Satan Allowed to Test Job

Now there was a day when (A)the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and (B)Satan[a] also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From (C)going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you (D)considered my (E)servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, (F)a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put (G)a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have (H)blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But (I)stretch out your hand and (J)touch all that he has, and he will (K)curse you (L)to your face.” 12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 1:6 Hebrew the Accuser or the Adversary; so throughout chapters 1–2

Job’s First Test

One day the members of the heavenly court[a] came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan,[b] came with them. “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan.

Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.”

Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”

Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. 10 You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! 11 But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!”

12 “All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:6a Hebrew the sons of God.
  2. 1:6b Hebrew and the satan; similarly throughout this chapter.