Job 2:5

But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

But {H199} put forth {H7971} thine hand {H3027} now, and touch {H5060} his bone {H6106} and his flesh {H1320}, and he will curse {H1288} thee to thy face {H6440}.

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

But stretch out Your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”

But put forth thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will renounce thee to thy face.

Job 2:5 presents Satan's escalating challenge to God regarding Job's unwavering faith. After Job endured the devastating loss of his possessions and children without cursing God, Satan proposes an even more severe test: physical suffering.

Context

This verse follows directly from Satan's initial accusation in Job 1, where he claimed Job served God only because he was blessed and protected. When Job remained steadfast even after immense loss (Job 1:21-22), God reaffirmed Job's integrity in Job 2:3. Unrelenting, Satan now argues that Job's true allegiance would break if his own body were afflicted. He believes that self-preservation is the ultimate motivator, even above devotion to God.

Key Themes

  • The Nature of Testing: Satan operates on the premise that faith is conditional and transactional. He asserts that a person's devotion to God will surely crumble under personal physical pain, suggesting that Job's righteousness was merely a facade maintained by comfort and health.
  • Satan's Malice and Persistence: This verse highlights Satan's relentless desire to undermine God's relationship with humanity and to prove that human loyalty is fleeting. He is the accuser (Revelation 12:10) who seeks to destroy faith.
  • God's Sovereignty and Limits: Implicit in Satan's request is the understanding that he needs God's permission to inflict harm. God allows the test in Job 2:6, but notably sets a boundary, demonstrating His ultimate control even over the forces of evil.
  • The Integrity of Job: At the heart of the Book of Job is the question of whether a person can truly serve God disinterestedly, not for blessings but for who God is. Satan's challenge directly assaults Job's moral and spiritual integrity.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "touch his bone and his flesh" signifies an attack on Job's very being, his physical health and vitality, which is far more intimate and painful than the loss of external possessions. Satan proposes to inflict a deep, personal suffering. The word for "curse" (Hebrew: בָּרַךְ, barak) can surprisingly also mean "to bless." However, in this context, and elsewhere where Job's wife suggests he "curse God, and die" (Job 2:9), it unmistakably carries the meaning of renouncing God or blaspheming Him to His face.

Practical Application

Job 2:5 serves as a profound reminder that faith can be tested not only through external circumstances but also through personal suffering. It encourages believers to consider:

  • The Reality of Spiritual Warfare: We face an adversary who seeks to undermine our faith, especially through hardship (1 Peter 5:8).
  • The Purpose of Trials: God sometimes permits trials, not to destroy us, but to refine our faith and demonstrate its genuineness (James 1:2-4).
  • Trusting God's Sovereignty: Even when evil seems to prevail, God remains in control, setting limits on what can befall His people. Our ultimate hope rests in His wisdom and love, even when we don't understand the suffering.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Job 1:11

    But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

  • Job 1:5

    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.

  • Leviticus 24:15

    And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin.

  • Job 19:20

    My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.

  • Job 19:21

    Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.

  • Psalms 38:2

    For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.

  • Psalms 38:7

    For my loins are filled with a loathsome [disease]: and [there is] no soundness in my flesh.

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