Job 42:15 · Bible study
Job 42:15 Commentary: Daughters' Inheritance and Family Restoration
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the unique gift of inheritance Job gave his daughters and how this detail reveals restored family harmony in the book's conclusion.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Job’s daughters inherit alongside their brothers, signaling the completeness of restoration and Job’s exceptional regard.
- Key words: natan (give), nachalah (inheritance), yafeh (beautiful).
- Main debate: Whether this reflects pre-Mosaic custom (Keil/Delitzsch) or a deliberate break with later Torah law (Barnes/Clarke).
- Theological theme: God’s grace overturns human traditions to provide generously for all, irrespective of gender.
- Best use: Preach alongside Job 1:1, 3 to show the full circle of blessing; discuss in small groups on the theme of God’s impartial love.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
No women as beautiful as Job’s daughters could be found in all the land, and their father granted them an inheritance among their brothers.
WEB World English Bible 2000
In all the land were no women found so beautiful as the daughters of Job. Their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.
KJV King James Version 1769
And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And there have not been found women fair as the daughters of Job in all the land, and their father doth give to them an inheritance in the midst of their brethren.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And in all the land were no women found [so] fair as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And there were not found in all the earth women so beautiful as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y no se hallaron mujeres tan hermosas como las hijas de Job en toda la tierra: y dióles su padre herencia entre sus hermanos.
E em toda a terra não se acharam mulheres tão belas como as filhas de Jó; e seu pai lhes deu herança entre seus irmãos.
Il n’ y avait pas dans tout le pays d’ aussi belles femmes que les filles de Job. Leur père leur accorda une part d’ héritage parmi leurs frères.
Und wurden nicht so schöne Weiber gefunden in allen Landen wie die Töchter Hiobs. Und ihr Vater gab ihnen Erbteil unter ihren Brüdern.
En er werden zo schone vrouwen niet gevonden in het ganse land, als de dochteren van Job; en haar vader gaf haar erfdeel onder haar broederen.
E in tutto il paese non c’eran donne così belle come le figliuole di Giobbe; e il padre assegnò loro una eredità tra i loro fratelli.
A nie znajdowały się niewiasty tak piękne, jako córki Ijobowe, we wszystkiej onej ziemi; i dał im ojciec ich dziedzictwo między braćmi ich.
И не было на всей земле таких прекрасных женщин, как дочери Иова, и дал им отец их наследство между братьями их.
在那全 地 的婦女 中找 不著 像約伯 的女兒 那樣美貌。她們的父親 使她們 在弟兄 中 得 產業。
And there were no women so beautiful as the daughters of Job in all the earth: and their father gave them a heritage among their brothers.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Job 42:15
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree on two points: the verse marks an extraordinary act by Job, and it fits the restoration narrative. Barnes notes that daughters inheriting alongside brothers was not common in the ancient Near East; usually a daughter inherited only if there were no sons (Numbers 27:8). Keil and Delitzsch add that the detail sounds “more Arabian than Israelitish,” consistent with the pre-Mosaic setting of Job. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown call it “an unusual favor in the East” and evidence of Job’s wealth and family unity. Gill points to Job’s impartiality and equity, “making no difference between male and female,” and sees a typological link to the equal inheritance believers receive in Christ. Clarke connects the practice to the daughters of Zelophehad (Numbers 27:7), the first recorded case in Torah of daughters inheriting. All read the verse as a sign of the completeness of Job’s restoration: materially, relationally, and, for some, prophetically.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Job gave his daughters an inheritance share alongside his sons, a striking act that underscores the fullness of his restored blessings.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Significance of the inheritance act | All commentators see it as unusual and a mark of Job’s special favor, prosperity, and restored family harmony. | Some (Barnes, Keil/Delitzsch) emphasize historical custom; others (Gill) emphasize typology of equal inheritance in Christ; Clarke connects it to the later Mosaic concession for daughters of Zelophehad. |
| Historical setting | The verse reflects a pre-Mosaic, Arabian context where inheritance customs differed from later Israelite law. | Whether this detail proves the book’s early dating (Keil) or is simply a literary device to highlight Job’s righteousness (Lange implies authorial freedom). |
| Theological meaning | The inheritance contributes to the restoration theme: nothing is lost; even social barriers are overcome. | Whether the primary lesson is about God’s impartiality (Gill) or about the concrete joy of a healed family (Barnes, JFB). |
Historical & Cultural Context
The inheritance laws of the ancient Near East generally favored male children. Among the Israelites, the Torah stipulated that property passed to sons, with the firstborn receiving a double portion (Deuteronomy 21:17). A daughter could inherit only in the absence of sons (Numbers 27:8). This custom was widespread in cultures surrounding Israel. Job lived in the land of Uz, likely east of Canaan, during a patriarchal period that predates the Mosaic law. The book’s setting is extra-Israelite, as Keil and Delitzsch observe. The writer is conscious of writing a pre-Mosaic history.
Job giving his daughters an inheritance “among their brothers” (v.15) thus stands out as exceptional. Barnes interprets it as a mark of Job’s special regard for them and a sign of his great wealth, he could afford to distribute portions to all his children equally. The act also implies family harmony: sons did not resent their sisters receiving a share. Lange notes that this detail, along with the naming of the daughters (Jemimah, Kezia, Keren-Happuch), appears in the simple prose that replaces the lofty poetry of the dialogues, grounding the restoration in concrete, social reality. For a pastoral family, the inheritance would have secured the daughters’ futures and may have attracted suitable husbands, as Keil and Delitzsch suggest.
The verse therefore contributes to the restoration theme by showing that God’s blessing extends beyond doubled flocks and a long life; it restores relationships and overturns social convention. Job’s act prefigures the later Torah concession to the daughters of Zelophehad, indicating that God’s justice sometimes breaks cultural norms to provide for the vulnerable.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Job 42:15. The verse is stable across manuscript traditions, with minor differences in translation (e.g., “fair” vs. “beautiful”) that do not affect the meaning.
Reception History
Christian interpreters have often read this verse through the lens of Christ’s breaking down of social and gender barriers. Gill, writing in the Baptist tradition, sees Job as a type of Christ who gives an equal inheritance to all believers, male and female. Jewish tradition connects the verse to the daughters of Zelophehad (Numbers 27), viewing Job as a righteous man who anticipated God’s later command. Early church fathers such as Gregory the Great in his Moralia on Job focused on the allegorical meaning of the daughters’ names, Jemimah (dove) suggesting the Holy Spirit, Kezia (cassia) the fragrance of virtue, and Keren-Happuch (horn of eye-paint) the adornment of good works. The inheritance itself was understood as the abundance of grace that God lavishes on the restored soul.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Restoration is comprehensive. Job’s new family mirrors the old (seven sons, three daughters) but surpasses it in one striking detail: daughters inherit equally. God’s blessing does not merely replace what was lost; it improves upon it.
- Grace overturns custom. In a world where only sons inherited, Job acts counter-culturally. The verse teaches that God’s grace sometimes breaks human traditions to demonstrate generosity and impartiality.
- Beauty and inheritance are gifts, not rewards. The daughters are called beautiful, and they receive an inheritance, both undeserved enhancements of Job’s restoration. This points to the grace that cannot be earned.
Five-point outline
- The context of restoration (vv.10, 14). Job prayed for his friends, and God restored his fortunes double. The birth of new children is part of that doubling.
- The naming of the daughters (v.14). Their names, Dove, Cassia, Horn of Eye-paint, emphasize beauty, fragrance, and joy, setting the stage for the inheritance.
- The exceptional beauty (v.15a). The superlative “no women so beautiful” echoes the earlier mention of Job’s own beauty (1:1 implies physical perfection) and connects physical grace to the grace of restoration.
- The inheritance act (v.15b). Job gives them a share among their brothers. This is the punch line: a father’s love that mirrors God’s impartial generosity.
- The lasting legacy (vv.16, 17). Job lives 140 more years and sees four generations. The inheritance ensures the daughters’ place in that legacy.
Illustration hooks
- A parent revises a will to treat daughters and sons equally, despite family tradition. The act creates conversation and healing.
- A business owner promotes a woman to a leadership role previously held only by men, leveling a long-standing inequity.
- In a community that values male heirs, a grandfather includes granddaughters in the family land trust, sparking both admiration and opposition.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God care about gender equality in inheritance and property rights? What does this verse suggest?
- Why does the Bible record this detail? Is it just historical or does it carry a deeper lesson about God’s character?
- How does this verse speak to families today regarding fairness among children, especially between sons and daughters?
Leading a Discussion
This small-group guide helps you examine Job 42:15 as more than an incidental detail. It is a capstone to the book’s exploration of suffering, divine justice, and restoration. The verse surprises us: in a patriarchal culture, Job gives his daughters an inheritance. Why? And what does it reveal about God?
Discussion questions
- Read Job 42:10, 17. What losses does God restore for Job? What is restored completely, and what is restored differently?
- Verse 15 says Job’s daughters were the most beautiful in the land. Why do you think the writer emphasizes their beauty? How does this fit the restoration theme?
- What is unusual about Job giving his daughters an inheritance “among their brothers”? (Consider Numbers 27:1, 8 for background.)
- Barnes and other commentators say this was not common practice. What might have motivated Job to do this? What does it say about his character?
- Some readers see a typological meaning: the equal inheritance points to the way all believers, regardless of gender, receive God’s grace. Others see a historical note about pre-Mosaic customs. Which reading do you find more compelling, and why?
- How does this verse challenge modern assumptions about inheritance, family dynamics, or gender roles?
- If Job’s story is ultimately about God’s sovereignty and restoration, what does this small detail add to the final picture of God’s character?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Numbers 27:7 | “The daughters of Zelophehad speak right. You shall surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father’s brothers. You shall cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them. |
| Joshua 15:18 | When she came, she had him ask her father for a field. She got off her donkey, and Caleb said, “What do you want?” |
| Joshua 15:19 | She said, “Give me a blessing. Because you have set me in the land of the South, give me also springs of water.” So he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. |
| Joshua 18:4 | Appoint for yourselves three men from each tribe. I will send them, and they shall arise, walk through the land, and describe it according to their inheritance; then they shall come to me. |
| Psalms 144:12 | Then our sons will be like well-nurtured plants, our daughters like pillars carved to adorn a palace. |
| Acts 7:20 | At that time Moses was born, and was exceedingly handsome to God. He was nourished three months in his father’s house. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that this verse speaks of giving land to people within their own family group. It uses the example of the women from Zelophehad as proof of how such inheritance is possible. This gives hope that God can provide rightful ownership for His children.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights that Job giving his daughters an inheritance alongside their sons was highly unusual under Hebrew law, where daughters normally inherited only if there were no sons. This detail shows Job's exceptional regard for them and implies they received equal shares with their brothers.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges notes that the three names given to Job’s daughters are meant to highlight their beauty rather than their flirtatiousness. These names honor their physical charms as a source of praise.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva Bible Notes says the daughters of Job were the most beautiful women in the whole land. Their father gave them land to own along with their brothers.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill reads Job as a type of Christ and his daughters as representing the people of God. Their beauty foreshadows the spiritual beauty believers receive through Christ's righteousness, and the equal inheritance Job gave them pictures how all believers in Christ share the same inheritance without distinction between male and female.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson Fausset Brown notes this act shows great wealth and complete unity among Job’s brothers. It proves they all agreed to give their sister half their share as inheritance.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch observes that Job giving his daughters an inheritance alongside their brothers reflects Arabian custom, not later Israelite law, which only allowed daughters to inherit when there were no sons. This signals that the author wrote a pre-Mosaic, extra-Israelitish history. The equal distribution pictures family harmony and implies Job provided husbands for his attractive, well-dowered daughters.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange highlights the uncommon detail that Job gave his daughters an inheritance alongside their brothers, a departure from patriarchal custom. This act underscores the completeness of Job's restoration: his renewed prosperity and honor allowed him to bless even his daughters with a share of the family inheritance.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Job received twice as much wealth as he had lost and many gifts from his relatives after praying for them. He also says that later in life Job had more children and even fairer daughters than any other women in the land.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley draws a sharp contrast: the Old Testament often commends women for their physical beauty, but the New Testament never does. For him, the reason is that the gospel brings the beauty of holiness into far clearer light, making outward appearance no longer a proper focus of praise.