Job 1:19

“And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, etc.] Most probably from the wilderness of Arabia, winds from such places being generally very strong, (<240411>Jeremiah 4:11,12) as this was, and is called a “great one”, a very strong and blustering one; and being so, and because of the effects of it, and being an uncommon and extraordinary one, as what follows shows, a “behold” is prefixed to the account, exciting attention and wonder: and smote the four corners of the house; which shows it to be an unusual wind, it blowing from all parts and on all sides; and was either a whirlwind, which whirled about this house; or Satan, with his posse of devils with him, took the advantage of…”

“a great wind from the wilderness--south of Job's house. The tornado came the more violently over the desert, being uninterrupted (Isa 21:1; Hos 13:15). the young men--rather, "the young people"; including the daughters (so in Rut 2:21).”

“There came a great wind - Such tornadoes are not less common in Oriental countries than in the United States. Indeed they abound more in regions near the equator than they do in those which are more remote; in hot countries than in those of higher latitude. From the wilderness - Margin, “From aside.” That is, from aside the wilderness. The word here rendered “from aside” in the margin (מדבר mı̂dbâr ) means properly “from across,” and is so rendered by Dr. Good. The word עבר ‛âbar means literally a region or country beyond, or on the other side, sc. of a river or a sea, which one must “pass;” Judges 11:18; Genesis 2:10-11; Deuteronomy 1:1, Deuteronomy 1:5. Then it means on the other side,…”

“The young men - This was the greatest of Job's losses, and therefore Satan reserved it to the last, that if the other provocations failed, this might make him curse God. They died by a wind of the devils raising, but which seemed to be the immediate hand of God. And they were taken away, when he had the most need of them, to comfort him under all his other losses. Such miserable comforters are creatures: in God we have a constant and sufficient help. Job 1:20”

“1:19 That the wind . . . hit the house on all sides suggests that Job and his children were settled farmers living in houses rather than nomads living in tents.”

“a great: Jer 4:11, Jer 4:12; Eph 2:2 from: Heb. from aside, etc it fell: Jdg 16:30; Kg1 20:30; Mat 7:27; Luk 13:1-5; Act 28:4 they are dead: Gen 37:32, Gen 37:33, Gen 42:36; Sa2 18:33 Job 1:20”