The Meaning of Job 1:3 Explained

Job 1:3

KJV: His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

YLT: and his substance is seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred pairs of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and a service very abundant; and that man is greater than any of the sons of the east.

Darby: And his substance was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and very many servants; and this man was greater than all the children of the east.

ASV: His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the children of the east.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

His substance  also was seven  thousand  sheep,  and three  thousand  camels,  and five  hundred  yoke  of oxen,  and five  hundred  she asses,  and a very  great  household;  so that this man  was the greatest  of all the men  of the east. 

What does Job 1:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 1:1-12 - Satan Aims At A High Mark
Job is introduced as a man of large possessions, highly honored by all who knew him, and of unimpeachable integrity toward God. His piety was specially evinced in the anxiety he experienced for his children, lest any of them should renounce or say farewell to God. What an example this is for parents! We should pray for each child by name, and, like Job, we should do so continually.
Satan is well called the Adversary, r.v., margin, because he opposes God and goodness. Compare Zechariah 3:1; Revelation 12:10. He admits Job's goodness, but challenges its motive. He suggests that it is by no means disinterested. Satan still considers the saints, and finds out their weak places and secret sins. But he has no power over us save by the divine permission, and if we are tempted, there is always available the needed supply of grace, 2 Corinthians 12:9. [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 1

1  The holiness, riches, and reverent care of Job for his children
6  Satan, appearing before God, obtains leave to afflict Job
13  Understanding of the loss of his children and goods, in his mourning Job blesses God

What do the individual words in Job 1:3 mean?

And were his possessions seven thousand sheep and three thousand camels and five hundred yoke of oxen female donkeys and a household large very so that was man that the greatest of all the sons of the East
וַיְהִ֣י מִ֠קְנֵהוּ שִֽׁבְעַ֨ת אַלְפֵי־ צֹ֜אן וּשְׁלֹ֧שֶׁת אַלְפֵ֣י גְמַלִּ֗ים וַחֲמֵ֨שׁ מֵא֤וֹת צֶֽמֶד־ בָּקָר֙ אֲתוֹנ֔וֹת וַעֲבֻדָּ֖ה רַבָּ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד וַיְהִי֙ הָאִ֣ישׁ הַה֔וּא גָּד֖וֹל מִכָּל־ בְּנֵי־ קֶֽדֶם

וַיְהִ֣י  And  were 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
מִ֠קְנֵהוּ  his  possessions 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מִקְנֶה  
Sense: cattle, livestock.
שִֽׁבְעַ֨ת  seven 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: שֶׁבַע  
Sense: seven (cardinal number).
אַלְפֵי־  thousand 
Parse: Number, masculine plural construct
Root: אֶלֶף 
Sense: a thousand.
צֹ֜אן  sheep 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
וּשְׁלֹ֧שֶׁת  and  three 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, masculine singular construct
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
אַלְפֵ֣י  thousand 
Parse: Number, masculine plural construct
Root: אֶלֶף 
Sense: a thousand.
גְמַלִּ֗ים  camels 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: גָּמָל  
Sense: camel.
וַחֲמֵ֨שׁ  and  five 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, feminine singular construct
Root: חָמֵשׁ  
Sense: five.
מֵא֤וֹת  hundred 
Parse: Number, feminine plural
Root: מֵאָה 
Sense: hundred.
צֶֽמֶד־  yoke 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: צֶמֶד  
Sense: couple, pair, team, yoke.
בָּקָר֙  of  oxen 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּקָר  
Sense: cattle, herd, oxen, ox.
אֲתוֹנ֔וֹת  female  donkeys 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: אָתֹון  
Sense: she-ass, she-donkey.
וַעֲבֻדָּ֖ה  and  a  household 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֲבֻדָּה  
Sense: service, household servants.
רַבָּ֣ה  large 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
מְאֹ֑ד  very 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְאֹד  
Sense: exceedingly, much subst.
וַיְהִי֙  so  that  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
הָאִ֣ישׁ  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
הַה֔וּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
גָּד֖וֹל  the  greatest 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
מִכָּל־  of  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
בְּנֵי־  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
קֶֽדֶם  of  the  East 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֶדֶם 
Sense: east, antiquity, front, that which is before, aforetime.