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.”