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.”

“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.

when the Sabeans raided us. They stole all the animals and killed all the farmhands. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: “The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the shepherds. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

Suddenly, a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and hit the house on all sides. The house collapsed, and all your children are dead. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.

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. And he has maintained his integrity, even though you urged me to harm him without cause.”

“All right, do with him as you please,” the Lord said to Satan. “But spare his life.”

But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.

Curse that day for failing to shut my mother’s womb, for letting me be born to see all this trouble.

“We have studied life and found all this to be true. Listen to my counsel, and apply it to yourself.”

they would outweigh all the sands of the sea. That is why I spoke impulsively.

“Is not all human life a struggle? Our lives are like that of a hired hand,

If I have sinned, what have I done to you, O watcher of all humanity? Why make me your target? Am I a burden to you?

The same happens to all who forget God. The hopes of the godless evaporate.

“Yes, I know all this is true in principle. But how can a person be declared innocent in God’s sight?

He made all the stars—the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the southern sky.

Innocent or wicked, it is all the same to God. That’s why I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’

I would still dread all the pain, for I know you will not find me innocent, O God.

For he knows those who are false, and he takes note of all their sins.

Get rid of your sins, and leave all iniquity behind you.

For they all know that my disaster has come from the hand of the Lord.

Job Wants to Argue His Case with God

“Look, I have seen all this with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears, and now I understand.

“You write bitter accusations against me and bring up all the sins of my youth.

You put my feet in stocks. You examine all my paths. You trace all my footprints.