Job 1

Job's Character and Wealth

1 There was a man in the land of a Uz whose name was b Job, and that man was c blameless and upright, one who d feared God and e turned away from evil. 2 There were born to him f seven sons and three daughters. 3 He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all g the people of the east. 4 His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and h consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and i offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my children have sinned, and j cursed 1 God in their hearts." Thus Job did continually.

Satan Allowed to Test Job

6 Now there was a day when k the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and l Satan 2 also came among them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, "From where have you come?" Satan answered the Lord and said, "From m going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it." 8 And the Lord said to Satan, "Have you n considered my o servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, p a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?" 9 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, "Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put q a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have r blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But s stretch out your hand and t touch all that he has, and he will u curse you v 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.

Satan Takes Job's 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 there came a messenger to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and w the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants 3 with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you." 16 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, x "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 yet speaking, there came another and said, y "The Chaldeans formed z three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you." 18 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, a "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, 19 and behold, a great wind came across b the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

20 Then Job arose and c tore his d robe and e shaved his head f and fell on the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said, g "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I h return. The Lord i gave, and the Lord has taken away; j blessed be the name of the Lord."

22 k In all this Job did not sin or charge God with l wrong.

  1. Cross References
    Jeremiah 25:20
    And all the mixed tribes among them; all the kings of the land of Uz and all the kings of the land of the Philistines ( Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod).
    Lamentations 4:21
    Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, you who dwell in the land of Uz; but to you also the cup shall pass; you shall become drunk and strip yourself bare.
  2. Cross References
    Ezekiel 14:14
    Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness, declares the Lord God.
    Ezekiel 14:20
    Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, declares the Lord God, they would deliver neither son nor daughter. They would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness.
    James 5:11
    Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
  3. Cross References
    Job 1:8
    And 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, who fears God and turns away from evil?
    Job 2:3
    And 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, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.
    Job 9:20
    Though I am in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; though I am blameless, he would prove me perverse.
    Genesis 6:9
    These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.
    Genesis 17:1
    When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless.
  4. Cross References
    Job 4:6
    Is not your fear of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?
    Proverbs 16:6
    By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.
  5. Cross References
    Job 28:28
    And he said to man, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.'
    Psalms 34:14
    Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
  6. Cross References
    Job 42:13
    He had also seven sons and three daughters.
  7. Cross References
    Judges 6:3
    For whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them.
  8. Cross References
    1 Samuel 16:5
    And he said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice." And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
  9. Cross References
    Job 42:8
    Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.
    Genesis 8:20
    Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
  10. Cross References
    Job 2:5
    But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.
    Psalms 10:3
    For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord.
  11. Cross References
    Job 2:1
    Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord.
    Job 38:7
    When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
    Genesis 6:2
    The sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose.
    Genesis 6:4
    The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.
  12. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 21:1
    Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel.
    Zechariah 3:1
    Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.
    Revelation 12:9 - 10
    And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world - he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
  13. Cross References
    Job 2:2
    And the Lord said to Satan, "From where have you come?" Satan answered the Lord and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.
    1 Peter 5:8
    Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
  14. Cross References
    Job 2:3
    And 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, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.
  15. Cross References
    Numbers 12:7
    Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house.
    2 Samuel 7:5
    Go and tell my servant David, 'Thus says the Lord : Would you build me a house to dwell in?
    Isaiah 20:3
    Then the Lord said, "As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and a portent against Egypt and Cush.
  16. Cross References
    Job 1:1
    There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.
  17. Cross References
    Psalms 3:3
    But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.
    Psalms 34:7
    The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
  18. Cross References
    Psalms 128:1 - 2
    Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways!
  19. Cross References
    Job 2:5
    But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.
  20. Cross References
    Job 19:21
    Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me!
    Isaiah 53:4
    Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
  21. Cross References
    Job 1:5
    And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate 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 children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did continually.
  22. Cross References
    Isaiah 65:3
    A people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and making offerings on bricks.
  23. Cross References
    Job 6:19
    The caravans of Tema look, the travelers of Sheba hope.
    1 Kings 10:1
    Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions.
  24. Cross References
    2 Kings 1:12
    But Elijah answered them, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty." Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
  25. Cross References
    Genesis 11:28
    Haran died in the presence of his father Terah in the land of his kindred, in Ur of the Chaldeans.
    2 Kings 24:2
    And the Lord sent against him bands of the Chaldeans and bands of the Syrians and bands of the Moabites and bands of the Ammonites, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by his servants the prophets.
  26. Cross References
    Judges 7:16
    And he divided the 300 men into three companies and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and empty jars, with torches inside the jars.
    1 Samuel 11:11
    And the next day Saul put the people in three companies. And they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
  27. Cross References
    Job 1:4
    His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
    Job 1:13
    Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house.
  28. Cross References
    Isaiah 21:1
    The oracle concerning the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the Negeb sweep on, it comes from the wilderness, from a terrible land.
    Jeremiah 4:11
    At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, "A hot wind from the bare heights in the desert toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow or cleanse.
    Hosea 13:15
    Though he may flourish among his brothers, the east wind, the wind of the Lord, shall come, rising from the wilderness, and his fountain shall dry up; his spring shall be parched; it shall strip his treasury of every precious thing.
  29. Cross References
    Genesis 37:29
    When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes
  30. Cross References
    Ezra 9:3
    As soon as I heard this, I tore my garment and my cloak and pulled hair from my head and beard and sat appalled.
  31. Cross References
    Jeremiah 7:29
    "'Cut off your hair and cast it away; raise a lamentation on the bare heights, for the Lord has rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.'
  32. Cross References
    1 Peter 5:6
    Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.
  33. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 5:15
    As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand.
    Psalms 49:17
    For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.
    1 Timothy 6:7
    For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.
  34. Cross References
    Genesis 3:19
    By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
    Psalms 90:3
    You return man to dust and say, "Return, O children of man!
    Ecclesiastes 12:7
    And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
  35. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 5:19
    Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil - this is the gift of God.
    James 1:17
    Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
  36. Cross References
    Psalms 113:2
    Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore!
    Daniel 2:20
    Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might.
    Ephesians 5:20
    Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
    1 Thessalonians 5:18
    Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
  37. Cross References
    Job 2:10
    But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
  38. Cross References
    Job 24:12
    From out of the city the dying groan, and the soul of the wounded cries for help; yet God charges no one with wrong.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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