozos á filo de espada; y solamente escapé yo solo para traerte las nuevas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Celui-ci parlait encore, qu’un autre vint et dit: Les Chaldéens ont formé trois bandes, et se sont jetés sur les chameaux 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
Dieser redete noch, da kam ein anderer und sprach: Die Chaldäer haben drei Haufen gebildet und sind über die Kamele hergefallen und haben sie weggenommen, und die Knechte haben sie mit der Schärfe des Schwertes erschlagen; und ich bin entronnen, nur ich allein, um es dir zu berichten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Sed et illo adhuc loquente, venit alius, et dixit: Chaldæi fecerunt tres turmas, et invaserunt camelos, et tulerunt eos, necnon et pueros percusserunt gladio: et ego fugi solus, ut nuntiarem tibi.