Job 1:13-2:13

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 1 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.

Job 2

Satan Attacks Job's Health

1 Again m 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. 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." 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 n holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him o without reason." 4 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, "Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. 5 But p stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will q curse you to your face." 6 And the Lord said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life."

7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome r sores from s the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 8 And he took t a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in u the ashes.

9 Then his wife said to him, "Do you still v hold fast your integrity? q Curse God and die." 10 But he said to her, "You speak as one of the w foolish women would speak. x Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" 2 y In all this Job did not z sin with his lips.

Job's Three Friends

11 Now when Job's three a friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place, Eliphaz b the Temanite, Bildad c the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They made an appointment together to come to d show him sympathy and comfort him. 12 And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they e tore their robes and sprinkled f dust on their heads toward heaven. 13 And they sat with him on the ground g seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Cross References
    Genesis 37:29
    When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes
  8. 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.
  9. 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.'
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.
  15. 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.
  16. 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.
  17. Cross References
    Job 1:6
    Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.
  18. Cross References
    Job 2:9
    Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.
    Job 27:5 - 6
    Far be it from me to say that you are right; till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.
  19. Cross References
    Job 9:17
    For he crushes me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause.
  20. Cross References
    Job 1:11
    But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.
  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
    Exodus 9:9
    It shall become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and become boils breaking out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt.
    Leviticus 13:18
    If there is in the skin of one's body a boil and it heals.
    Deuteronomy 28:27
    The Lord will strike you with the boils of Egypt, and with tumors and scabs and itch, of which you cannot be healed.
  23. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 28:35
    The Lord will strike you on the knees and on the legs with grievous boils of which you cannot be healed, from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head.
    Isaiah 1:6
    From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil.
  24. Cross References
    Job 41:30
    His underparts are like sharp potsherds; he spreads himself like a threshing sledge on the mire.
  25. Cross References
    Job 42:6
    Therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
    Ezekiel 27:30
    And shout aloud over you and cry out bitterly. They cast dust on their heads and wallow in ashes.
    Jonah 3:6
    The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
    Matthew 11:21
    Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
  26. 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.
  27. 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.
  28. Cross References
    Psalms 74:18
    Remember this, O Lord, how the enemy scoffs, and a foolish people reviles your name.
    Psalms 74:22
    Arise, O God, defend your cause; remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!
  29. Cross References
    James 5:10 - 11
    As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
  30. Cross References
    Job 1:22
    In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.
  31. Cross References
    Psalms 39:1
    I said, "I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence.
  32. Cross References
    Proverbs 17:17
    A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
  33. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 1:45
    Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.
  34. Cross References
    Genesis 25:2
    She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
    1 Chronicles 1:32
    The sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine: she bore Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan.
  35. Cross References
    Job 42:11
    Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and ate bread with him in his house. And they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him. And each of them gave him a piece of money and a ring of gold.
    Romans 12:15
    Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
  36. Cross References
    Genesis 37:29
    When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes
  37. Cross References
    Joshua 7:6
    Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they put dust on their heads.
    Nehemiah 9:1
    Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth on their heads.
    Lamentations 2:10
    The elders of the daughter of Zion sit on the ground in silence; they have thrown dust on their heads and put on sackcloth; the young women of Jerusalem have bowed their heads to the ground.
    Ezekiel 27:30
    And shout aloud over you and cry out bitterly. They cast dust on their heads and wallow in ashes.
  38. Cross References
    Ezekiel 3:15
    And I came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who were dwelling by the Chebar canal, and I sat where they were dwelling. And I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days.
    Genesis 50:10
    When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they lamented there with a very great and grievous lamentation, and he made a mourning for his father seven days.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.