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Job 1

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Job's Character and Prosperity 1–5

1
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. ​
2
And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.
3
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. ​
4
And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
5
And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. ​

Satan's Challenge 6–12

6
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. ​
7
And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. ​
8
And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? ​
9
Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? ​
10
Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
11
But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
12
And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD. ​

The Calamities Begin 13–19

13
And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: ​
14
And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:
15
And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. ​
16
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. ​
17
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
18
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:
19
And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. ​

Job's Faithfulness 20–22

20
Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, ​
21
And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. ​
22
In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Job 1

Verse 1

perfect and upright — Tam, whole or blameless, and yashar, straight. The LORD repeats the verdict (1:8; 2:3). 'Feared God, and eschewed evil' is the wisdom Job later names: 'the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding' (28:28). Lam 4:21 speaks of 'daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz'.

Verse 3

the greatest of all the men of the east — 'Men of the east' is literally 'sons of the east' (bene qedem); Judg 6:3 pairs 'the children of the east' with the Midianites and Amalekites. His seven thousand sheep and three thousand camels match his seven sons and three daughters (v.2). At the end he has 'fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels' (42:12).

Verse 5

cursed God in their hearts — The Hebrew is barak, 'to bless'. It stands behind 'cursed' here and in vv.11 and 2:5, 9, and behind 'blessed' in vv.10 and 21. Job's burnt offerings 'according to the number of them all' (olah) are the offering Noah made on the altar (Gen 8:20). 'Thus did Job continually.'

Verse 6

the sons of God — The same company is present again in 2:1. At the laying of the earth's foundations 'all the sons of God shouted for joy' (38:7). 'Satan' is satan, the adversary, an opponent who stands 'at his right hand to resist him' in Zech 3:1; Rev 12:10 names him 'the accuser'.

Verse 7

going to and fro in the earth — Shut, to rove about. The LORD's own eyes 'run to and fro throughout the whole earth' (2 Chr 16:9), the same verb, but to strengthen those whose heart is perfect toward him. Peter writes of the adversary who 'walketh about, seeking whom he may devour' (1 Pet 5:8).

Verse 8

my servant Job — The LORD gives Job the title he gave Moses, 'My servant Moses' (Num 12:7), and uses it again at 2:3 and 42:7–8. 'Hast thou considered' is literally 'hast thou set thine heart' (sum leb) on him. 'There is none like him in the earth' is the LORD's own judgment.

Verse 9

for nought — Chinnam, for nothing, gratis: the charge is that Job's fear is paid for. The LORD uses the same word in 2:3, saying Satan moved him against Job 'to destroy him without cause'. The charge is put to the test in vv.12–22.

Verse 12

all that he hath is in thy power — Literally 'in thy hand' (yad): the permission has a limit set by the LORD, 'only upon himself put not forth thine hand'. The limit is renewed at 2:6, 'he is in thine hand; but save his life'. Luke 22:31 shows the same pattern: Satan 'hath desired to have you', and the Lord prays for Peter.

Verse 13

in their eldest brother's house — Bekor, firstborn. The scene is the feasting day of v.4, when the sons held feasts 'every one his day'. The last messenger (v.18) repeats this verse almost word for word, with 'Thy sons and thy daughters' for 'his sons and his daughters'.

Verse 15

the Sabeans — Sheba is a name found among the sons of Raamah (Gen 10:7); 'the companies of Sheba' are mentioned in Job 6:19. Joel 3:8 speaks of selling them 'to the Sabeans, to a people far off'. The clause 'I only am escaped alone to tell thee' ends all four reports (vv.15–17, 19).

Verse 16

the fire of God — The messenger's own name for it. The phrase 'fire of God' is used again in 2 Kings 1:12, where Elijah calls 'fire come down from heaven'; compare also fire on Sodom (Gen 19:24). The fire falls on the sheep and the servants; v.3 counts the flock at seven thousand.

Verse 19

a great wind from the wilderness — Ruach, wind, from the wilderness, striking 'the four corners of the house' (pinnah, corner). It is the house of the feasting in v.13, where the ten children of v.2 were eating. Wind from the wilderness is also named in Jer 4:11.

Verse 20

rent his mantle, and shaved his head — A mourner's acts: Jacob 'rent his clothes' for Joseph (Gen 37:34), and Micah 1:16 says 'Make thee bald… for thy delicate children'. Job's 'mantle' (me'il) is the outer robe. The last verb of the five is shachah: he 'fell down upon the ground, and worshipped'.

Verse 21

the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away — Job's barak is 'blessed be the name of the LORD': the word Satan used when he said Job would 'curse thee to thy face' (v.11). 'Naked came I out' is echoed in Eccl 5:15; Paul: 'we brought nothing into this world' (1 Tim 6:7).

Verse 22

nor charged God foolishly — Tiphlah, folly or frivolity, found elsewhere in Job 24:12 and Jer 23:13. The verb is nathan, to give or ascribe: Job ascribed nothing unseemly to God. At 2:10 the verdict is the same: 'In all this did not Job sin with his lips.' James holds up 'the patience of Job' (5:11).