Job 1
1 Prologue
1 In the land of UzS Ge 10:23Jer 25:20 there lived a man whose name was Job.Eze 14:14,20; Jas 5:11 This man was blamelessS Ge 6:917:1S Job 23:10 and upright;Job 23:7; Ps 11:7; 107:42; Pr 21:29; Mic 7:2 he feared GodS Ge 22:12Ex 18:21 and shunned evil.ver 8; S Dt 4:6; Job 2:3; 1Th 5:22 2 He had seven sonsS Ru 4:15 and three daughters,ver 13,18Job 42:13Ps 127:3; 144:12 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys,S Ge 13:2 and had a large number of servants.S Ge 12:16 He was the greatest manver 8Job 29:25 among all the people of the East.S Ge 25:6; Job 42:10; Ps 103:10 3 Ge 6:9; 17:1; Ex 18:21
4 His sons used to take turns holding feastsver 13,18 in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified.S Ne 12:30 Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offeringS Ge 8:20Job 42:8 for each of them, thinking, "Perhaps my children have sinnedJob 8:4 and cursed God1Ki 21:10,13Ps 10:3; 74:10 in their hearts." This was Job's regular custom. 5 Ge 8:20; 1Ki 21:10,13
5 6
6 Job's First Test
6 One day the angels[a] Hebrew the sons of GodS 1Ki 22:19; fn Ge 6:2Job 38:7 came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan[b] Satan means accuser.S 2Sa 24:1; S 2Ch 18:21; S Ps 109:6; Lk 22:31 also came with them.Job 2:1 7 The Lord said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" 7 Job 2:1; 38:7
7 Satan answered the Lord, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."S Ge 3:11Pe 5:8 7 1Pe 5:8
8 Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job?S Jos 1:7Job 42:7-8 There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears GodPs 25:12; 112:1; 128:4 and shuns evil."S ver 1S Ex 20:20 8 Jos 1:7; Job 42:7-8
9 "Does Job fear God for nothing?"1Ti 6:5 Satan replied. 10 "Have you not put a hedgeS 1Sa 25:16 around him and his household and everything he has?ver 12; Job 2:4Ps 34:7 You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.ver 3Job 8:729:631:2542:12,17Ps 128:1-2 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has,Job 19:21Lk 22:31 and he will surely curse you to your face."Lev 24:11Job 2:5Isa 3:8; 65:3; Rev 12:9-10 11 Job 2:5; 29:6; Ps 34:7
12 The Lord said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he hasS ver 10 is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger."Job 2:6; 1Co 10:13
12 Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
13 One day when Job's sons and daughtersS ver 2 were feastingS ver 4 and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazingGe 36:24 nearby, 15 and the SabeansS Ge 10:7S Job 9:24Job 6:19 attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" 15 Ge 10:7; Job 6:19
16 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire of God fell from the skyS 1Ki 18:38; 2Ki 1:12; Job 20:26Ge 19:24 and burned up the sheep and the servants,S Ge 18:17; S Lev 10:2S Nu 11:1-3 and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" 16 Lev 10:2; Nu 11:1-3
17 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The ChaldeansS Ge 11:28,31S Job 9:24 formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" 17 Ge 11:28,31
18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughtersS ver 2 were feastingS ver 4 and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, 19 when suddenly a mighty windPs 11:6; Isa 5:28; 21:1Jer 4:11; 13:2418:17; Eze 17:10; Hos 13:15; Mt 7:25 swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead,Job 16:7; 19:13-15 and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!Eze 24:26" 19 Jer 4:11; 13:24
20 At this, Job got up and tore his robeS Ge 37:29S Mk 14:63 and shaved his head.Isa 3:24; 15:2; 22:12; Jer 7:29; 16:6; Eze 27:31; 29:18; Mic 1:16 Then he fell to the ground in worship1Pe 5:6 21 and said: 21 Ge 37:29; 1Pe 5:6 21 "Naked I came from my mother's womb, 21 and naked I will depart.[c] Or will return thereEcc 5:15; 1Ti 6:7 21 Ecc 5:15; 1Ti 6:7 21 The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;Ru 1:211Sa 2:7 21 may the name of the Lord be praised."S Jdg 10:15Job 2:10Ecc 7:14; Jer 40:2; S Eph 5:20; 1Th 5:18Jas 5:11 21 Job 2:10; Eph 5:20; 1Th 5:18
22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.Job 2:10Ps 39:1; Pr 10:19; 13:3; Isa 53:7; Ro 9:20 22 Job 2:10 Job 2
1 Job's Second Test
1 On another day the angels[d] Hebrew the sons of Godfn Ge 6:2 came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with themS Job 1:6 to present himself before him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" 2 Job 1:6
2 Satan answered the Lord, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."S Ge 3:1
3 Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.S Ex 20:20; S Job 1:1,8 And he still maintains his integrity,Job 6:29; 13:1827:631:6; 32:1; 40:8 though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason."Job 9:17Ps 44:17 3 Job 9:17; 27:6
4 "Skin for skin!" Satan replied. "A man will give all he hasS Job 1:10 for his own life. 5 But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones,Job 16:819:2033:21; Ps 102:5; La 4:8 and he will surely curse you to your face."S Ex 20:7; S Job 1:11 5 Job 1:11; 19:20
6 The Lord said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands;2Co 12:7 but you must spare his life."S Job 1:12
7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.S Dt 28:35Job 7:5S Job 16:16 8 Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.Ge 18:27; Est 4:3Job 16:15; 19:9; 30:1942:6Ps 7:5; Isa 58:5; 61:3Jer 6:26La 3:29; Eze 26:16Eze 27:30Jnh 3:5-8,6Mt 11:21 8 Job 42:6; Eze 27:30; Mt 11:21
9 His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity?Job 6:29; 13:15; 27:5; 33:9; 35:2; 1Th 5:8 Curse God and die!"S Ex 20:7; S 2Ki 6:33
10 He replied, "You are talking like a foolish[e] The Hebrew word rendered foolish denotes moral deficiency. woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"S Job 1:21S Ecc 2:24; La 3:38 10 Job 1:21
10 In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.S Job 1:22S 6:24Ps 39:1Jas 1:12; 5:11 10 Jas 1:12; 5:11
10 11
11 Job's Three Friends
11 When Job's three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite,S Ge 36:11Jer 49:7 Bildad the ShuhiteS Ge 25:2 and Zophar the Naamathite,Job 11:1; 20:1 heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him.S Ge 37:35; S Job 6:10; Jn 11:19Job 42:11Ro 12:15 12 When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him;Job 17:7; Isa 52:14 they began to weep aloud,S 2Sa 15:23 and they tore their robesS Ge 37:29; S Mk 14:63 and sprinkled dust on their heads.S Jos 7:6S 2Sa 1:2Ne 9:1La 2:10; Eze 27:30 13 Then they sat on the groundIsa 3:26; 47:1; Jer 48:18; La 2:10; Eze 26:16; Jnh 3:6; Hag 2:22 with him for seven days and seven nights.S Ge 50:10Eze 3:15 No one said a word to him,Pr 17:28; Isa 23:2; 47:5 because they saw how great his suffering was. 13 Ge 50:10; Pr 17:28 Job 3
1 Job Speaks
1 After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.Jer 15:10; 20:14 2 He said:
3 "May the day of my birth perish, 3 and the night it was said, 'A boy is born!'ver 11,16Job 10:18-19Ecc 4:2; 6:3Jer 20:14-18Mt 26:24 3 Jer 20:14-18
4 That day—may it turn to darkness; 4 may God above not care about it; 4 may no light shine upon it.
5 May darkness and deep shadow[f] Or and the shadow of deathJob 10:21,2234:22; 38:17Ps 23:444:19; 88:12Jer 2:6; 13:16 claim it once more; 5 Job 10:21-22; Jer 2:6; 13:16 5 may a cloud settle over it; 5 may blackness overwhelm its light.
6 That night—may thick darknessJob 23:1730:26 seize it; 6 Job 23:17 6 may it not be included among the days of the year 6 nor be entered in any of the months.
7 May that night be barren; 7 may no shout of joyPs 20:5; 33:3; 65:13; Isa 26:19; Jer 51:48 be heard in it.
8 May those who curse days[g] Or the sea curse that day,Job 10:18; Jer 20:14 8 those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.S Ge 1:21Job 41:1,8,10,25Ps 74:14; 104:26 8 Job 41:1,8,10,25
9 May its morning stars become dark; 9 may it wait for daylight in vain 9 and not see the first rays of dawn,Job 41:18Hab 3:4 9 Job 41:18
10 for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me 10 to hide trouble from my eyes.
11 "Why did I not perish at birth, 11 and die as I came from the womb?S ver 3Job 10:18 11 Job 10:18
12 Why were there knees to receive meS Ge 48:12Ge 30:3Isa 66:12 12 Ge 30:3; Isa 66:12 12 and breasts that I might be nursed?
13 For now I would be lying downJob 17:1330:23 in peace; 13 Job 17:13 13 I would be asleep and at restver 17Job 7:8-10,21; 10:2213:1914:10-12; 19:27; 21:13,2327:19; Ps 139:11; Isa 8:22 13 Job 7:8-10,21; 14:10-12
14 with kings and counselors of the earth,Job 9:2412:17Isa 14:9; Eze 32:28-32 14 Job 12:17 14 who built for themselves places now lying in ruins,Job 15:28Jer 51:37; Na 3:7 14 Job 15:28
15 with rulersJob 12:21Isa 45:1 who had gold, 15 Job 12:21 15 who filled their houses with silver.Job 15:29; 20:1027:17Ps 49:16-17; Pr 13:22; 28:8; Ecc 2:26; Isa 2:7; Zep 1:11 15 Job 27:17
16 Or why was I not hidden in the ground like a stillborn child,Ps 58:8; Ecc 4:36:3 16 Ps 58:8; Ecc 6:3 16 like an infant who never saw the light of day?S ver 3; Ps 71:6
17 There the wicked cease from turmoil,ver 26; Job 30:26; Ecc 4:2; Isa 14:3 17 and there the weary are at rest.S ver 13Job 17:16 17 Job 17:16
18 CaptivesIsa 51:14 also enjoy their ease; 18 they no longer hear the slave driver'sS Ge 15:13 shout.Job 39:7 18 Job 39:7
19 The small and the great are there,Job 9:22; 17:16; 21:33; 24:24; 30:23; Ecc 12:5 19 and the slave is freed from his master.
20 "Why is light given to those in misery, 20 and life to the bitter of soul,S 1Sa 1:10Jer 20:18Eze 27:30-31 20 1Sa 1:10; Jer 20:18; Eze 27:30-31
21 to those who long for death that does not come,Rev 9:6 21 Rev 9:6 21 who search for it more than for hidden treasure,Ps 119:127Pr 2:4 21 Pr 2:4
22 who are filled with gladness 22 and rejoice when they reach the grave?Job 7:16; Ecc 4:3; Jer 8:3
23 Why is life given to a man 23 whose way is hidden,Pr 4:19; Isa 59:10; Jer 13:16; 23:12 23 whom God has hedged in?Job 6:4; 16:1319:6,8,12; Ps 88:8La 2:43:7Hos 2:6 23 Job 19:6,8,12; La 3:7
24 For sighingPs 5:1; 38:9; Isa 35:10 comes to me instead of food;Job 6:7; 33:20Ps 107:18 24 Job 6:7 24 my groansPs 22:1; 32:3; 38:8 pour out like water.1Sa 1:15; Job 30:16Ps 6:6; 22:1442:3,480:5; Isa 53:12; La 2:12 24 Ps 42:3-4
25 What I feared has come upon me; 25 what I dreadedJob 7:9; 9:2830:15Hos 13:3 has happened to me.S Ge 42:36 25 Job 30:15
26 I have no peace,Isa 48:22; Jn 14:27 no quietness; 26 I have no rest,Job 7:4,14Ps 6:6; Da 4:5; Mt 11:28 but only turmoil."S ver 17; S Job 10:18; S 19:8 26 Job 7:4,14 Job 4
1 Eliphaz
1 Then Eliphaz the TemaniteS Ge 36:11; Job 15:1; 22:1 replied:
2 "If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? 2 But who can keep from speaking?Job 32:20Jer 4:19; 20:9 2 Job 32:20
3 Think how you have instructed many,Dt 32:2; Job 29:23; Hos 6:3 3 how you have strengthened feeble hands.Job 26:2; Ps 71:9Isa 13:735:3Zep 3:16Heb 12:12 3 Isa 35:3; Heb 12:12
4 Your words have supported those who stumbled;Job 16:5; 29:16,25; Isa 1:17 4 you have strengthened faltering knees.Job 29:11,15Isa 35:3Jer 31:8Heb 12:12 4 Isa 35:3; Heb 12:12
5 But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged;S Jos 1:9 5 it strikesRu 1:13Job 1:1119:2130:21; Ps 38:2; Isa 53:4 you, and you are dismayed.Job 6:14Pr 24:10 5 Job 6:14; 19:21
6 Should not your piety be your confidence2Ki 18:19; Ps 27:3; 71:5Pr 3:26 6 Pr 3:26 6 and your blamelessS Ge 6:9Job 1:1 ways your hope? 6 Job 1:1
7 "Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished?Job 5:1136:7Ps 41:12; 2Pe 2:9 7 Job 36:7 7 Where were the upright ever destroyed?Job 8:20Ps 37:2591:9-10; Pr 12:21; 19:23 7 Job 8:20; Ps 37:25
8 As I have observed,Job 5:3; 15:17 those who plow evilJdg 14:18Job 5:615:35Ps 7:14; Isa 59:4 8 Job 15:35 8 and those who sow trouble reap it.Ps 7:15; 9:15Pr 11:1822:8Isa 17:11Hos 8:710:13; Gal 6:7-8 8 Pr 22:8; Hos 10:13; Gal 6:7-8
9 At the breath of GodS Ex 15:10; S Job 41:21Job 15:30Isa 30:332Th 2:8 they are destroyed; 9 Isa 30:33; 2Th 2:8 9 at the blast of his anger they perish.S Lev 26:38Job 40:13Isa 25:7 9 Job 40:13
10 The lions may roarPs 22:13 and growl, 10 yet the teeth of the great lionsPs 17:12; 22:21; Pr 28:15 are broken.Job 5:1529:17; 36:6; 38:15Ps 35:1058:6 10 Job 5:15; Ps 58:6
11 The lion perishes for lack of prey,Dt 28:41Job 27:1429:17Ps 34:1058:6; Pr 30:14 11 Ps 34:10 11 and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.Job 5:4
12 "A wordver 17-21; Job 32:13; Jer 9:23 was secretly brought to me, 12 my ears caught a whisperJob 26:14 of it.Job 33:14 12 Job 26:14; 33:14
13 Amid disquieting dreams in the night, 13 when deep sleep falls on men,Job 33:15 13 Job 33:15
14 fear and tremblingJob 21:6; Ps 48:6; 55:5; 119:120,161; Jer 5:22; Hab 3:16; S 2Co 7:15 seized me 14 and made all my bones shake.Jer 23:9Da 10:8Hab 3:16 14 Jer 23:9; Hab 3:16
15 A spirit glided past my face, 15 and the hair on my body stood on end.Da 5:6; 7:15,28; 10:8; Mt 14:26
16 It stopped, 16 but I could not tell what it was. 16 A form stood before my eyes, 16 and I heard a hushed voice:S 1Ki 19:12
17 'Can a mortal be more righteous than God?Job 9:213:18; Ps 143:2 17 Job 9:2 17 Can a man be more pure than his Maker?Job 8:3; 10:3; 14:4; 15:14; 21:14; 25:4; 31:15; 32:2235:1036:3,13; 37:23; 40:19; Ps 18:26; 51:5; 119:73; Pr 20:9; Ecc 7:20; Isa 51:13; Mal 2:10; Ac 17:24 17 Job 35:10
18 If God places no trust in his servants,Heb 1:14 18 if he charges his angels with error,Job 15:1521:22; 25:5 18 Job 15:15
19 how much more those who live in houses of clay,Job 10:933:6; Isa 64:8; Ro 9:21; 2Co 4:7; 5:1 19 Job 10:9 19 whose foundationsJob 22:16 are in the dust,S Ge 2:7 19 Ge 2:7; Job 22:16 19 who are crushedJob 5:4 more readily than a moth!Job 7:17; 15:16; 17:14; 25:6; Ps 22:6; Isa 41:14
20 Between dawn and dusk they are broken to pieces; 20 unnoticed, they perish forever.Job 14:2,2015:3320:724:24Ps 89:4790:5-6Jas 4:14 20 Job 20:7; Ps 90:5-6
21 Are not the cords of their tent pulled up,Job 8:22Isa 38:12 21 so that they dieJn 8:24 without wisdom?'[h] Some interpreters end the quotation after verse 17.Job 18:2136:12Pr 5:23; Jer 9:3 21 Job 36:12
