Beginning
Job and His Children
1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. Now that man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters 3 and his possessions were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen and 500 female donkeys, and a very large household. That man was the greatest of all the people of the East.
4 Now it was customary for his sons to hold a banquet, each on his own day in his own house. They would send to invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When the round of banquet days was completed, Job would send for them and consecrate them. He would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings, according to the number of them all. For Job said, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did everyday.
The Adversary Tests Job
6 One day the sons of God came to present themselves before Adonai, and the satan[a] also came with them. 7 Adonai said to the satan, “Where have you come from?”
The satan responded to Adonai and said, “From roaming the earth and from walking on it.”[b]
8 Adonai said to the satan, “Did you notice my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth—a blameless and upright man, who fears God and spurns evil.”
9 Then the satan responded to Adonai, saying, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have you not made a hedge around him, his household, and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But now, stretch out Your hand and strike everything he has, and he will certainly curse You to Your face!”
12 Then Adonai said to the satan, “Everything he has is in your hand. Only do not extend your hand against him!” So the satan departed from the presence of Adonai.
13 One day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to Job, saying, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing near them, 15 when the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They also killed the servants with the edge of the sword—I alone escaped to tell you!”
16 While this one was still speaking another came in and said, “The fire of God has fallen from heaven and has burned up the sheep and servants—it has consumed them, and I—I alone—escaped to tell you!”
17 While this one was still speaking another came in and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands and raided the camels and took them all away. They also killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”
18 While this one was still speaking another came in and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine at their oldest brother’s house 19 when suddenly a mighty wind came from beyond the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it collapsed on the young people and they died. And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”
20 Then Job got up, tore his robe, shaved his head, fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 Then he said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will return there.
Adonai gave and Adonai has taken away;
blessed be the Name of Adonai.”
22 Through all this, Job did not sin nor did he cast reproach on God.
Affliction of the Body
2 Again the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before Adonai, and the satan also arrived among them to present himself before Adonai. 2 Adonai said to him, “Where are you coming from?”
The satan answered Adonai, “From roaming the earth and from walking on it.”
3 Then Adonai said to the satan, “Have you noticed My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and spurns evil. And he still holds firmly to his integrity, though you incited Me against him to ruin him without any reason.”
4 The satan replied to Adonai saying, “Skin for skin! A man will give up all he has for his own life. 5 But now, stretch out Your hand and strike his bone and his flesh, and he will certainly curse You to Your face!”
6 Adonai said to the satan, “Very well, he is in your hand—only spare his life!”
7 So the satan departed from the presence of Adonai, and afflicted Job with painful boils, from the sole of his foot to the top of his head. 8 He took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself while he was sitting among the ashes.
9 Then his wife said to him, “Are you still holding firmly to your integrity? Curse God and die!”
10 He said to her, “You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Should we accept the good from God and not accept the bad?”
Through all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Three Friends Sit Shiva
11 When Job’s three friends heard about all this calamity that had come upon him, each of them came from his own place—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to come and mourn with him and to comfort him. 12 But when they saw him from a distance they did not recognize him, and they raised their voices and wept. Each one tore his robe and threw dust into the air onto their heads. 13 Then they sat with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights. No one spoke a word to him because they saw that his pain was very great.
Job Curses His Own Birth
3 After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed his day. 2 Then Job answered and said:
3 “May the day I was born perish,
and the night that said,
‘A man is conceived!’
4 That day—may it be darkness;
may God above not regard it;
may no light shine on it.
5 May darkness and deep gloom reclaim it;
may a cloud settle over it;
may whatever blackens the day terrify it.
6 That night—may thick darkness seize it;
may it not be included among the days of the year,
nor be entered among the number of months.
7 Indeed, may that night be barren;
may no joyful shout enter it.
8 May those who curse, curse the day—
those ready to awaken Leviathan.
9 May its morning stars be darkened;
may it hope for light but have none—
may it never see the eyelids of dawn.
10 For it did not shut the doors of the womb on me,
nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.
11 Why did I not die at birth
and expire as I exited the womb?
12 Why did the knees welcome me,
and breasts that I might nurse?
13 For now I would be lying down and quiet;
I would be asleep and at rest
14 with kings and counselors of the earth,
who built for themselves places now desolate,
15 with princes who had gold,
who filled their houses with silver.
16 Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn,
like infants who never saw light?
17 There the wicked cease from turmoil,
and there the weary are at rest.
18 Prisoners are at ease together;
they do not hear the voice of the taskmaster.
19 Small and great are there;
and slave is free from his master.
20 Why is light given to one who suffers
and life to the bitter of soul,
21 to those who long for death, but it does not come,
who dig for it more than for hidden treasures,
22 who are filled with gladness
and rejoice when finding the grave?
23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden,
and whom God has hedged in?
24 For my sighing comes instead of my bread,
and my groans pour out like water.
25 For the thing I dreaded has come upon me,
and what I feared has happened to me.
26 I have no ease, no quietness;
I have no rest, but turmoil came.”
Eliphaz: God is Righteous
4 Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded and said:
2 “If one attempts a word with you, will you become impatient?
But who can keep from speaking?
3 Behold, you have instructed many;
you have strengthened weak hands.
4 Your words have supported those who stumbled,
and strengthened buckling knees.
5 Yet now it has come to you,
and you are discouraged;
it strikes you,
and you are dismayed.
6 Is not your piety your confidence,
the integrity of your ways your hope?
7 Reflect now:
Who, being innocent, ever perished?
And where were the upright destroyed?
8 As I have seen, those who plow iniquity
and sow harm, reap them.[c]
9 By the breath[d] of God they perish;
by the blast of His anger they vanish.[e]
10 The lion may roar and the cub growl,
but the teeth of young lions are broken.
11 The mighty lion perishes for lack of prey
and the lioness’ cubs are scattered.
Testimony of an Accusing Spirit
12 Now a word was secretly brought to me,
and my ear caught a whisper of it.
13 Amid unsettling visions in the night,
when a deep sleep falls on men,
14 dread and trembling seized me,
and made my bones shake.
15 Then a spirit brushed over my face,
and the hair of my flesh stood on end.
16 It stood still,
but I could not recognize its appearance,
A form was before my eyes
and I heard a murmur, a voice:
17 ‘Can a mortal be righteous before God;
or a man pure before his Creator?
18 If He puts no trust in His servants
and accuses His angels of error,
19 how much more those
who dwell in houses of clay,
whose foundation is in the dust,
who are crushed before the moth?
20 From morning until evening they are beaten into pieces—
unnoticed, they perish forever.
21 Is not their tent cord pulled out,
so that they die without wisdom.’”
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.