Job 1:2 Commentary and Bible Study

Job’s ten children had a prominent place in his heart, and will have a prominent place in his initial trials described later in this chapter, so we are introduced to them early on to prepare for this. They are mentioned before his possessions are listed, indicating how precious they were to him, and we can be sure that, as a loving father, he brought them up to fear the Lord and he was upright as a father to his children as in all other respects. Job was the most wealthy Arab prince, emir or sheikh one could conceive, possessing considerable land, flocks and cattle. His ‘company’ evidently managed large tracts of land rented from others (Job 31.39), and he also owned what was surely the foremost transportation or haulage enterprise of the region, with 3,000 camels – representing an astounding tonnage capacity for those days.We see him as an exceedingly wealthy landowner, farmer, merchant and carrier, and now that literally hundreds of ancient cities have been found and excavated in those parts, we can fully appreciate the busy commercial life which existed. Job was also a magistrate and a considerable benefactor (Job 29.7-25).