Job 1:14 (DRB)

Passage

There came a messenger to Job, and said: The oxen were ploughing, and the asses feeding beside them,

Nearby Context

Job 1:12 Then the Lord said to Satan: Behold, all that he hath is in thy hand: only put not forth thy hand upon his person. And Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.

Job 1:13 Now upon a certain day, when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine, in the house of their eldest brother,

Job 1:14 There came a messenger to Job, and said: The oxen were ploughing, and the asses feeding beside them,

Job 1:15 And the Sabeans rushed in, and took all away, and slew the servants with the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell thee.

Job 1:16 And while he was yet speaking, another came, and said: The fire of God fell from heaven, and striking the sheep and the servants, hath consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell thee.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "came", "messenger", "said", "oxen", "ploughing", "asses", "feeding", and "beside". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "came" and "messenger", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 13's "Now upon a certain day when his..." into verse 15's "And the Sabeans rushed in and took...", so "came" and "messenger" belong inside that flow. In Job context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "came" and "messenger" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.