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Another day came when the sons of God came to serve Adonai, and among them came the Adversary to serve Adonai. Adonai asked the Adversary, “Where are you coming from?” The Adversary answered Adonai, “From roaming through the earth, wandering here and there.” Adonai asked the Adversary, “Did you notice my servant Iyov, that there’s no one like him on earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and shuns evil, and that he still holds on to his integrity, even though you provoked me against him to destroy him for no reason?” The Adversary answered Adonai, “Skin for skin! A person will give up everything he has to save his life. But if you reach out your hand and touch his flesh and bone, without doubt he’ll curse you to your face!” Adonai said to the Adversary, “Here! He is in your hands, except that you are to spare his life.”

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. He took a piece of a broken pot to scratch himself and sat down in the pile of ashes. His wife asked him, “Why do you still hold on to your integrity? Curse God, and die!” 10 But he answered her, “You’re talking like a low-class woman! Are we to receive the good at God’s hands but reject the bad?” In all this Iyov did not say one sinful word.

11 Now when Iyov’s three friends heard of all the calamities that had overwhelmed him, they all came. Each came from his own home — Elifaz from Teiman, Bildad from Shuach and Tzofar from Na‘amah. They had agreed to meet together in order to come and offer him sympathy and comfort. 12 When they saw him from a distance, they couldn’t even recognize him. They wept aloud, tore their coats and threw dust over their heads toward heaven. 13 Then they sat down with him on the ground. For seven days and seven nights, no one spoke a word to him; because they saw how much he was suffering. 14 (3:1) At length, Iyov broke the silence and cursed the day of his [birth].

Satan Strikes Job’s Flesh

(A)Again it was the day that the sons of God came to stand before Yahweh, and Satan also came among them to stand himself before Yahweh. And Yahweh said to Satan, “Where do you come from?” Then Satan answered Yahweh and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” And Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you set your heart upon My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, [a]fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still (B)holds fast his integrity. So you incited Me against him to swallow him up in vain.” Satan answered Yahweh and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. (C)However, send forth Your hand now, and (D)touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You in Your face.” So Yahweh said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, only spare his life.”

Then Satan went out from the presence of Yahweh and struck Job with (E)terrible boils from the sole of his foot to the top of his head. And he took a potsherd to scrape himself while (F)he was sitting among the ashes.

Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!” 10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the wickedly foolish women speaks. (G)Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept calamity?” (H)In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Job’s Three Friends

11 Then Job’s three friends heard of all this calamity that had come upon him. So they came each one from his own place, Eliphaz the (I)Temanite, Bildad the (J)Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to (K)console him and comfort him. 12 Then they lifted up their eyes at a distance and did not recognize him, and they lifted up their voices and wept. And each of them (L)tore his robe, and they (M)threw dust over their heads toward the sky. 13 (N)Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.

Footnotes

  1. Job 2:3 Or revering