Job 1 · Verse 20

Job 1:20

Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
Job 1:20, King James Version

Job 1:20 in other translations

BSBThen Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped,
WEBThen Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down on the ground, and worshiped.
ASVThen Job arose, and rent his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped;
YLTAnd Job riseth, and rendeth his robe, and shaveth his head, and falleth to the earth, and doth obeisance,
DARBYAnd Job rose up, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down on the ground, and worshipped;
BBEThen Job got up, and after parting his clothing and cutting off his hair, he went down on his face to the earth, and gave worship, and said,
WebsterThen Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell upon the ground, and worshiped,

What does Job 1:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
20. Job arose--not necessarily from sitting. Inward excitement is implied, and the beginning to do anything. He had heard the other messages calmly, but on hearing of the death of his children, then he arose; or, as Eichorn translates, he started up (2Sa 13:31). The rending of the mantle was the conventional mark of deep grief (Ge 37:34). Orientals wear a tunic or shirt, and loose pantaloons; and over these a flowing mantle (especially great persons and women). Shaving the head was also usual in grief (Jr 41:5; Mi 1:16).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 Rent his mantle - Tearing the garments, shaving or pulling off the hair of the head, throwing dust or ashes on the head, and fitting on the ground, were acts by which immoderate grief was expressed. Job must have felt the bitterness of anguish when he was told that, in addition to the loss of all his property, he was deprived of his ten children by a violent death. Had he not felt this most poignantly, he would have been unworthy of the name of man. Worshipped - Prostrated himself; lay all along upon the ground, with his face in the dust.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 1:20-22
Job humbled himself under the hand of God. He reasons from the common state of human life, which he describes. We brought nothing of this world's goods into the world, but have them from others; and it is certain we can carry nothing out, but must leave them to others. Job, under all his losses, is but reduced to his first state. He is but where he must have been at last, and is only unclothed, or unloaded rather, a little sooner than he expected. If we put off our clothes before we go to bed, it is some inconvenience, but it may be the better borne when it is near bed-time. The same who gave hath taken away. See how Job looks above instruments, and keeps his eye upon the First Cause. Afflictions must not divert us from, but quicken us to religion. If in all our troubles we look to the Lord, he will support us. The Lord is righteous. All we have is from his gift; we have forfeited it by sin, and ought not to complain if he takes any part from us. Discontent and impatience charge God with folly. Against these Job carefully watched; and so must we, acknowledging that as God has done right, but we have done wickedly, so God has done wisely, but we have done very foolishly. And may the malice and power of Satan render that Saviour more precious to our souls, who came to destroy the works of the devil; who, for our salvation, suffered from that enemy far more than Job suffered, or we can think.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Job 1:20 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.

וַיָּ֤קָםvai.Ya.komand he aroseH6965
אִיּוֹב֙'i.yOvJobH347
וַיִּקְרַ֣עvai.yik.Ra'and he toreH7167
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
מְעִל֔וֹme.'i.Lorobe hisH4598
וַיָּ֖גָזvai.Ya.gozand he shavedH1494
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
רֹאשׁ֑וֹro.Shohead hisH7218
וַיִּפֹּ֥לvai.yi.Poland he fellH5307
אַ֖רְצָה'Ar.tzah[the] earth towardsH776
וַיִּשְׁתָּֽחוּ\׃vai.yish.Ta.chuand he bowed downH7812

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

Cross references for Job 1:20

  • 1 Peter 5:6

    Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

  • 2 Samuel 12:16-20

    David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead? But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. …

  • Genesis 37:34

    And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.

  • Ezra 9:3

    And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.

  • Genesis 37:29

    And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.

  • Deuteronomy 9:18

    And I fell down before the Lord, as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.

  • Matthew 26:39

    And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

  • 2 Chronicles 7:3

    And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
rent.
Ge 37:29,34; Ezr 9:3
mantle. or robe. fell.
De 9:18; 2Sa 12:16-20; 2Ch 7:3; Mt 26:39; 1Pe 5:6

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Job 1:20

    Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,

  • Job 1:21

    And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.

Read all of Job 1

Job 1:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces Job se levantó, y rasgó su manto, y trasquiló su cabeza, y cayendo en tierra adoró;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Job se leva, et déchira sa robe, et rasa sa tête, et se jeta à terre et se prosterna.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da stand Hiob auf und zerriß sein Gewand und schor sein Haupt; und er fiel zur Erde nieder und betete an.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tunc surrexit Job, et scidit vestimenta sua: et tonso capite corruens in terram, adoravit,