Job 1:20-21
Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The text highlights that Job didn't react until the news of his children's death arrived; only then did he tear his robes, shave his head, and fall to the ground. This suggests that while he was grieved by the loss of his possessions, the devastation of his family pushed him into a deeper, more visceral expression of sorrow and worship.
After hearing that all his vast wealth and then all ten of his children were destroyed in rapid succession, Job rose from his seat. In a profound act of grief and self-abasement, he tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell to the ground. Instead of cursing God as Satan had predicted, Job worshiped Him, demonstrating a deep submission to divine sovereignty.
Job's world crumbles in an instant. How does he physically respond to the unimaginable news of losing everything, including his children?
Job's actions – tearing his robe, shaving his head, and falling to the ground – are ancient expressions of profound grief and self-abasement.
These were not just passive acts but intense, visceral reactions to overwhelming loss.
After the devastating news, Job's first instinct isn't to curse but to worship. How is this even possible?
The most striking part of Job's reaction is his worship. Despite the utter ruin, he chooses to adore God.
Understand the original words
qāraʿ · Hebrew Verb
An outward manifestation of grief, mourning, or extreme distress. In the ancient Near East, tearing one's garment was a culturally recognized act signaling deep emotional anguish or repentance.
gālaḥ · Hebrew Verb
A ritual act of mourning or humiliation. Shaving the head was a common practice in the ancient world to express profound sorrow, shame, or submission to God in times of crisis.
šāḥâ · Hebrew Verb
The act of prostrating oneself or showing supreme reverence and honor to God. It acknowledges God's worthiness, sovereignty, and rightful claim to glory, regardless of the worshiper's circumstances.
arôm · Hebrew Adjective
When Jacob heard that his son Joseph was likely killed by a wild animal, he tore his clothes and mourned for a long time, showing that outward expressions of grief, like tearing garments, were a common response to profound loss.
2 Samuel 12:20After David's infant son died, he stopped mourning, washed himself, and ate, demonstrating that even in deep sorrow, one can shift towards worship and acceptance of God's will, mirroring Job's ultimate response.
Jeremiah 41:5The prophet describes men coming to mourn at the ruins of Jerusalem, shaving their heads and tearing their clothes, illustrating how these actions were deeply ingrained cultural expressions of grief and devastation.
Matthew 26:65The high priest tore his robes in feigned religious outrage when Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, showing how tearing garments could also be a public, albeit in this case hypocritical, expression of shock and condemnation, similar to how Job's tearing represented his shocked grief.
bensonJob 1:20: "Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,"
Job 1:20 . Then Job arose — From his seat whereon he had been sitting in a disconsolate posture; and rent his mantle — In token of his deep sense of, and just sorrow for, the heavy hand of God upon him, and his humiliation of himself under that hand: see Genesis 37:34 ; and shaved his head — Caused the hair of his head to be shaved or cut off, which was then a usual ceremony in m…
clarkeJob 1:20: "Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,"
Rent his mantle - Tearing the garments, shaving or pulling off the hair of the head, throwing dust or ashes on the head, and fitting on the ground, were acts by which immoderate grief was expressed. Job must have felt the bitterness of anguish when he was told that, in addition to the loss of all his property, he was deprived of his ten children by a violent death. Had he not fel…
The text highlights that Job didn't react until the news of his children's death arrived; only then did he tear his robes, shave his head, and fall to the ground. This suggests that while he was grieved by the loss of his possessions, the devastation of his family pushed him into a deeper, more visceral expression of sorrow and worship.
After hearing that all his vast wealth and then all ten of his children were destroyed in rapid succession, Job rose from his seat. In a profound act of grief and self-abasement, he tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell to the ground. Instead of cursing God as Satan had predicted, Job worshiped Him, demonstrating a deep submission to divine sovereignty.
After hearing that all his vast wealth and then all ten of his children were destroyed in rapid succession, Job rose from his seat. In a profound act of grief and self-abasement, he tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell to the ground. Instead of cursing God as Satan had predicted, Job worshiped Him, demonstrating a deep submission to divine sovereignty.
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A state of being without possessions, resources, or covering, emphasizing human helplessness and complete dependence upon God at the beginning and end of life.
Yahweh · Hebrew Noun
The proper name of the God of Israel, the self-existent One who enters into covenant relationship with His people and is characterized by His faithfulness and holiness.
nâthan · Hebrew Verb
To bestow, grant, or provide as a gift; it acknowledges that all things belong to God and that any possession is an act of His grace rather than a human entitlement.
lâqach · Hebrew Verb
To lift up, take, or remove; in this context, it acknowledges God’s sovereign prerogative to remove what He has graciously provided without the person losing their standing before Him.
bârak · Hebrew Verb
To speak well of, praise, or adore; it expresses the recognition of God’s supreme worth, character, and authority, regardless of one’s current circumstances.
shêm · Hebrew Noun
The reputation, character, essence, or authority of a person; when applied to God, it refers to His revealed nature and the entirety of who He is as He has made Himself known.
"Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the L…" — The text highlights that Job didn't react until the news of his children's death arrived; only then did he tear his robes, shave his head, and fall to the ground. This suggests that while he was grie…
