Job 42:13 — Word Study
WLCוַֽיְהִי־ ל֛וֹ שִׁבְעָ֥נָה בָנִ֖ים וְשָׁל֥וֹשׁ בָּנֽוֹת׃
BSAAnd he also hadhâyâh▸ [in addition to his previous family] sevenshibʻânâh△ sonsbên [male descendants, heirs] and threeshâlôwsh daughtersbath [female children, or women of his household]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַֽיְהִי־ | and it belonged | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| ל֛וֹ | to him | Preposition, suffix |
| שִׁבְעָ֥נָה | seven | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| בָנִ֖ים | sons | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| וְשָׁל֥וֹשׁ | and three | Conjunction |
| בָּנֽוֹת׃ | daughters | Noun common, feminine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | And he also had seven sons and three daughters. |
| KJV | He had also seven sons and three daughters. |
| ASV | He had also seven sons and three daughters. |
| YLT | And he hath seven sons and three daughters; |
| WEB | He had also seven sons and three daughters. |
| BBE | And he had seven sons and three daughters. |
There are no significant differences among the translations on this verse.
The structure is straightforward with a single main clause presenting Job's restored family.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, AdamClarke & more — read them ›
clause
verbהָיָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 6 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Job 42:13
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Restoration of Jobgenerated
Job 42:13 recounts the restoration of Job's fortunes after his trials. Following his immense suffering, God blessed him with a new family, symbolizing renewal and divine favor. This restoration is a key theme in the book, highlighting God's mercy and the idea of second chances, as seen in the previous verses where Job's material wealth is also restored.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 1:2 | He had seven sons and three daughters, |
| 2 | Psalm 107:41 | But He lifts the needy from affliction and increases their families like flocks. |
| 3 | Psalm 127:3 | Children are indeed a heritage from the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is His reward. |
| 4 | Isaiah 49:20 | Yet the children of your bereavement will say in your hearing, ‘This place is too small for us; make room for us to live here.’ |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — בָּנִ֖ים, va.Nimgenerated
The word בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and is used to denote male descendants, emphasizing family lineage and inheritance. It appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, often highlighting the importance of sons in biblical society.
In this verse, it signifies the restoration of Job's family line, with seven sons indicating a complete and blessed family, as the number seven often symbolizes perfection or completion in Hebrew culture.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb in this verse is וַֽיְהִי־, vayhi (and it was), which introduces the statement about Job's family. The structure is straightforward, presenting the subjects of the sentence — seven sons and three daughters — in a simple declarative form.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on Job's sons and daughters, highlighting the restoration of his family as a significant aspect of his renewed blessings.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates the verb וַֽיְהִי־ as γεννῶνται (they are born), which emphasizes the act of bringing forth children. This choice reflects a focus on the generative aspect of Job's restoration, rather than merely stating that he had children.
This interpretation suggests a deeper understanding of the significance of family in the context of Job's blessings, aligning with the themes of renewal and divine provision.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 42:13 tells us that after his trials, Job was blessed with a new family of seven sons and three daughters. This restoration signifies God's mercy and the renewal of Job's life, highlighting the importance of family in his blessings.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
In biblical culture, having many sons and daughters signifies blessing and prosperity, as well as the continuation of one's lineage.
Job's family is mentioned to highlight the restoration of his life after suffering, showing that God not only restored his wealth but also his familial relationships.
Job's restoration teaches us about resilience and faithfulness, as well as the hope of renewal after hardship.
This verse encapsulates the theme of divine restoration and blessing, emphasizing that despite suffering, God can bring new life and hope.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced restoration in my own life after difficult times?
- How can I support others who are going through trials, as Job's friends initially failed to do?
- What does having a family mean to me, and how can I appreciate those relationships more?
- How can I reflect on the blessings in my life, even in the midst of challenges?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators reference Job's family restoration to highlight God's blessings. Quotations from John Chrysostom and Gregory the Dialogist are included here.
“He also had,” the text says, “seven sons and three daughters.” Later he gives them names that seem to be inspired by the circumstances. He calls them “Day, Cinnamon and Amalthea’s horn.”Early Church Fathers on Job 42 →
And he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses; and he had seven sons, and three daughters. 36.Early Church Fathers on Job 42 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 42:13 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHe had also seven sons, and three daughters. The same number of children, and of the same sort he had before, Job 1:2; and according to Nachman the very same he had before, which the additional
Read John Gill on Job 42 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHe had also seven sons and three daughters. The same number as before: perhaps by a second wife: in Job 19:17 his wife last mentioned.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 42 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 42:13 He had also seven sons and three daughters.Ver. 13. He had also seven sons and three daughters] Whose perfections sweetened the sorrow which the loss of the other had caused him. -Sic uno avulso non deficit alter Aureus (Virg.). Ten children he had in heaven, and ten on earth. The Lord well knew that wealth would be nothing so comfortable to Job unless he had children to leave it to, Genesis 15:2. His wife therefore, returning to her duty from which she had swerved, became fruitful at an age well advanced; for we read not of any other that he had.
Read John Trapp on Job 42 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 13. Seven sons and three daughters.] This was the same number as before; and so the Vulgate, Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic read: but the Chaldee doubles the sons, "And he had fourteen sons, and three daughters."
Read AdamClarke on Job 42 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges10–16. Job is restored to a prosperity double that which he formerly enjoyed; his former friends gather around him; he is again blessed with children; and dies, old and full of days.
Read Cambridge on Job 42 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHe had also seven sons and three daughters - The same number which he had before his trials. Nothing is said of his wife, or whether these children were, or were not, by a second marriage.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 42 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible13. He had also seven sons and three daughters — The number of his children was not doubled; for the dead were with God. The omission is significant, and can only be accounted for by the belief in a reunion after death. (See p.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 42 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
And he also had seven sons and three daughters.
He had also seven sons and three daughters.
And he also had seven sons and three daughters.
And he also had seven sons and three daughters.
Tyndale line
He had also seven sons and three daughters.
He had also seven sons and three daughters.
He had also seven sons and three daughters.
He had also seven sons, and three daughters.
He had also seue sonnes, and three daughters.
Strictly literal
And he had seven sons and three daughters.
And he hath seven sons and three daughters;
And he has seven sons and three daughters;
He had also seven sons and three daughters.
He also had seven sons and three daughters.
From the Latin
And he had seven sons, and three daughters.
Simplified
Job also had seven sons and three daughters.
And he had seven sons and three daughters.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the essential elements of this verse, with five of the six words matched. The Septuagint's word order and articles differ, but the core message regarding Job's sons and daughters remains consistent.
וַֽיְהִי־ ל֛וֹ שִׁבְעָ֥נָה בָנִ֖ים וְשָׁל֥וֹשׁ בָּנֽוֹת׃
5 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Job 42:13
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be
Qal
Fall out, happen
occur, take place, come about, come to pass
esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass
וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
Come into being, become
abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
sq. prep.
become
sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
sq. pred. adj.
become like
sq. pred. לְ pers.
sq. לְ pred.
oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.
with עַל and לְ
sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)
exist, be in existence
abide, remain, continue
with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie
as copula, joining subj. & pred.
H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen
. occur, take place, come about, come to pass
. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
. sq. prep.
. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
. sq. pred. adj.
. become like
. sq. pred. + לְ pers.
. sq. לְ pred.
. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.
. with עַל and לְ
. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence
. abide, remain, continue
1961 hayah haw-yaw
a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,
come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or
auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,
committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,
fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit
(one-)self, require, X use.
see HEBREW for 01933
הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.
1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) ---
1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass
1a1b) to come about, come to pass
1a2) to come into being, become
1a2a) to arise, appear, come
1a2b) to become
1a2b1) to become
1a2b2) to become like
1a2b3) to be instituted, be established
1a3) to be
1a3a) to exist, be in existence
1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)
1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)
1a3d) to accompany, be with
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about
1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqw3ms
וֹ (o) — him.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine singular
HR/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp3ms
שִׁבְעָ֫נָה Jb 42:13 read שִׁבְעָה
ref
H7658 שִׁבְעָ֫נָה
7658 shib`anah shib-aw-naw'
prol. for the masculine of 7651; seven:--seven.
see HEBREW for 07651
שִׁבְעָ֫נָה (shiv.a.nah) — seven.
seven
Adj — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
sev'-'-n (shebha`; hepta).
See NUMBER.
Seven
This number occurs frequently in Scripture, and in such connections as lead to the supposition that it has some typical meaning. On the seventh day God rested, and hallowed it (Gen. 2:2, 3). The division of time into weeks of seven days each accounts for many instances of the occurrence of this number. This number has been called the symbol of perfection, and also the symbol of rest. “Jacob’s seven years’ service to Laban; Pharaoh’s seven fat oxen and seven lean ones; the seven branches of the golden candlestick; the seven trumpets and the seven priests who sounded them; the seven days’ siege of Jericho; the seven churches, seven spirits, seven stars, seven seals, seven vials, and many others, sufficiently prove the importance of this sacred number” (see Lev. 25:4;
The frequent recurrence of certain numbers in the sacred literature of the Hebrews is obvious to the most superficial reader, but seven so far surpasses the rest, both in the frequency with which it recurs and in the importance of the objects with which it is associated, that it may fairly be termed the representative symbolic number. The influence of the number seven was not restricted to the Hebrews; it prevailed among the Persians, ancient Indians, Greeks and Romans. The peculiarity of the Hebrew view consists in the special dignity of the seventh, and not simply in that of seen. The Sabbath being the seventh day suggested the adoption of seven as the coefficient, so to say, for their appointment of all sacred periods; and we thus find the 7th month ushered in by the Feast of Trumpets, and signalized by the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles and the Great Day of Atonement; 7…
As from the beginning this was the number of days in the week, so it often has in Scripture a sort of emphasis attached to it, and is very generally used as a round or perfect number. Clean beasts were taken into the ark by sevens, Ge 7:1-24. The years of plenty and famine in Egypt were marked by sevens, Ge 41:1-57. With the Jews, not only was there a seventh day Sabbath, but every seventh year was a Sabbath, and after every seven times seven years came a jubilee. Their great feasts of unleavened bread and of tabernacles were observed for seven days; the number of animals in many of their sacrifices was limited to seven. The golden candlestick had seven branches. Seven priests with seven trumpets went around the walls of Jericho seven days, and seven times on the seventh day. In…
בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.
בֵּן 4870 n.m. son
son, male child, born of a woman
children (male and female)
youth, young men
the young of animals
of plant shoots
fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
member of a guild, order or class
of animals son of (the) herd
ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
n. relat. of age
base
בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.
done
H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman
. children (male and female)
. youth, young men
. the young of animals
. of plant shoots
. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
. . member of a guild, order or class
. of animals son of (the) herd
. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
. n. relat. of age
H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son
1121 ben bane
from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the
widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,
including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,
etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)
(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,
(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,
bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X
came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of
first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +
kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)
people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +
spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous
one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
see HEBREW for 01129
see HEBREW for 01
see HEBREW for 0251
בֵּן (ben) — son: child.
: child/son
בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;
son of: Jaaziah (H3269);
brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)
§ Beno = "his son"
the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)
בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.
: descendant, people, tribe, nation
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : child/son
בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.
: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : descendant
בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.
: rebel/son(Belial)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : people/men/nation/tribe
בֵּן (ben) — son.
: [inheriting]son/heir
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.
: warrior/son(strong)
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
The Hebrew word שָׁלֹשׁ (*shalosh*) means 'three' or 'triad.' It can also refer to the ordinal 'third' and is used in various contexts, including multiplication as 'thrice.' The entries consistently define it as a primitive number without significant disagreement.
שָׁלֹשׁ, שָׁלוֹשׁ, שְׁלֹשָׁה 430 n.m. et f. a three, triad
base
H7969 שָׁלֹשׁ, שָׁלוֹשׁ, שְׁלֹשָׁה a three, triad
7969 shalowsh shaw-loshe'
or shalosh {shaw-loshe'}; masculine shlowshah {shel-o-shaw'};
or shloshah {shel-o-shaw'}; a primitive number; three;
occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multipl.) thrice:--+ fork,
+ often(-times), third, thir(-teen, -teenth), three, + thrice.
Compare 7991.
see HEBREW for 07991
שָׁלֹשׁ (sha.losh) — three.
1) three, triad
1a) 3, 300, third
Aramaic equivalent: te.lat (תְּלָת "three" H8532)
Conj | Adj — ConjunctionHC/Acbsa
(shalosh; treis).
See NUMBER.
The phrase "three days and three nights," Mt 12:40, was equivalent in Hebrew to the English "three days;" the Jews employing the expression "a day and a night" to denote our "day" of twentyfour hours. Nor did "three days," 1Sa 30:13, literally "this third day," according to their usage, necessarily include the whole of three days, but a part of three days, a continuous period including one whole day of twenty-four hours, and a portion of the day preceding it and the day following it. Compare Ge 7:12,17 1Sa 30:12-13.
בַּת (bat) means 'daughter' and encompasses a range of meanings including female child, young women, and even personifications of cities or inhabitants. It can also refer to villages in certain contexts. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and is used in various figurative senses, such as 'branch' or 'apple of the eye.'
בַּת 587 n.f. daughter
daughter, female child
young women, women
with name of city, land, or people, poet. personif. of that city or inhabitants
pl. = villages, after name of city
in phrases denoting character, quality, etc.
ostrich
fig.
of vine = branch
as n. relat.
base
H1323 בַּת daughter . daughter, female child
. young women, women
. with name of city, land, or people, poet. personif. of that city or inhabitants
. pl. = villages, after name of city
. in phrases denoting character, quality, etc.
. ostrich
. fig.
. of vine = branch
. as n. relat.
1323 bath bath
from 1129 (as feminine of 1121); a daughter (used in the same
wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and
figuratively):--apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter,
X first, X old, + owl, town, village.
see HEBREW for 01129
see HEBREW for 01121
בַּת (bat) — daughter.
: daughter
1) daughter
1a) daughter, girl, adopted daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, granddaughters, female child, cousin
1a1) as polite address
1a2) as designation of women of a particular place
2) young women, women
1a3) as personification
1a4) daughter-villages
1a5) description of character
Also means: bat (בַּת ": village" H1323H)
בַּת (bat) — daughter: village.
: village
1) daughter
1a) daughter, girl, adopted daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, granddaughters, female child, cousin
1a1) as polite address
1a2) as designation of women of a particular place
2) young women, women
1a3) as personification
1a4) daughter-villages
1a5) description of character
בַּת (bat) — Bath (Shua).
A woman living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.38.2;
daughter of: Shua (H7770); married to Judah (H3063);
mother of: Er (H6147), Onan (H0209) and Shelah (H7956)
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural absoluteHNcfpa