Job 2
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Attack on Job’s Health
2 One day the heavenly beings[a] came to present themselves before the Lord, and the accuser[b] also came among them to present himself before the Lord.(A) 2 The Lord said to the accuser,[c] “Where have you come from?” The accuser[d] answered the Lord, “From going to and fro on the earth and from walking up and down on it.”(B) 3 The Lord said to the accuser,[e] “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil. He still persists in his integrity, although you incited me against him, to destroy him for no reason.”(C) 4 Then the accuser[f] answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! All that the man has he will give for his life. 5 But stretch out your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.”(D) 6 The Lord said to the accuser,[g] “Very well, he is in your power; only spare his life.”(E)
7 So the accuser[h] went out from the presence of the Lord and inflicted loathsome sores on Job from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.(F) 8 Job[i] took a potsherd with which to scrape himself and sat among the ashes.(G)
9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse[j] God and die.” 10 But he said to her, “You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Shall we receive good from God and not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.(H)
Job’s Three Friends
11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all these troubles that had come upon him, each of them set out from his home—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to go and console and comfort him.(I) 12 When they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him, and they raised their voices and wept aloud; they tore their robes and threw dust in the air upon their heads.(J) 13 They sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.(K)
Job 2
International Standard Version
Satan’s Second Attack on Job
2 Some time later, divine beings again[a] presented themselves to the Lord, and Satan accompanied them to present himself to the Lord. 2 The Lord asked Satan, “Where have you come from?”
In response, Satan told the Lord, “From wandering all over the earth and walking back and forth throughout it.”
3 The Lord asked Satan, “Have you considered[b] my servant Job? There is no one like him on earth. The man is blameless as well as upright. He fears God and keeps away from evil. He remains firm in his integrity, even though you have been urging me to overwhelm him without cause.”
4 Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! The man will give up everything that he owns in exchange for his health.[c] 5 However, stretch out your hand[d] and strike his bones and flesh, and he’ll curse you to your face, won’t he?”
6 Then the Lord told Satan, “Very well then, he is under your control.[e] Just preserve his life.”[f]
7 So Satan left the Lord’s presence and struck Job with terrible boils from the sole of his feet to the top of his head. 8 Job[g] took a broken piece of pottery to scrape himself while sitting among the ashes.
Job Refuses to Curse God
9 Then his wife told him, “Do you remain firm in your integrity? Curse God and die!”
10 But he replied to her, “You’re talking like foolish women do. Are we to accept[h] what is good from God but not tragedy?”
Throughout all of this, Job did not sin by what he said.[i]
Job’s Friends Visit
11 When Job’s three friends heard all these tragedies that happened to him, they each traveled from their home towns[j] to visit him. Eliphaz came from Teman,[k] Bildad came from Shuah,[l] and Zophar came from Naamath.[m] They met together and went to console and comfort him. 12 Observing him from a distance, at first they didn’t even recognize him, so they raised their voices and burst into tears. They each ripped their robes, threw ashes into the air on their heads, 13 and sat with Job[n] on the ground for a full week[o] without saying a word, since they could see the great extent of his anguish.
Footnotes
- Job 2:1 Lit. later, the sons of God
- Job 2:3 Lit. you set your heart over
- Job 2:4 Lit. his soul
- Job 2:5 Or send judgment
- Job 2:6 Lit. hand
- Job 2:6 Lit. his soul
- Job 2:8 Lit. He
- Job 2:10 Or receive
- Job 2:10 Lit. by his lips
- Job 2:11 Lit. from his place
- Job 2:11 Lit. Eliphaz the Temanite; i.e. from Teman in Edom, and so throughout the book
- Job 2:11 Lit. Bildad the Shuhite; i.e. from Shuah, and so throughout the book
- Job 2:11 Lit. Zophar the Naamathite; i.e. from Naamath in Arabia, and so throughout the book
- Job 2:13 Lit. him
- Job 2:13 Lit. for seven days and seven nights
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