The pattern of verse 17 closely resembles that of verse 15: the sudden raid on the animals (this time it is the camels), which are taken away, and the herdsmen, who are all killed except the messenger who reports back to Job.

In the Old Testament The Chaldeans are the people who conquered Babylon in the late eighth century B.C. In Job, however, they appear to be a band of raiders, perhaps to the north of Job’s land; see Good News Translation footnote. Some interpreters believe the Job story is from a very early tradition, and that these raiders are to be identified with the Chaldeans who later conquered Babylon, but that is uncertain. The translation of these raiders should follow the same pattern as used in verse 15.

Formed three companies translates the Hebrew “put three heads,” meaning they made a three-pronged attack (so Pope); for similar strategy see Judges 7.16; 9.43; 1 Samuel 11.11. This maneuver would enable the raiders to surround the fast-moving camels, which they came to steal. Again the fate of the herdsmen is the same as in verse 15. Since all three groups of attackers were of the same body, it is the same whether one translates “three groups of Chaldean robbers” or “Chaldean robbers who came in three groups.”

And made a raid upon the camels and took them: camels were in great demand for transporting goods from India westward. A herd as large as Job’s would be a great prize to camel raiders. In some languages it may be necessary to adjust the order of the events in verse 17 so that the killing of the servants takes place before taking away the camels; for example, “attacked us, killed your herdsmen, and stole the camels.”

In one day all Job’s livestock (and his herders) mentioned in verse 3 have disappeared.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, Wiliam. A Handbook on Job. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1992. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .