Job 2:7

¶ So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

So went {H3318} Satan {H7854} forth {H3318} from the presence {H6440} of the LORD {H3068}, and smote {H5221} Job {H347} with sore {H7451} boils {H7822} from the sole {H3709} of his foot {H7272} unto his crown {H6936}.

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.

So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and infected Job with terrible boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.

So Satan went forth from the presence of Jehovah, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

Job 2:7 describes the second, and more severe, test that the righteous man Job endured at the hands of Satan, with God's express permission. This verse is pivotal in understanding the nature of suffering and the spiritual conflict at play in the book of Job.

Context of Job 2:7

Following a heavenly dialogue between God and Satan, detailed in Job 1:6-12 and Job 2:1-6, Satan challenges God's assessment of Job's blamelessness. After Job endured the loss of his possessions and children in the first test (detailed in Job 1:13-19) without cursing God, Satan claims that Job's faith would break if his own body were afflicted. God grants Satan permission to strike Job's body, but with the strict limitation that Job's life must be spared (Job 2:6). This verse, Job 2:7, is the immediate consequence of that permission, vividly illustrating the onset of Job's intense physical suffering.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Satan's Limited Authority: The verse powerfully underscores that Satan, though an adversary, operates strictly within the boundaries set by God. He "went forth from the presence of the LORD," indicating that his actions were not independent but sanctioned within a divine framework. This highlights God's ultimate sovereignty even over evil.
  • Extreme Physical Suffering: Job is afflicted with "sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown." The Hebrew word for "boils," shechin (שְׁחִין), denotes a severe, festering skin disease, similar to the plague inflicted upon the Egyptians in Exodus 9:9. This description emphasizes the totality and intensity of Job's physical pain and disfigurement, affecting every part of his body.
  • Testing of Righteousness: This affliction is not punishment for sin, as Job was declared "perfect and upright" (Job 1:1). Instead, it is a profound test of his unwavering faith and integrity in the face of incomprehensible and undeserved suffering.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "sore boils" translates the Hebrew term shechin (שְׁחִין), which refers to a painful, inflammatory skin eruption. It's a term that conveys deep physical distress and often carries connotations of uncleanness or severe illness in ancient Near Eastern contexts. The description "from the sole of his foot unto his crown" (מִכַּף רַגְלוֹ וְעַד קָדְקֳדוֹ) is a Hebrew idiom signifying complete and utter coverage, emphasizing that no part of Job's body was spared from the painful affliction.

Practical Application

Job's experience in Job 2:7 offers profound insights for believers today. It reminds us that:

  • Suffering is Not Always Punitive: Not all suffering is a direct consequence of personal sin. Like Job, righteous individuals can experience intense trials that serve a higher purpose, often beyond human comprehension.
  • God's Control is Absolute: Even when evil forces are at work, God remains sovereign. Satan's power is always limited by divine permission, providing comfort that God is ultimately in control of all circumstances, even the most painful ones.
  • Enduring Faith: Job's story encourages steadfastness in faith, even when physical and emotional pain is overwhelming. His later declaration, "I know that my redeemer liveth," stands as a testament to enduring hope amidst extreme adversity.

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.

  • Deuteronomy 28:35

    The LORD shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head.

  • Isaiah 1:6

    From the sole of the foot even unto the head [there is] no soundness in it; [but] wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

  • Job 30:30

    My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.

  • Deuteronomy 28:27

    The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed.

  • Job 7:5

    My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.

  • 1 Kings 22:22

    And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade [him], and prevail also: go forth, and do so.

  • Isaiah 3:17

    Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover their secret parts.

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