He had seven sons and three daughters
The mention of "seven sons and three daughters" in the Book of Job is significant in several ways. The number seven often symbolizes completeness or perfection in the Bible, as seen in the seven days of creation (Genesis 1) and the seven churches in Revelation (Revelation 1:4). This could imply that Job's family was seen as complete and blessed.

The number three, associated with the daughters, also holds symbolic meaning, often representing divine wholeness or the Trinity in Christian theology. This could suggest a sense of divine favor or completeness in Job's family structure.

In the cultural and historical context of the ancient Near East, having a large family, particularly many sons, was considered a sign of wealth and blessing. Sons were often seen as a source of strength and security, as they could work the land and protect the family. Daughters, while not holding the same societal status as sons, were also considered a blessing, contributing to the family's social and economic alliances through marriage.

The structure of Job's family can also be seen as a type or foreshadowing of restoration and blessing. At the end of the Book of Job, after his trials, Job is blessed with the same number of children, indicating a restoration of his fortunes and a reaffirmation of God's favor (Job 42:13).

This verse sets the stage for understanding the magnitude of Job's initial blessings and the depth of his subsequent losses, which are central themes in the narrative. It also highlights the cultural importance of family and progeny in the biblical world, providing a backdrop for the trials and restoration that follow.1. Job
A man described as blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil. He is the central figure in the Book of Job, known for his immense faith and patience amidst suffering.

2. Sons and Daughters
Job's children, numbering seven sons and three daughters, are a significant part of his wealth and blessing. In the cultural context, having many children was seen as a sign of divine favor and prosperity.

3. Uz
The land where Job lived, often associated with the region east of Israel. It is a place of both prosperity and later, intense suffering for Job.The Blessing of Family
In the biblical context, a large family was a sign of God's blessing. Today, we can view our families as gifts from God, entrusted to us for care and guidance.

The Fragility of Earthly Blessings
Job's account reminds us that earthly blessings, such as family and wealth, are temporary and can be taken away. Our ultimate security should be in God alone.

Faithfulness in Prosperity and Adversity
Job's initial prosperity sets the stage for his later trials, teaching us the importance of remaining faithful to God in both good times and bad.

The Role of Children in God's Plan
Children are not only a blessing but also a responsibility. We are called to raise them in the knowledge and fear of the Lord, preparing them to fulfill their roles in God's plan.1. What is the meaning of Job 1:2?

2. How does Job 1:2 reflect God's blessings on Job's family life?

3. What can we learn about stewardship from Job's family size in Job 1:2?

4. How does Job 1:2 connect to God's promise of descendants in Genesis 22:17?

5. In what ways can we prioritize family as Job did in Job 1:2?

6. How can Job's family structure inspire our own family relationships today?

7. How does Job 1:2 challenge the concept of prosperity as a sign of divine favor?

8. Why does Job's wealth and family size matter in understanding his later suffering?

9. What does Job 1:2 reveal about the cultural values of family and wealth in ancient times?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Job 1?

11. Who were the three daughters of Job?

12. Who are the sons of God in the Bible?

13. Could Job’s remarkable prosperity and divine favor (Job 29:4–6) be historically or scientifically plausible?

14. Why does the text (Job 42:10–17) fail to address the moral or scientific implications of Job receiving new children as though they replaced the ones he lost? He

Job 1:2 opens with a simple pronoun that carries weight. “He” points back to Job himself, introduced in 1:1 as “blameless and upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.”

• Scripture consistently identifies people by character before accomplishments. Compare Noah in Genesis 6:9 and Daniel in Daniel 6:4–5.

• Ezekiel 14:14 and James 5:11 both single out Job as an example of righteousness and perseverance, reminding us that the blessings about to be listed flow from a life centered on God.

• By starting with “He,” the verse keeps attention on the man whose relationship with the Lord undergirds everything that follows (Psalm 1:1–3).

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Had

Possession here is not mere ownership; it is stewardship under God’s sovereignty.

• Psalm 24:1 teaches, “The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof.” Job’s household ultimately belongs to God.

• Genesis 33:5 shows Jacob crediting God for his children: “The children God has graciously given your servant.” Job, like Jacob, is a caretaker of gifts from heaven.

• 1 Corinthians 4:7 reminds us that everything we have is received. Job’s later losses (Job 1:21) make sense only if these children were first acknowledged as entrusted by the Lord.

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Seven sons

The number seven often highlights completeness in Scripture (Genesis 2:2-3; Revelation 1:4).

• Having sons in the ancient Near East meant strength, legacy, and protection (Psalm 127:4-5).

• Deuteronomy 28:4 ties covenant blessing to “the fruit of your womb.” Job’s seven sons signal that, at this stage, he enjoys the fullness of God’s favor.

• 1 Samuel 2:5 contrasts barren Hannah with “she who has many children,” underscoring that abundant offspring declare divine benevolence.

Yet the text will soon show that even a large, seemingly secure family rests entirely in God’s hands (Proverbs 27:1).

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And three daughters

Daughters receive distinct mention, highlighting their equal value before God.

• Job 42:13 revisits this exact makeup—again seven sons, three daughters—showing the Lord’s restorative generosity.

• Numbers 27:1-7, the account of Zelophehad’s daughters, affirms God’s concern for the inheritance rights and dignity of women.

• Psalm 144:12 pictures daughters as “pillars carved to adorn a palace,” emphasizing their honor and beauty in God’s design.

• 2 Corinthians 6:18 promises, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters,” underlining that spiritual family includes both genders equally.

By naming the daughters, Scripture makes clear that Job’s blessings are comprehensive and balanced, not limited to cultural expectations of male heirs.

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summary

Job 1:2 records concrete evidence of God’s abundant favor: a godly man (“He”) entrusted (“Had”) with a complete and flourishing family (“Seven sons and three daughters”). Each word underscores themes of character before blessing, stewardship under divine ownership, fullness of covenant grace, and equal worth of every child. The verse invites us to see family as a sacred trust from the Lord, held with gratitude and open hands, ready to bless and to surrender as He wills.

(2) Seven sons and three daughters.--The like number was restored to him after his probation (Job 42:13).

Verse 2. - And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. The numbers three and seven, and their product, ten, are certainly sacred numbers, regarded as expressive of ideal perfection. But this does not prevent their being also historical. As Canon Cook observes, "Striking coincidences between outward facts and ideal numbers are not uncommon in the purely historical portions of Scripture" ('Speaker's Commentary,' vol. 4. p. 20). There are twelve apostles, seventy (7 × 10) disciples sent out by our Lord, seven deacons, three synoptic Gospels, twelve minor prophets, seven princes of Persia and Media, ten sons of Haman, three of Noah, Gomer, Terah, Levi, and Zeruiah, seven of Japhet, Mizraim, Seir the Horite, Gad, and Jesse (1 Chronicles 2:13-15), twelve of Ishmael, twelve of Jacob, etc. Our Lord is thirty (3 x 10) years old when he begins to teach, and his ministry lasts three years; he heals seven lepers, casts out of Mary Magdalene seven devils, speaks upon the cross seven "words," bids Peter forgive his brother "seventy times seven," etc. It is thus not only in vision or in prophecy, or in symbolical language, that these "ideal numbers" come to the front far more frequently than ethers, but also in the most matter-of-fact histories.

Parallel Commentaries ...


He had seven
שִׁבְעָ֥ה (šiḇ·‘āh)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 7651: Seven, seven times, a week, an indefinite number

sons
בָנִ֖ים (ḇā·nîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1121: A son

and three
וְשָׁל֥וֹשׁ (wə·šā·lō·wōš)
Conjunctive waw | Number - feminine singular
Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice

daughters,
בָּנֽוֹת׃ (bā·nō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 1323: A daughter


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OT Poetry: Job 1:2 There were born to him seven sons (Jb)