Job 1:16

Contemporary English Version

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."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He was still speaking when another messenger came and reported: “God’s fire fell from heaven. It burned the sheep and the servants and devoured them, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

Hebrew Names Version
While he was still speaking, there also came another, and said, "The fire of God has fallen from the sky, and has burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

King James Version
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.

English Standard Version
While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

New Century Version
The messenger was still speaking when another messenger arrived and said, "Lightning from God fell from the sky. It burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who escaped to tell you!"

New English Translation
While this one was still speaking, another messenger arrived and said, "The fire of God has fallen from heaven and has burned up the sheep and the servants—it has consumed them! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!"

Amplified Bible
While he was still speaking, another [messenger] also came and said, "The fire of God (lightning) has fallen from the heavens and has burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

New American Standard Bible
While he was still speaking, another came and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

World English Bible
While he was still speaking, there also came another, and said, "The fire of God has fallen from the sky, and has burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

Geneva Bible (1587)
And whiles he was yet speaking, another came, and sayde, The fire of God is fallen from the heauen, & hath burnt vp the sheepe and the seruants, and deuoured them: but I onely am escaped alone to tell thee.

Legacy Standard Bible
While this one was still speaking, another also came and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the young men and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

Berean Standard Bible
While he was still speaking, another messenger came and reported: "The fire of God fell from heaven. It burned and consumed the sheep and the servants, and I alone have escaped to tell you!"

Complete Jewish Bible
While he was still speaking, another one came and said, "Fire from God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants; it completely destroyed them, and I'm the only one who escaped to tell you."

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

Easy-to-Read Version
That messenger was still speaking when another one came in and said, "A bolt of lightning struck your sheep and servants and burned them up. I am the only one who escaped to come and tell you the news!"

George Lamsa Translation
While he was yet speaking, there came another, and said to him, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and has burned up the sheep and the shepherds, and consumed them; and I only have escaped to inform you.

Good News Translation
Before he had finished speaking, another servant came and said, "Lightning struck the sheep and the shepherds and killed them all. I am the only one who escaped to tell you."

Lexham English Bible
While this one was still speaking, another came and said, "The fire of God fell from the heavens, and it blazed up against the sheep and goats and against the servants, and it consumed them. But I escaped, even I alone, to tell you."

Literal Translation
While this one was still speaking, this other also came and said, The fire of God has fallen from the heavens and has burned up the sheep and the young men. And it has consumed them; and I, I alone have escaped to tell you.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And whyle he was yet speakynge, there came another, and sayde: The fyre of God is fallen from heauen, it hath consumed & bret vp all the shepe and seruauntes: and I only ranne my waye, to tell the.

American Standard Version
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.

Bible in Basic English
And this one was still talking when another came, and said, The fire of God came down from heaven, burning up the sheep and the goats and the young men completely, and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
While he was yet speaking, there came another, and sayde: The fire of God is fallen from heauen, and hath brent vp thy sheepe and seruauntes, and consumed them: and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said: 'A 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.'

King James Version (1611)
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heauen, and hath burnt vp the sheepe, and the seruants, and consumed them, and I onely am escaped alone, to tell thee.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
While he was yet speaking, there came another messenger, and said to Job, Fire has fallen from heaven, and burnt up the sheep, and devoured the shepherds like wise; and I having escaped alone am come to tell thee.

English Revised Version
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.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne he spak yit, anothir cam, and seide, Fier of God cam doun fro heuene, and wastide scheep, and `children touchid; and Y aloone ascapide for to telle `to thee.

Update Bible Version
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God has fallen from heaven, and has burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I only have escaped alone to tell you.

Webster's Bible Translation
While he [was] yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God hath fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I only have escaped alone to tell thee.

New King James Version
While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"

New Living Translation
While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: "The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the shepherds. I am the only one who escaped to tell you."

New Life Bible
While he was still speaking, another man came and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and destroyed them. I alone have gotten away to tell you."

New Revised Standard
While he was still speaking, another came and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; I alone have escaped to tell you."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Yet was this one speaking, when, another, came in and said, - A fire of God, fell out of the heavens, and burned up the sheep and the young men, and consumed them; and escaped am, only I alone, to tell thee.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And while he was yet speaking, another came, and said: The fire of God fell from heaven, and striking the sheep and the servants, hath consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell thee.

Revised Standard Version
While he was yet speaking, there came another, and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you."

Young's Literal Translation
While this [one] is speaking another also hath come and saith, `Fire of God hath fallen from the heavens, and burneth among the flock, and among the young men, and consumeth them, and I am escaped -- only I alone -- to declare [it] to thee.'

THE MESSAGE
While he was still talking, another messenger arrived and said, "Bolts of lightning struck the sheep and the shepherds and fried them—burned them to a crisp. I'm the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, 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

there came: Genesis 19:24, Leviticus 9:24, 1 Kings 18:38, 2 Kings 1:10, 2 Kings 1:12, 2 Kings 1:14, Amos 7:4, Revelation 13:13

The fire of God: or, A great fire, Exodus 9:28, 1 Samuel 14:15, *marg.

Reciprocal: Genesis 34:28 - General Numbers 11:1 - and the fire 1 Kings 1:22 - General Job 1:15 - and I only Job 19:16 - my servant Job 22:20 - the fire Ephesians 2:2 - of the air

Cross-References

Genesis 1:7
And that's what happened. God made the dome

Genesis 1:8
and named it "Sky." Evening came and then morning—that was the second day.

Genesis 1:9

The Third Day

God said, "I command the water under the sky to come together in one place, so there will be dry ground." And that's what happened.

Genesis 1:12
The earth produced all kinds of vegetation. God looked at what he had done, and it was good.

Genesis 1:14

The Fourth Day

God said, "I command lights to appear in the sky and to separate day from night and to show the time for seasons, special days, and years.

Deuteronomy 4:19
And when you see the sun or moon or stars, don't be tempted to bow down and worship them. The Lord put them there for all the other nations to worship.

Job 31:26
I have never openly or secretly

Job 38:7
while morning stars sang, and angels rejoiced?

Psalms 8:3
I often think of the heavens your hands have made, and of the moon and stars you put in place.

Psalms 19:6
It travels all the way across the sky. Nothing hides from its heat.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

While he was yet speaking, there came also another,.... Another messenger, one of Job's servants, from another part of his fields where his sheep were grazing, and was one of those that kept them; he came with another piece of bad news, even before the other had finished his whole account; and the same is observed of all the other messengers that follow: so Satan ordered it, that all Job's afflictions should come upon him at once, and the news of them be brought him as thick and as fast as they could, to surprise him the more into some rash expressions against God; that he might have no intermission, no breathing time; no time for prayer to God to support him under the affliction, and sanctify it unto him; no time for meditation upon, or recollection of, past experiences of divine goodness, or of promises that might have been useful to him; but they came one upon the back of another, to hurry him into some indecent carriage and behaviour towards God, being considered by him as his judgments upon him:

and said, the fire of God is fallen from heaven; which the servant thought, or Satan put it into his mind to say, that it came immediately from God, like that which destroyed Nadab and Abihu and the murmurers in the camp of Israel, Leviticus 10:2 or, as it is commonly thought, is so called, because a most vehement one, as a vehement flame is called the flame of the Lord, Song of Solomon 8:6 this being such a fire as was never known, since the fire that came down from heaven and destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities of the plain. I am inclined to think it was a prodigious flash or flashes of lightning; for as thunder is the voice of God, so lightning, which accompanies it, may be called the fire of God; and this agrees with the phraseology of the passage; it comes from heaven, or the air, and falls upon the earth, and strikes creatures and things in it; and which, as it is the effect of natural causes, Satan might be permitted to join them together and effect it; and this was done, and the news of it expressed in such language as to make Job believe that God was against him, and become his enemy, and that the artillery of heaven was employed to his harm, and to the ruin of his substance:

and hath burnt up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; as the fire or lightning which came down from heaven and consumed the captains, and their fifties, in Elijah's time, 2 Kings 1:10 and such like effects of lightning are often to be observed, both with respect to men and cattle; these were the 7000 sheep Job was possessed of, Job 1:3 and which were all destroyed at once, with the servants that kept them, excepting one; creatures very productive and very useful both for food and clothing, and also used for sacrifice; and it is thought that Satan's end in the destruction of these was, that Job might conclude from hence that his sacrifices were not acceptable to God, and therefore it was in vain to serve him; which he hoped by this means to bring him to express in a passionate manner to God:

and I only am escaped alone to tell thee; Job 1:3- :.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

While he was yet speaking - All this indicates the rapidity of the movement of Satan, and his desire to “overwhelm” Job with the suddenness and greatness of his calamities. The. object seems to have been to give him no time to recover from the shock of one form of trial before another came upon him. If an interval had been given him he might have rallied his strength to bear his trials; but afflictions are much more difficult to be borne when they come in rapid succession. - It is not a very uncommon occurrence, however, that the righteous are tried by the rapidity and accumulation as well as the severity of their afflictions. It has passed into a proverb that “afflictions do not come alone.”

The fire of God. - Margin, “A great fire;” evidently meaning a flash of lightning, or a thunderbolt. The Hebrew is “fire of God;” but it is probable that the phrase is used in a sense similar to the expression, “cedars of God,” meaning lofty cedars; I or “mountains of God,” meaning very high mountains. The lightning is I probably intended; compare Numbers 16:35; see the note at Isaiah 29:6.

From heaven - From the sky, or the air. So the word heaven is often used in the Scriptures; see the notes at Matthew 16:1.

And hath burnt up the sheep - That lightning might destroy herds and men no one can doubt; though the fact of their being actually consumed or burned up may have been an exaggeration of the much affrighted messenger. - The narrative leads us to believe that these things were under the control of Satan, though by the permission of God; and his power over the lightnings and the winds Job 1:19 may serve to illustrate the declaration, that he is the “Prince of the power of the air,” in Ephesians 2:2.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 1:16. The fire of God is fallen — Though the fire of God may mean a great, a tremendous fire, yet it is most natural to suppose lightning is meant; for as thunder was considered to be the voice of God, so lightning was the fire of God. And as the prince of the power of the air was permitted now to arm himself with this dreadful artillery of heaven, he might easily direct the zigzag lightning to every part of the fields where the sheep were feeding, and so destroy the whole in a moment.