Bible Strands

Job 1:4

Job’s sons would take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The narrator describes the habitual practice of Job’s adult sons in the opening chapter of the book. They cycle through their respective homes to host gatherings for themselves and their sisters.

The words — מִשְׁתֶּה (mish.teh) literally means “feast,” and שָׁלַח (sha.lach) literally means “sent.” The text records the sons making a feast in each man’s house on his day and sending out to invite their sisters.

The thread — This pattern of familial gathering and hospitality echoes the New Testament exhortation to brotherly love in Hebrews 13:1 and the psalmist’s observation of brothers dwelling together in harmony in Psalms 133:1.

Why it lands — The verse establishes a baseline of normalcy and familial care before the narrative shifts. It requires the reader to recognize the completeness of Job’s household life as the foundation for the trials that follow.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְהָלְכ֤וּve./ha.le.Khuand/ they wentבָנָיו֙va.Na/vsons/ hisוְעָשׂ֣וּve./'a.Suand/ they madeמִשְׁתֶּ֔הmish.Teha feastבֵּ֖יתbeit[the] house ofאִ֣ישׁ'isheach oneיוֹמ֑וֹyo.M/oday/ hisוְשָׁלְח֗וּve./sha.le.Chuand/ they sentוְקָרְאוּ֙ve./ka.re.'Uand/ they invitedלִשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁתli/sh.Lo.shet<to>/ [the] threeאַחְיֽוֹתֵיהֶ֔ם'ach.yo.tei./hemsisters/ theirלֶאֱכֹ֥לle./'e.Kholto/ eatוְלִשְׁתּ֖וֹתve./li/sh.Totand/ to/ drinkעִמָּהֶֽם׃'i.ma./Hemwith/ them

King James Version

And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

Cross-references