Job 1 · Verse 5

Job 1:5

And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
Job 1:5, King James Version

Job 1:5 in other translations

BSBAnd when the days of feasting were over, Job would send for his children to purify them, rising early in the morning to offer burnt offerings for all of them. For Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.
WEBIt was so, when the days of their feasting had run their course, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced God in their hearts.” Job did so continually.
ASVAnd it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
YLTand it cometh to pass, when they have gone round the days of the banquet, that Job doth send and sanctify them, and hath risen early in the morning, and caused to ascend burnt-offerings--the number of them all--for Job said, ‘Perhaps my sons have sinned, yet blessed God in their heart.' Thus doth Job all the days.
DARBYAnd it was so, when the days of the feasting were gone about, that Job sent and hallowed them; and he rose up early in the morning, and offered up burnt-offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
BBEAnd at the end of their days of feasting, Job sent and made them clean, getting up early in the morning and offering burned offerings for them all. For, Job said, It may be that my sons have done wrong and said evil of God in their hearts. And Job did this whenever the feasts came round.
WebsterAnd it was so, when the days of their feasting were ended, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

What does Job 1:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. when the days of their feasting were gone about--that is, at the end of all the birthdays collectively, when the banquets had gone round through all the families. Job ... sanctified--by offering up as many expiatory burnt offerings as he had sons (Le 1:4). This was done "in the morning" (Ge 22:3; Le 6:12). Jesus also began devotions early (Mr 1:35). The holocaust, or burnt offering, in patriarchal times, was offered (literally, "caused to ascend," referring to the smoke ascending to heaven) by each father of a family officiating as priest in behalf of his household. cursed God--The same Hebrew word means to "curse," and to "bless"; Gesenius says, the original sense is to "kneel," and thus it came to mean bending the knee in order to invoke either a blessing or a curse. Cursing is a perversion of blessing, as all sin is of goodness. Sin is a degeneracy, not a generation. It is not, however, likely that Job should fear the possibility of his sons cursing God. The sense "bid farewell to," derived from the blessing customary at parting, seems sufficient (Ge 47:10). Thus Umbreit translates "may have dismissed God from their hearts"; namely, amid the intoxication of pleasure (Pr 20:1). This act illustrates Job's "fear of God" (Job 1:1).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 When the days of their feasting were gone about - At the conclusion of the year, when the birthday of each had been celebrated, the pious father appears to have gathered them all together, that the whole family might hold a feast to the Lord, offering burnt-offerings in order to make an atonement for sins of all kinds, whether presumptuous or committed through ignorance. This we may consider as a general custom among the godly in those ancient times. And cursed God in their hearts - וברכו אלהים uberechu Elohim. In this book, according to most interpreters, the verb ברך barach signifies both to bless and to curse; and the noun אלהים Elohim signifies the true God, false gods, and great or mighty. The reason why Job offered the burnt-offerings appears to have been this: in a country where idolatry flourished, he thought it possible that his children might, in their festivity, have given way to idolatrous thoughts, or done something prescribed by idolatrous rites; and therefore the words may be rendered thus: It may be that my children have blessed the gods in their hearts. Others think that the word ברך barach should be understood as implying farewell, bidding adieu - lest my children have bidden adieu to God, that is, renounced him, and cast off his fear. To me this is very unlikely. Mr. Mason Good contends that the word should be understood in its regular and general sense, to bless; and that the conjunction ו vau should be translated nor. "Peradventure my sons may have sinned, nor blessed God in their hearts." This version he supports with great learning. I think the sense given above is more plain, and less embarrassed. They might have been guilty of some species of idolatry. This is possible even among those called Christians, in their banquets; witness their songs to Bacchus, Venus, etc., which are countless in number, and often sung by persons who would think themselves injured, not to be reputed Christians. Coverdale, in his translation, (1535), renders the passage thus: Peradventure my sonnes have done some offense, and have been unthankful to God in their hertes. Thus did Job continually - At the end of every year, when all the birthday festivals had gone round.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 1:1-5

Job was prosperous, and yet pious. Though it is hard and rare, it is not impossible for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. By God's grace the temptations of worldly wealth may be overcome. The account of Job's piety and prosperity comes before the history of his great afflictions, showing that neither will secure from troubles. While Job beheld the harmony and comforts of his sons with satisfaction, his…

Read the full comment on Job 1:1-5 →

Job 1:5 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.

וַיְהִ֡יvay.Hiand it wasH1961
כִּ֣יkithatH3588
הִקִּיפֽוּ֩hi.ki.Futhey had gone roundH5362
יְמֵ֨יye.Mei[the] days ofH3117
הַמִּשְׁתֶּ֜הha.mish.Tehthe feastH4960
וַיִּשְׁלַ֧חvai.yish.Lachand he sentH7971
אִיּ֣וֹב'i.YovJobH347
וַֽיְקַדְּשֵׁ֗םvay.ka.de.Shemand he sanctified themH6942
וְהִשְׁכִּ֣יםve.hish.Kimand he rose earlyH7925
בַּבֹּקֶר֮ba.bo.Kerin the morningH1242
וְהֶעֱלָ֣הve.he.'e.Lahand he offered upH5927
עֹלוֹת֮'o.lOtburnt offeringsH5930
מִסְפַּ֣רmis.Par[the] number ofH4557
כֻּלָּם֒ku.Lamall of themH3605
כִּ֚יkiforH3588
אָמַ֣ר'a.Marhe saidH559
אִיּ֔וֹב'i.YovJobH347
אוּלַי֙'u.LaiperhapsH194
חָטְא֣וּcha.te.'Uthey have sinnedH2398
בָנַ֔יva.Naichildren myH1121
וּבֵרֲכ֥וּu.ve.ra.Khuand they have blessedH1288
אֱלֹהִ֖ים'E.lo.HimGodH430
בִּלְבָבָ֑םbil.va.Vamin heart theirH3824
כָּ֛כָהKa.khahthusH3602
יַעֲשֶׂ֥הya.'a.Sehhe didH6213
אִיּ֖וֹב'i.YovJobH347
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
הַיָּמִֽים\׃\ \פhai.ya.Mimthe daysH3117

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

Cross references for Job 1:5

  • Job 42:8

    Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.

  • Genesis 8:20

    And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

  • 1 Samuel 16:5

    And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

  • Genesis 35:2-3

    Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: And let us arise, and go up to Beth–el; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.

  • Ephesians 6:18

    Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

  • Job 8:4

    If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;

  • 1 Kings 21:10

    And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.

  • 1 Kings 21:13

    And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.

  • Acts 8:22

    Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

  • Genesis 22:3

    And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

  • 1 Corinthians 4:5

    Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

  • Jeremiah 17:9-10

    The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
sanctified.
41:25; Ge 35:2,3; Ex 19:10; 1Sa 16:5; Ne 12:30; Joh 11:55
rose up.
Ge 22:3; Ps 5:3; Ec 9:10
offered.
42:8; Ge 8:20; Ex 18:12; 24:5; Le 1:3-6
according.
1Ki 18:31; Ac 21:26
It may be.
2Co 11:2
cursed.
11; 2:9; Le 24:10-16; 1Ki 21:10,13
in their hearts.
Ge 6:5; Jer 4:14; 17:9,10; Mr 7:21-23; Ac 8:22; 1Co 4:5
Thus.
27:10
continually. Heb. all the days.
Lu 1:75; 18:7; Eph 6:18

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

Context

  • Job 1:4

    And 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.

  • Job 1:5

    And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

  • Job 1:6

    Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.

Read all of Job 1

Job 1:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y acontecía que, habiendo pasado en turno los días del convite, Job enviaba y santificábalos, y levantábase de mañana y ofrecía holocaustos conforme al número de todos ellos. Porque decía Job: Quizá habrán pecado mis hijos, y habrán blasfemado á Dios en sus corazones. De esta manera hacía todos los días.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il arrivait que, quand les jours de festin étaient terminés, Job envoyait vers eux et les sanctifiait: il se levait de bonne heure le matin et offrait des holocaustes selon leur nombre à tous, car Job disait: Peut-être mes fils ont-ils péché et ont-ils maudit Dieu dans leurs cœurs. Job faisait toujours ainsi.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und es geschah, wenn die Tage des Gastmahls umgegangen waren, so sandte Hiob hin und heiligte sie; und er stand des Morgens früh auf und opferte Brandopfer nach ihrer aller Zahl; denn Hiob sprach: Vielleicht haben meine Kinder gesündigt und sich in ihrem Herzen von Gott losgesagt. Also tat Hiob allezeit.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Cumque in orbem transissent dies convivii, mittebat ad eos Job, et sanctificabat illos: consurgensque diluculo, offerebat holocausta pro singulis. Dicebat enim: Ne forte peccaverint filii mei, et benedixerint Deo in cordibus suis. Sic faciebat Job cunctis diebus.