Job 1-5

Job’s Loss

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Job and His Family in Uz

1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. 2 And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 3 Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East.

4 And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly.

Satan Attacks Job’s Character

6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. 7 And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?”

So Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”

8 Then 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, one who fears God and shuns evil?”

9 So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”

12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.”

So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

Job Loses His Property and Children

13 Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house; 14 and a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 when the Sabeans raided them and took them away—indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

17 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

18 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,

And naked shall I return there.

The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;

Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.

Satan Attacks Job’s Health

2 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?”

Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”

3 Then 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, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.”

4 So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a 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 surely curse You to Your face!”

6 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.”

7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 8 And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself while he sat in the midst of the ashes.

9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!”

10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Job’s Three Friends

11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him. 12 And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven. 13 So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.

Job Deplores His Birth

3 After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. 2 And Job spoke, and said:

3 “May the day perish on which I was born,

And the night in which it was said,

‘A male child is conceived.’

4 May that day be darkness;

May God above not seek it,

Nor the light shine upon it.

5 May darkness and the shadow of death claim it;

May a cloud settle on it;

May the blackness of the day terrify it.

6 As for that night, may darkness seize it;

May it not rejoice among the days of the year,

May it not come into the number of the months.

7 Oh, may that night be barren!

May no joyful shout come into it!

8 May those curse it who curse the day,

Those who are ready to arouse Leviathan.

9 May the stars of its morning be dark;

May it look for light, but have none,

And not see the dawning of the day;

10 Because it did not shut up the doors of my mother’s womb,

Nor hide sorrow from my eyes.

11 “Why did I not die at birth?

Why did I not perish when I came from the womb?

12 Why did the knees receive me?

Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?

13 For now I would have lain still and been quiet,

I would have been asleep;

Then I would have been at rest

14 With kings and counselors of the earth,

Who built ruins for themselves,

15 Or with princes who had gold,

Who filled their houses with silver;

16 Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child,

Like infants who never saw light?

17 There the wicked cease from troubling,

And there the weary are at rest.

18 There the prisoners rest together;

They do not hear the voice of the oppressor.

19 The small and great are there,

And the servant is free from his master.

20 “Why is light given to him who is in misery,

And life to the bitter of soul,

21 Who long for death, but it does not come,

And search for it more than hidden treasures;

22 Who rejoice exceedingly,

And are glad when they can find 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 before I eat,

And my groanings pour out like water.

25 For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me,

And what I dreaded has happened to me.

26 I am not at ease, nor am I quiet;

I have no rest, for trouble comes.”

Eliphaz: Job Has Sinned

4 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

2 “If one attempts a word with you, will you become weary?

But who can withhold himself from speaking?

3 Surely you have instructed many,

And you have strengthened weak hands.

4 Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,

And you have strengthened the feeble knees;

5 But now it comes upon you, and you are weary;

It touches you, and you are troubled.

6 Is not your reverence your confidence?

And the integrity of your ways your hope?

7 “Remember now, who ever perished being innocent?

Or where were the upright ever cut off?

8 Even as I have seen,

Those who plow iniquity

And sow trouble reap the same.

9 By the blast of God they perish,

And by the breath of His anger they are consumed.

10 The roaring of the lion,

The voice of the fierce lion,

And the teeth of the young lions are broken.

11 The old lion perishes for lack of prey,

And the cubs of the lioness are scattered.

12 “Now a word was secretly brought to me,

And my ear received a whisper of it.

13 In disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night,

When deep sleep falls on men,

14 Fear came upon me, and trembling,

Which made all my bones shake.

15 Then a spirit passed before my face;

The hair on my body stood up.

16 It stood still,

But I could not discern its appearance.

A form was before my eyes;

There was silence;

Then I heard a voice saying:

17 ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God?

Can a man be more pure than his Maker?

18 If He puts no trust in His servants,

If He charges His angels with error,

19 How much more those who dwell in houses of clay,

Whose foundation is in the dust,

Who are crushed before a moth?

20 They are broken in pieces from morning till evening;

They perish forever, with no one regarding.

21 Does not their own excellence go away?

They die, even without wisdom.’

Eliphaz: Job is Chastened by God

5 “Call out now; Is there anyone who will answer you?

And to which of the holy ones will you turn?

2 For wrath kills a foolish man,

And envy slays a simple one.

3 I have seen the foolish taking root,

But suddenly I cursed his dwelling place.

4 His sons are far from safety,

They are crushed in the gate,

And there is no deliverer.

5 Because the hungry eat up his harvest,

Taking it even from the thorns,

And a snare snatches their substance.

6 For affliction does not come from the dust,

Nor does trouble spring from the ground;

7 Yet man is born to trouble,

As the sparks fly upward.

8 “But as for me, I would seek God,

And to God I would commit my cause—

9 Who does great things, and unsearchable,

Marvelous things without number.

10 He gives rain on the earth,

And sends waters on the fields.

11 He sets on high those who are lowly,

And those who mourn are lifted to safety.

12 He frustrates the devices of the crafty,

So that their hands cannot carry out their plans.

13 He catches the wise in their own craftiness,

And the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them.

14 They meet with darkness in the daytime,

And grope at noontime as in the night.

15 But He saves the needy from the sword,

From the mouth of the mighty,

And from their hand.

16 So the poor have hope,

And injustice shuts her mouth.

17 “Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects;

Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.

18 For He bruises, but He binds up;

He wounds, but His hands make whole.

19 He shall deliver you in six troubles,

Yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.

20 In famine He shall redeem you from death,

And in war from the power of the sword.

21 You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue,

And you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes.

22 You shall laugh at destruction and famine,

And you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

23 For you shall have a covenant with the stones of the field,

And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.

24 You shall know that your tent is in peace;

You shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss.

25 You shall also know that your descendants shall be many,

And your offspring like the grass of the earth.

26 You shall come to the grave at a full age,

As a sheaf of grain ripens in its season.

27 Behold, this we have searched out;

It is true.

Hear it, and know for yourself.”

 The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Job 1:1–5:27.