Job 1:15

Contemporary English Version

a gang of Sabeans attacked and stole the oxen and donkeys! Your other servants were killed, and I was the only one who escaped to tell you."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
the Sabeans swooped down and took them away. They struck down the servants with the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

Hebrew Names Version
and the Seva'im 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."

King James Version
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.

English Standard Version
and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

New Century Version
when the Sabeans attacked and carried them away. They killed the servants with swords, and I am the only one who escaped to tell you!"

New English Translation
and the Sabeans swooped down and carried them all away, and they killed the servants with the sword! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!"

Amplified Bible
and the Sabeans attacked and swooped down on them and took away the animals. They also killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

New American Standard Bible
and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

World English Bible
and 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."

Geneva Bible (1587)
And the Shabeans came violently, and tooke them: yea, they haue slayne the seruants with the edge of the sworde: but I onely am escaped alone to tell thee.

Legacy Standard Bible
and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them. They also struck down the young men with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

Berean Standard Bible
the Sabeans swooped down and took them away. They struck down the servants with the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!"

Complete Jewish Bible
when a raiding party from Sh'va came and carried them off; they put the servants to the sword too, and I'm the only one who escaped to tell you."

Darby Translation
and [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.

Easy-to-Read Version
when some Sabeans attacked us and took your animals! They killed the other servants. I am the only one who escaped to come and tell you the news!"

George Lamsa Translation
And robbers raided them, and carried them away, and they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword, and I only have escaped to inform you.

Good News Translation
Suddenly the Sabeans attacked and stole them all. They killed every one of your servants except me. I am the only one who escaped to tell you."

Lexham English Bible
Then the Sabeans attacked, and they took them, and they slew the servants by the edge of the sword. But I escaped, even I alone, to tell you."

Literal Translation
And the Sabeans fell on them and took them away. And they killed the young men with the mouth of the sword; and I, I alone have escaped to tell you.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
the Sabees came in violetly, and toke them all awaye: yee they haue slayne the seruauntes with the swearde, and I only ranne my waye, to tell the.

American Standard Version
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.

Bible in Basic English
And 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.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the Sabees came violently, and toke them away, yea they haue slayne thy seruauntes with the edge of the sword: and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
and the Sabeans made a raid, 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.'

King James Version (1611)
And the Sabeans fell vpon them, and tooke them away: yea they haue slaine the seruants with the edge of the sword, and I onely am escaped alone, to tell thee.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
and the spoilers came and took them for a prey, and slew the servants with the sword; and I having escaped alone am come to tell thee.

English Revised Version
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.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and Sabeis felden yn, and token awey alle thingis, and `smytiden the children with swerd; and Y aloone ascapide for to telle to thee.

Update Bible Version
and the Sabeans fell [on 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 you.

Webster's Bible Translation
And 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.

New King James Version
when the Sabeans Job 6:19)">[fn] raided them and took them away--indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"

New Living Translation
when the Sabeans raided us. They stole all the animals and killed all the farmhands. I am the only one who escaped to tell you."

New Life Bible
And the Sabeans came and took them. They also killed the servants with the sword. I alone have run away from them to tell you."

New Revised Standard
and the Sabeans fell on them and carried them off, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; I alone have escaped to tell you."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
when the Sabeans swooped down, and took them, and, the young men, smote they with the edge of the sword, - and escaped am, only I alone, too tell thee.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Sabeans rushed in, and took all away, and slew the servants with the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell thee.

Revised Standard Version
and the Sabe'ans fell upon them and took them, and slew the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you."

Young's Literal Translation
and 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.'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

Contextual Overview

¹³ Job's sons and daughters were having a feast in the home of his oldest son, ¹⁴ when someone rushed up to Job and said, "While your servants were plowing with your oxen, and your donkeys were nearby eating grass, ¹⁵ a gang of Sabeans attacked and stole the oxen and donkeys! Your other servants were killed, and I was the only one who escaped to tell you." ¹⁶ That servant was still speaking, when a second one came running up and saying, "God sent down a fire that killed your sheep and your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you." ¹⁷ Before that servant finished speaking, a third one raced up and said, "Three gangs of Chaldeans attacked and stole your camels! All of your other servants were killed, and I am the only one who escaped to tell you." ¹⁸ That servant was still speaking, when a fourth one dashed up and said, "Your children were having a feast and drinking wine at the home of your oldest son, ¹⁹ when suddenly a windstorm from the desert blew the house down, crushing all of your children. I am the only one who escaped to tell you."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Sabeans: Genesis 10:7, Genesis 10:28, Genesis 25:3, Psalms 72:10, Isaiah 45:14, Ezekiel 23:42, Joel 3:8

and I only: Job 1:16, Job 1:17, Job 1:19, 1 Samuel 22:20, 1 Samuel 22:21

Reciprocal: Genesis 14:13 - one Genesis 34:28 - General Deuteronomy 28:31 - ox 2 Samuel 1:3 - am I Job 5:5 - the robber Job 16:7 - hast made Job 18:9 - robber Job 19:16 - my servant Job 20:22 - every hand Job 24:2 - violently Ezekiel 24:26 - General Ezekiel 27:23 - Sheba Hosea 6:9 - as troops

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the Sabeans fell upon them,.... Or, "Sheba fell" e; that is, as Aben Ezra and Simeon Bar Tzemach supply it, an host of the Sabeans, or a company of them; these were not the descendants of that Sheba that sprung from Ham, Genesis 10:7 nor of him that came from Shem,

Genesis 10:28, but from Sheba, the son of Jokshan, a son of Abraham by Keturah, who with the rest of her sons were sent into the east country, the country of Job; and these Sabeans, who descended from the same, were his near neighbours, Genesis 25:3, they were the inhabitants of one of the Arabias, it is generally said Arabia Felix; but that is not likely, since it was a very plentiful country, the inhabitants of which had no need to rob and plunder others; and besides was at a great distance from the place of Job's habitation, and lay to the south, and not the east; though Strabo f indeed says, that the Sabeans inhabited Arabia Felix, and made excursions into Syria, which agrees with these Sabeans; but rather Arabia Deserta, as Spanheim g has abundantly proved, a barren place; hence we read of Sabeans from the wilderness,

Ezekiel 23:42, the inhabitants of which lived upon the plunder of others; and these being naturally given to spoil and rapine, were fit persons for Satan to work upon, as he does in the children of disobedience; into whose hearts he put it to make such a descent on Job's fields, and carry off his cattle, as they did; they fell upon his oxen and asses at once and unawares, in a body, in an hostile and furious manner:

and took them away; as a booty; they did not kill them, but drove them off the ground, and led them into their own country for their use and service:

yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; who were ploughing with the oxen, and looking after the asses, and who might make an opposition, though in vain; this was an addition to affliction, that not only his cattle were carried off, but his servants were slain, who were born in his house, or bought with his money:

and I only am escaped alone to tell thee; this single servant was preserved, either by the special providence of God, in kindness to Job, that he might know of a certainty, and exactly, and what had befallen him, and how it came to pass, which men are naturally desirous of; or else, as it is generally thought, through the malice and cunning of Satan, that the tidings might the sooner be brought to him, and more readily be believed by him, and strike him with the greater surprise, a servant of his own running with it, whom he knew, and could believe; and he appearing with the utmost concern of mind, and horror in his countenance.

e ותפל שבא "et delapsa est Seba", Montanus, Bolducius; "et irruit Sheba", Schmidt, Cocceius. f Geograph. l. 16. p. 536. g Histor. Jobi, c. 3. sect. 12. p. 44, &c.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And the Sabeans - Hebrew שׁבא sh^ebâ', Vulgate, “Suboei.” The Septuagint gives a paraphrase, καὶ ἐλθόντες οἱ αἰχμαλωτεύοντες ἠχμαλώτευσαν kai elthonia hoi aichmalōteuontes ēchmalōteusan, “And the plunderers coming, plundered them,” or made them captive. On the situation of Sheba and Seba, see Isaiah 43:3, note; Isaiah 45:14, note; Isaiah 9:6, note. The people here referred to were, undoubtedly, inhabitants of some part of Arabia Felix. There are three persons of the name of Sheba mentioned in the Scriptures.

(1) A grandson of Cush; Genesis 10:7.

(2) A son of Joktan; Genesis 10:28.

(3) A son of Jokshan, the son of Abraham by Keturah.

“Calmet.” The Sheba here referred to was probably in the southern part of Arabia, and from the narrative it is evident that the Sabeans here mentioned were a predatory tribe. It is not improbable that these tribes were in the habit of wandering for purposes of plunder over the whole country, from the banks of the Euphrates to the outskirts of Egypt. The Bedawin Arabs of the present day resemble in a remarkable manner the ancient inhabitants of Arabia, and for many centuries the manners of the inhabitants of Arabia have not changed, for the habits of the Orientals continue the same from age to age. The Syriac renders this simply, “a multitude rushed” upon them;” omitting the word “Sabean.”

Fell upon them - With violence; or rushed unexpectedly upon them. This is the way in which the Arab tribes now attack the caravan, the traveler, or the village, for plunder.

And took them away - As plunder. It is common now to make such sudden incursions, and to carry off a large booty.

They have slain the servants - Hebrew נערים na‛arı̂ym, “the young men.” The word נער na‛ar, properly means a “boy,” and is applied to an infant just born, Exodus 2:6; Judges 13:5, Judges 13:7; or to a youth, Genesis 34:19; Genesis 41:12. It came then to denote a servant or slave, like the Greek παῖς pais; Genesis 24:2; 2 Kings 5:20; compare Acts 5:6. So the word “boy” is often used in the Southern States of North America to denote a slave. Here it evidently means the servants that were employed in cultivating the lands of Job, and keeping his cattle. There is no intimation that they were slaves. Jerome renders it “pueros, boys;” so the Septuagint τοῦς παὶδας tous paidas.

And I only am escaped alone - By myself, בד bad. There is no other one with me. It is remarkable that the same account is given by each one of the servants who escaped, Job 1:16-17, Job 1:19. The Chaldee has given a very singular version of this - apparently from the desire of accounting for everything, and of mentioning the “names” of all the persons intended. “The oxen were plowing, and Lelath, queen of Zamargad, suddenly rushed upon them, and carried them away.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 1:15. 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, Genesis 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.