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The Book of Job

Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic

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- Chapter 1 -

Job and his family in Uz

(James 5:7-12)
1
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And this man was blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil.
2
He had seven sons and three daughters,
3
and he owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and a very large number of servants. Job was the greatest man of all the people of the East.
4
Job’s sons would take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
5
And when the days of feasting were over, Job would send for his children to purify them, rising early in the morning to offer burnt offerings for all of them. For Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.

Satan attacks Job's character

6
One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan (a) also came with them.
7
“Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan.From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.”
8
Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil.”
9
Satan answered the LORD, “Does Job fear God for nothing?
10
Have You not placed a hedge on every side around him and his household and all that he owns? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
11
But stretch out Your hand and strike all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”
12
“Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “Everything he has is in your hands, but you must not lay a hand on the man himself.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

Job loses his possessions and his children

13
One day, while Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,
14
a messenger came and reported to Job: “While the oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby,
15
the Sabeans swooped down and took them away. They put the servants to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
16
While he was still speaking, another messenger came and reported: “The fire of God fell from heaven. It burned and consumed the sheep and the servants, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
17
While he was still speaking, another messenger came and reported: “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels, and took them away. They put the servants to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
18
While he was still speaking, another messenger came and reported: “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,
19
when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on the young people and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
20
Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped,
21
saying:Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.”
22
In all this, Job did not sin or charge God with wrongdoing.

Footnotes

(a)1:6 That is, the Accuser or the Adversary; here and throughout Job 1

Job and his family in Uz

(James 5:7-12)
1
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God,(a) and turned away from evil.
2
There were born to him seven sons and three daughters.
3
His possessions also were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the children of the east.
4
His sons went and held a feast in the house of each one on his birthday; and they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
5
It was so, when the days of their feasting had run their course, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced God in their hearts.” Job did so continually.

Satan attacks Job's character

6
Now on the day when God’s sons came to present themselves before the LORD,(b) Satan also came among them.
7
The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, “From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.”
8
The LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant, Job? For there is no one like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil.”
9
Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing?
10
Haven’t you made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
11
But stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will renounce you to your face.”
12
The LORD said to Satan, “Behold,(c) all that he has is in your power. Only on himself don’t stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

Job loses his possessions and his children

13
It fell on a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,
14
that a messenger came to Job, and said, “The oxen were plowing, and the donkeys feeding beside them,
15
and the Sabeans attacked, and took them away. Yes, 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 has fallen from the sky, and has 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 made three bands, and swept down on the camels, and have taken 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, there came also another, and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,
19
and behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young men, and they are dead. I alone have escaped to tell you.”
20
Then Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down on the ground, and worshiped.
21
He said, “Naked I came out of my mother’s womb, and naked will I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the LORD’s name.”
22
In all this, Job didn’t sin, nor charge God with wrongdoing.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).
(b)1:6 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.
(c)1:12 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.