The story of Job challenges us with sorrow, loss, and God’s goodness. Central to Job’s grief is the death of his daughters.
Job lost all his material wealth, which surely tested him. But as a father, he had more love for his family. When we read this book thousands of years later, the family death hits harder than sudden poverty. Modern Western people may not relate to losing herds of cattle or sheep, but we all have parents, children, and others we love dearly.
The book of Job has been passed down to us to encourage us and strengthen our faith, not despite its tragic elements but because of them. What are the lessons we can learn from Job’s daughters?
How Many Daughters Did Job Have?
Scholars generally agree that Job was the first book of the Bible. The man Job lived around the same time as Abraham. It is interesting that the first written biblical account deals with foundational questions and struggles: Why do good things happen to good people? How can God be good when bad things happen?
The book of Job introduces him as a wealthy and upright man who fears God and shuns evil. Job’s family consists of his wife, seven sons, and three daughters, all indicating a blessed household. The Bible describes Job as “the greatest man among all the people of the East” (Job 1:3). His sons and daughters regularly gather for feasts, demonstrating a close-knit family enjoying their father’s wealth. As a devout man, Job offers sacrifices for each of his children, seeking God’s forgiveness for any possible sins they might have committed (Job 1:5).
Satan challenges God regarding Job’s faithfulness, and God allows the devil to test Job’s integrity. In one day, Job loses his herds. Next, servants bring news that all his sons and daughters have died (Job 1:13-19). Satan continues to test Job. Throughout the dialogues with his friends, who attempt to explain his suffering, Job remains steadfast in his faith, though he grapples with questions about God’s justice and the reasons for his suffering. Eventually, God responds to Job and restores Job’s fortunes, giving him twice as much as he had before (Job 42:10). This restoration includes more children (seven sons and three daughters) being born. The daughters are notably mentioned by name: Jemimah, Keziah, and Keren-Happuch. They are described as the most beautiful women in the land, and Job grants them an inheritance along with their brothers, which was unusual for that time (Job 42:13-15).
What Happened to the First Generation of Job’s Daughters?
Job’s first three daughters, along with his seven sons, perished in a sudden disaster orchestrated by the devil as part of the larger plan to test Job’s integrity.
Satan challenged God by asserting that Job’s faithfulness was merely due to prosperity and divine protection. He argued if Job lost his blessings, Job would surely curse God. To test Job’s integrity, God permitted Satan to strip Job of his possessions and family but prohibited him from harming Job physically (Job 1:9-12).
Satan executed his plan. In a single day, Job received devastating news from a series of messengers. First, the Sabeans attacked and stole his oxen and donkeys, killing his servants (Job 1:14-15). Next, fire from the sky consumed his sheep and more servants (Job 1:16). Then, the Chaldeans raided his camels and killed additional servants (Job 1:17).
The final blow came with the news of his children’s demise: “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them, and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you” (Job 1:18-19).
Despite this profound loss, Job’s response showed remarkable faith and submission to God’s will. He tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell to the ground in worship, saying, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (Job 1:20-21). Job grieved what happened (tearing garments was a common way to lament, mentioned many times in the Bible). As Job lamented his suffering, he never sinned by charging God with wrongdoing (Job 1:22).
Scripture says little about the first generation of Job’s daughters beyond their tragic end. Instead, it focuses on Job’s faith journey and God’s ultimate restoration.
Does Job Ever Figure Out Why His Daughters Died?
Job wrestles with God’s justice throughout his suffering. We hope that Job eventually got some answers to why his sons and daughters. If he did, we don’t see Scripture recording it in the segment of Job’s life that it documents.
That could be because the book of Job has a particular point. It doesn’t provide specific explanations for individual tragedies. Instead, the book emphasizes human knowledge’s limitations compared to God’s vast wisdom.
After the first round of Satan’s attacks, when his sons and daughters die, Job’s wife tells him to curse God, believing that God hates them. Job’s wife may get a bad reputation for her commentary, but she had lost her children, not to mention all their resources. Job doesn’t curse God. He remains faithful: “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (Job 1:21). The devil next challenges God, arguing that if Job’s life were threatened, he would curse God. God gives Satan the following limitation: he can do anything but kill Job. Satan then afflicts Job with painful sores (Job 2:7).
As Job’s suffering intensifies, his friends come to comfort him. Their poetic dialogues with Job cover most of the book as they discuss the nature of suffering and divine justice. Job’s friends argue that his suffering must be a punishment for sin, but Job maintains his innocence and righteousness, deeply puzzled by his plight.
Job repeatedly calls out to God, seeking answers and understanding. He questions why the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper, expressing his anguish and confusion. Job even questions God’s goodness. However, it is not until God’s response from the whirlwind that Job receives a form of answer, albeit not the one he might have expected.
God’s response to Job begins in Job 38 and continues through Job 41. Rather than providing specific reasons for Job’s suffering or his daughters’ death, God emphasizes his omnipotence and the human’s limited understanding. God asks Job rhetorical questions that highlight creation’s complexity and grandeur: “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand” (Job 38:4). God’s questions cover the creation of the earth, the sea’s boundaries, the dawn, the weather, and the animal kingdom. All the details demonstrate God’s control over the universe and the intricacies of his creation. Essentially, God responds by saying, “I’m God, and you’re not.”
God’s ways and purposes are beyond human comprehension. Job humbly acknowledges his limited understanding: “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know” (Job 42:3).
In the end, Job accepts that he may not understand the specific reasons for his suffering, including his daughters’ deaths. He submits to God’s greater wisdom and sovereignty, and God restores Job’s fortunes, granting him twice as much as he had before, including seven more sons and three more daughters (Job 42:10, 13).
However, we have the record of God and Satan’s interaction in heaven’s courts. At some point, God revealed this conversation to Job or the writer, perhaps years or decades after the initial event, or else we wouldn’t have it in the book.
What Can We Learn from the Story of Job’s Daughters Today?
The story of Job’s daughters provides us with profound lessons about value, grief, trust in God’s goodness and sovereignty, and the ultimate revelation of his plans.
First, Job’s daughters are evidence of Job’s blessings. In a patriarchal society where sons were often emphasized, mentioning Job’s daughters and their inheritance underscores their value. This reveals how every blessing from God, including children, holds intrinsic value and significance. In a broken world where death comes suddenly, we should prioritize time with family and loved ones.
Secondly, Job’s profound sorrow over his children dying is a testament to the deep pain and mourning that comes with such loss. It is natural and necessary to grieve when we lose loved ones. Job’s honest lamentations provide a biblical example of how to express that grief openly before God. After God powerfully answers Job, he and his family take time to grieve and be comforted. “All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring” (Job 42:11). Acknowledging our pain and allowing ourselves to mourn is vital in the healing process.
Third, God’s response reveals how pain blinds us to deeper truths, like God’s goodness and sovereignty, even amid loss and sorrow. Throughout his suffering, Job struggled to understand why he was afflicted, yet he never completely abandoned his faith in God. Despite profound confusion and pain, this steadfastness teaches us to hold onto our trust in God’s inherent goodness and sovereign control over our lives. Even when we do not understand our circ*mstances, we can trust that God is in control, is good, and has a purpose for our suffering.
Fourth, Job’s restored fortune, including the blessing of new children, reminds us that our suffering is not the end of the story. God blessed Job again, restoring his wealth and granting him a new family. This restoration shows us that God can bring beauty and blessing from our deepest pain. Our current suffering is not the final chapter, and God’s plans for us include hope and a future, as seen in Job’s life.
Finally, Job’s story assures us that God will reveal his plan and the reasons behind our suffering in his perfect timing. While Job never fully understood the divine conversation between God and Satan that initiated his trials, he realized God’s majesty and wisdom. We may not always comprehend why we endure certain hardships, but we can rest in knowing that God sees the bigger picture. He works all things together for our good and his glory.
Peace.
Photo Credit:©GettyImages/Razvan25
This article is part of our People from the Bible Series featuring the most well-known historical names and figures from Scripture. We have compiled these articles to help you study those whom God chose to set before us as examples in His Word. May their lives and walks with God strengthen your faith and encourage your soul.
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