Job 1
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
I. Prologue
Chapter 1
Job’s Piety. 1 In the land of Uz[a] there was a blameless and upright man named Job,(A) who feared God and avoided evil. 2 Seven sons and three daughters were born to him; 3 and he had seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred she-donkeys, and a very large household, so that he was greater than anyone in the East.[b] 4 His sons used to take turns giving feasts, sending invitations to their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 And when each feast had run its course, Job would send for them and sanctify them, rising early and offering sacrifices for every one of them. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned and cursed[c] God in their hearts.” Job did this habitually.
The Interview Between the Lord and the Satan. 6 (B)One day, when the sons of God[d] came to present themselves before the Lord, the satan also came among them.(C) 7 The Lord said to the satan, “Where have you been?” Then the satan answered the Lord and said,(D) “Roaming the earth and patrolling it.” 8 The Lord said to the satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him, blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil.” 9 The satan answered the Lord and said, “Is it for nothing that Job is God-fearing? 10 Have you not surrounded him and his family and all that he has with your protection? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock are spread over the land. 11 (E)But now put forth your hand and touch all that he has, and surely he will curse you to your face.” 12 The Lord said to the satan, “Very well, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on him.” So the satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.
The First Trial. 13 One day, while his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys grazing beside them, 15 and the Sabeans[e] carried them off in a raid. They put the servants to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 16 He was still speaking when another came and said, “God’s fire has fallen from heaven and struck the sheep and the servants and consumed them; I alone have escaped to tell you.” 17 He was still speaking when another came and said, “The Chaldeans[f] formed three columns, seized the camels, carried them off, and put the servants to the sword; I alone have escaped to tell you.” 18 He was still speaking when another came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother, 19 and suddenly a great wind came from across the desert and smashed the four corners of the house. It fell upon the young people and they are dead; I alone have escaped to tell you.”
Job’s Reaction. 20 Then Job arose and tore his cloak and cut off his hair. He fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 He said,
“Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb,(F)
and naked shall I go back there.[g]
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
blessed be the name of the Lord!”
22 In all this Job did not sin,(G) nor did he charge God with wrong.
Footnotes
- 1:1 Uz: somewhere in Edom or Arabia; see Lam 4:21. Job: the name probably means “Where is the (divine) father?” In Hebrew it is almost a homonym with the word for “enemy” (see note on 13:24; cf. 33:10).
- 1:3 The East: that is, east of Palestine.
- 1:5 Cursed: lit., “blessed.” So also in v. 11; 2:5, 9.
- 1:6 Sons of God: members of the divine council; see Gn 6:1–4; Dt 32:8; Ps 82:1. The satan: lit., “adversary” (as in 1 Kgs 11:14). Here a member of the heavenly court, “the accuser” (Zec 3:1). In later biblical traditions this character will be developed as the devil (Gk. diabolos, “adversary”).
- 1:15 Sabeans: from southern Arabia.
- 1:17 Chaldeans: from southern Mesopotamia; in the mid-first millennium B.C., synonymous with “Babylonians.”
- 1:21 Go back there: to the earth; cf. Gn 2:7; see note on Sir 40:1.
Job 1
New American Standard Bible
Job’s Character and Wealth
1 There was a man in the (A)land of Uz whose name was (B)Job; and that man was (C)blameless, upright, (D)fearing God and (E)turning away from evil. 2 (F)Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 3 (G)His possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was (H)the greatest of all the [a]men of the east. 4 His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send word and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send word to them and consecrate them, getting up early in the morning and offering (I)burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “(J)Perhaps my sons have sinned and (K)cursed God in their hearts.” Job did so continually.
6 (L)Now there was a day when the [b](M)sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and [c]Satan also came among them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “(N)From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” 8 The Lord said to Satan, “Have you [d]considered (O)My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, (P)a blameless and upright man, [e]fearing God and turning away from evil.” 9 Then (Q)Satan answered the [f]Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 (R)Have You not made a fence around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? (S)You have blessed the work of his hands, and his (T)possessions have increased in the land. 11 (U)But reach out with Your hand now and (V)touch all that he has; he will certainly curse You to Your face.” 12 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your [g]power; only do not reach out and put your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord.
Satan Allowed to Test Job
13 Now on the day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the female donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and [h]the (W)Sabeans [i]attacked and took them. They also [j]killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and [k]I alone have escaped to tell you.” 16 While he was still speaking, another came and said, “(X)The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 17 While he was still speaking, another came and said, “The (Y)Chaldeans formed three units and made a raid on the camels and took them, and [l]killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 18 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
20 Then Job got up, (Z)tore his robe, and shaved his head; then he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 He said,
“(AA)Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked I shall return there.
The (AB)Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
22 (AC)Despite all this, Job did not sin, nor did he [m]blame God.
Footnotes
- Job 1:3 Lit sons
- Job 1:6 I.e., prob. angels
- Job 1:6 Heb ha-satan; i.e., the adversary, and so throughout the ch
- Job 1:8 Lit set your heart on
- Job 1:8 Or revering
- Job 1:9 Lit Lord and said
- Job 1:12 Lit hand
- Job 1:15 Lit Sheba
- Job 1:15 Lit fell upon
- Job 1:15 Lit struck
- Job 1:15 Lit only I alone, and so also vv 16, 17, 19
- Job 1:17 Lit struck
- Job 1:22 Lit ascribe unseemliness to
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