Job 1:16 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!"

◄ Job 1:16 ►

New International Version
While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has 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.”

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.”

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!”

King James Bible
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.

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 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.”

NASB 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.”

NASB 1977
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.”

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.”

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.”

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! ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He was still speaking when another messenger came and reported: “A lightning storm struck from heaven. It burned up the sheep and the servants and devoured them, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

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.

Contemporary English Version
That servant was still speaking, when a second one came running and said, "God sent down a fire that killed your sheep and your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you."

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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
While he was still speaking, another [messenger] came and said, "A fire from God fell from heaven and completely burned your flocks and servants. I'm the only one who has escaped to tell 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."

International Standard Version
While this messenger was still speaking, another came and announced, "A lightning storm struck and incinerated the flock and the servants while they were eating. I alone escaped to tell you!"

Majority 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!”

NET Bible
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!"

New Heart 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 young men, and consumed them, and I alone have escaped 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.

World English Bible
While he was still speaking, another also came 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.”

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
While this [one] is speaking another has also come and says, “Fire of God has fallen from the heavens, and burns among the flock, and among the young men, and consumes them, and I have escaped—only I alone—to declare [it] to 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.'

Smith's Literal Translation
This one yet speaking, and this came, and he will say, The fire of God fell from the heavens, and it will burn upon the sheep and upon the young men, and it will devour them; and I shall escape, only I alone, to announce to thee.

Catholic Translations

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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And while he was still speaking, another arrived, and he said, “The fire of God fell from heaven, and, having struck the sheep and the servants, it consumed them; and I alone escaped to tell you.”

New American Bible
He was still speaking when another came and said, “God’s fire has fallen from heaven and struck the sheep and the servants and consumed them; I alone have escaped to tell you.”

New Revised Standard Version
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.”

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
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.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And while he was speaking, another came and said to him: “The fire of God has fallen from Heaven and set fire to the sheep and the shepherds, and it burned them up, and I alone escaped that I would tell you!”

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 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.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
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.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Job Loses His Children and Possessions
…15the Sabeans swooped down and took them away. They put the servants to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!” 16While 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!” 17While 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!”…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

1 Kings 18:38
Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water in the trench.

2 Kings 1:10-12
Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his fifty men. / So the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men. And the captain said to Elijah, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down at once!’” / Again Elijah replied, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his fifty men.

Revelation 13:13
And the second beast performed great signs, even causing fire from heaven to come down to earth in the presence of the people.

Luke 9:54
When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do You want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”

Genesis 19:24
Then the LORD rained down sulfur and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the LORD out of the heavens.

Exodus 9:23-24
So Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning struck the earth. So the LORD rained down hail upon the land of Egypt. / The hail fell and the lightning continued flashing through it. The hail was so severe that nothing like it had ever been seen in all the land of Egypt from the time it became a nation.

Leviticus 10:1-2
Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense, and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command. / So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died in the presence of the LORD.

Numbers 11:1-3
Soon the people began to complain about their hardship in the hearing of the LORD, and when He heard them, His anger was kindled, and fire from the LORD blazed among them and consumed the outskirts of the camp. / And the people cried out to Moses, and he prayed to the LORD, and the fire died down. / So that place was called Taberah, because the fire of the LORD had burned among them.

2 Chronicles 7:1-3
When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. / The priests were unable to enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled it. / When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD: “For He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.”

Psalm 11:6
On the wicked He will rain down fiery coals and sulfur; a scorching wind will be their portion.

Isaiah 29:6
you will be visited by the LORD of Hosts with thunder and earthquake and loud noise, with windstorm and tempest and consuming flame of fire.

Ezekiel 38:22
I will execute judgment upon him with plague and bloodshed. I will pour out torrents of rain, hailstones, fire, and sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him.

Matthew 3:11-12
I baptize you with water for repentance, but after me will come One more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. / His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Mark 9:49
For everyone will be salted with fire.

Hebrews 12:29
“For our God is a consuming fire.”

Treasury of Scripture

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

there came.

Genesis 19:24
Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;

Leviticus 9:24
And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

1 Kings 18:38
Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

The fire of God.

Exodus 9:28
Intreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.

1 Samuel 14:15
And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.

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Job 1

1. The holiness, riches, and reverent care of Job for his children.
6. Satan, appearing before God, obtains leave to afflict Job.
13. Understanding of the loss of his children and goods, in his mourning Job blesses God.

Berean Study Bible

While he was still speaking
This phrase emphasizes the rapid succession of calamities that befall Job. The Hebrew word for "while" (עוֹד, 'od) suggests continuity and immediacy, indicating that Job's trials are relentless and overwhelming. This reflects the theme of suffering that is beyond human control, a key element in the Book of Job. The urgency and overlap of the messengers' reports underscore the intensity of Job's testing.

another messenger came and reported
The arrival of "another messenger" signifies the continuation of bad news. The Hebrew term for "messenger" (מַלְאָךְ, mal'akh) can also mean "angel," though in this context, it refers to a human bearer of news. This highlights the role of messengers in ancient times as vital conveyors of information, often bringing news that could change the course of events dramatically.

The fire of God has fallen from heaven
This phrase is rich with theological implications. The "fire of God" (אֵשׁ אֱלֹהִים, 'esh Elohim) is often interpreted as lightning, a natural phenomenon attributed to divine action. In the ancient Near Eastern context, lightning was seen as a direct act of God, demonstrating His power and judgment. This aligns with the belief in God's sovereignty over nature and His ability to use it for His purposes.

and burned up the sheep and the servants
The destruction of the "sheep and the servants" represents a significant loss of wealth and livelihood for Job. Sheep were a primary source of wealth in the ancient world, providing wool, meat, and milk. The loss of servants further compounds the tragedy, as they were essential for managing and maintaining the household and livestock. This highlights the totality of Job's loss, affecting both his economic status and his community.

and consumed them
The word "consumed" (וַתֹּאכְלֵם, vato'klem) in Hebrew conveys complete destruction. This term is often used in the context of fire, emphasizing the thoroughness of the devastation. The imagery of consumption by fire is a powerful symbol of irreversible loss, leaving nothing behind. It serves as a metaphor for the consuming nature of suffering and the feeling of being overwhelmed by circumstances beyond one's control.

and I alone have escaped to tell you
The phrase "I alone have escaped" underscores the isolation and survival of the messenger. The Hebrew word for "escaped" (נִמְלַטְתִּי, nimlatti) suggests a narrow escape from danger, highlighting the precariousness of life. The messenger's survival serves a dual purpose: to inform Job of the calamity and to emphasize the completeness of the disaster, as only one survives to bear witness. This sets the stage for Job's profound grief and the exploration of themes of suffering and divine justice.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16) The fire of God.--Whether or not we understand this phrase as in the margin, it can hardly mean anything else than lightning. (Comp. Genesis 19:24, and 2Kings 1:10-14.) It is characteristic of the Old Testament poetry to see in the convulsions of nature the immediate action of the Most High; but perhaps it is intended throughout Job that we should see more than this, as the book undoubtedly assumes to be the record of a Divine revelation.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 16. - While he was yet speaking; literally, he yet speaking; ἔτι τούτον λαλοῦντος, LXX. The writer hurries his words to express the rapidity with which one announcement followed another (see vers. 17, 18). There came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven. "The fire of God" is undoubtedly lightning (comp. Numbers 11:1-3; 2 Kings 1:10, 14; Psalm 78:21). This Satan, under permission, might wield, as being "the prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2): but there is, no doubt, something very extraordinary in a storm extending over the pastures occupied by nine thousand sheep, and destroying the whole of them (Cook) Still, it cannot be said that such a storm is impossible; and perhaps the damage done was not greater than that which followed on the seventh Egyptian plague (see Exodus 9:18-26). And hath burned up the sheep, and the servants; literally, the young men; i.e. the shepherds who were in attendance upon the sheep. And consumed them; literally, devoured them. Fire is often said to "devour" what it destroys. "The Egyptians," says Herodotus, "believe fire to be a live animal, which eats whatever it can seize, and then, glutted with the food, dies with the matter which it feeds upon" (Herod., 3:16). And I only am escaped alone to tell thee (see the comment on ver. 15).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

While he
זֶ֣ה (zeh)
Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

was still
ע֣וֹד ׀ (‘ō·wḏ)
Adverb
Strong's 5750: Iteration, continuance, again, repeatedly, still, more

speaking,
מְדַבֵּ֗ר (mə·ḏab·bêr)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

another
וְזֶה֮ (wə·zeh)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

messenger came
בָּ֣א (bā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

and reported:
וַיֹּאמַר֒ (way·yō·mar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“The fire
אֵ֣שׁ (’êš)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 784: A fire

of God
אֱלֹהִ֗ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

fell
נָֽפְלָה֙ (nā·p̄ə·lāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5307: To fall, lie

from
מִן־ (min-)
Preposition
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

heaven.
הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם (haš·šā·ma·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky

It burned
וַתִּבְעַ֥ר (wat·tiḇ·‘ar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1197: To kindle, consume, to be, brutish

and consumed
וַתֹּאכְלֵ֑ם (wat·tō·ḵə·lêm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 398: To eat

the sheep
בַּצֹּ֛אן (baṣ·ṣōn)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 6629: Small cattle, sheep and goats, flock

and the servants,
וּבַנְּעָרִ֖ים (ū·ḇan·nə·‘ā·rîm)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5288: A boy, lad, youth, retainer

and I
אֲנִ֛י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

alone
לְבַדִּ֖י (lə·ḇad·dî)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 905: Separation, a part of the body, branch of a, tree, bar for, carrying, chief of

have escaped
וָאִמָּ֨לְטָ֧ה (wā·’im·mā·lə·ṭāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4422: To be smooth, to escape, to release, rescue, to bring forth young, emit sparks

to tell
לְהַגִּ֥יד (lə·hag·gîḏ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5046: To be conspicuous

you!”
לָֽךְ׃ (lāḵ)
Preposition | second person feminine singular
Strong's 0: 0

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OT Poetry: Job 1:16 While he was still speaking there also (Jb)