Satan Attacks Job's Health

Again (A)there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. And the Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still (B)holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him (C)without reason.” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. But (D)stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will (E)curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.”

So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome (F)sores from (G)the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took (H)a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in (I)the ashes.

Then his wife said to him, “Do you still (J)hold fast your integrity? (K)Curse God and die.”

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Satan’s Second Attack on Job

Some time later, divine beings again[a] presented themselves to the Lord, and Satan accompanied them to present himself to the Lord. 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.”

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.”

Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! The man will give up everything that he owns in exchange for his health.[c] However, stretch out your hand[d] and strike his bones and flesh, and he’ll curse you to your face, won’t he?”

Then the Lord told Satan, “Very well then, he is under your control.[e] Just preserve his life.”[f]

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. Job[g] took a broken piece of pottery to scrape himself while sitting among the ashes.

Job Refuses to Curse God

Then his wife told him, “Do you remain firm in your integrity? Curse God and die!”

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Footnotes

  1. Job 2:1 Lit. later, the sons of God
  2. Job 2:3 Lit. you set your heart over
  3. Job 2:4 Lit. his soul
  4. Job 2:5 Or send judgment
  5. Job 2:6 Lit. hand
  6. Job 2:6 Lit. his soul
  7. Job 2:8 Lit. He