God

I disputed with them and cursed them, and I beat some of them up and pulled out their hair. Then I made them swear by God, "You will not give your daughters as wives for their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves.

Wasn't it by doing these things that Shlomo king of Isra'el sinned? There was no king like him among many nations, and his God loved him, and God made him king over all Isra'el; nevertheless the foreign women caused even him to sin.

Are we to give in to you and let you continue in this very great evil, breaking faith with our God by marrying foreign women?"

My God, remember them; because they have defiled the office of cohen and the covenant of the cohanim and L'vi'im.

I also made provision for the delivery of wood at stated times, and for the firstfruits. My God, remember me favorably.

There was a man in the land of 'Utz whose name was Iyov. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.

After a cycle of banquets, Iyov would send for them to come and be consecrated; then he would get up early in the morning and offer burnt offerings for each of them, because Iyov said, "My sons might have sinned and blasphemed God in their thoughts."This is what Iyov did every time.

It happened one day that the sons of God came to serve ADONAI, and among them came the Adversary [Hebrew: Satan].

ADONAI asked the Adversary, "Where are you coming from?" The Adversary answered ADONAI, "From roaming through the earth, wandering here and there."

ADONAI asked the Adversary, "Did you notice my servant Iyov, that there's no one like him on earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and shuns evil?"

The Adversary answered ADONAI, "Is it for nothing that Iyov fears God?

You've put a protective hedge around him, his house and everything he has. You've prospered his work, and his livestock are spread out all over the land.

But if you reach out your hand and touch whatever he has, without doubt he'll curse you to your face!"

ADONAI said to the Adversary, "Here! Everything he has is in your hands, except that you are not to lay a finger on his person." Then the Adversary went out from the presence of ADONAI.

While he was still speaking, another one came and said, "Fire from God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants; it completely destroyed them, and I'm the only one who escaped to tell you."

he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will return there. ADONAI gave; ADONAI took; blessed be the name of ADONAI."

In all this Iyov neither committed a sin nor put blame on God.

Another day came when the sons of God came to serve ADONAI, and among them came the Adversary to serve ADONAI.

ADONAI asked the Adversary, "Where are you coming from?" The Adversary answered ADONAI, "From roaming through the earth, wandering here and there."

ADONAI asked the Adversary, "Did you notice my servant Iyov, that there's no one like him on earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and shuns evil, and that he still holds on to his integrity, even though you provoked me against him to destroy him for no reason?"

The Adversary answered ADONAI, "Skin for skin! A person will give up everything he has to save his life.

But if you reach out your hand and touch his flesh and bone, without doubt he'll curse you to your face!"

ADONAI said to the Adversary, "Here! He is in your hands, except that you are to spare his life."

Then the Adversary went out from the presence of ADONAI and struck Iyov down with horrible infected sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.

His wife asked him, "Why do you still hold on to your integrity? Curse God, and die!"