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Job 1

World English Bible

WEB

1There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God, and turned away from evil. 2There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. 3His 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. 4His 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. 5It 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. 6Now on the day when God’s sons came to present themselves before Yahweh, Satan also came among them. 7Yahweh said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “From going back and forth on the earth, and from walking up and down in it.” 8Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant, Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil.” 9Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10Haven’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. 11But stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will renounce you to your face.” 12Yahweh said to Satan, “Behold, 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 Yahweh. 13It fell on a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14that a messenger came to Job, and said, “The oxen were plowing, and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15and 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.” 16While 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.” 17While 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.” 18While 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, 19and 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.” 20Then Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down on the ground, and worshiped. 21He said, “Naked I came out of my mother’s womb, and naked will I return there. Yahweh gave, and Yahweh has taken away. Blessed be Yahweh’s name.” 22In all this, Job didn’t sin, nor charge God with wrongdoing.

World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org

Overview

The Book of Job opens with a profound introduction to Job, a man described as blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil (#Job). He is blessed with great wealth, a large family, and a life of integrity. The narrative then shifts to a heavenly scene where the #Satan presents himself before God. God boasts about Job's righteousness, but the #Satan challenges this by suggesting that Job is only faithful because of the blessings he has received. This sets the stage for the trials that Job will face, as God permits the #Satan to test Job's faithfulness by stripping away his possessions and family, yet forbids him from harming Job physically. This interaction highlights the theme of faith under trial and the question of why the righteous suffer, which is central to the entire book.

As the chapter unfolds, calamity strikes Job's life. His livestock is stolen, his servants are killed, and a great wind collapses the house where his children are feasting, resulting in their tragic deaths. Despite these overwhelming losses, Job responds with remarkable faith, tearing his robe and shaving his head in mourning, yet he worships God, saying, "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job1:21). This response exemplifies Job's deep faith and trust in God's sovereignty, setting a powerful example for believers facing their own trials. The chapter concludes by noting that, in all this, Job did not sin or charge God with wrongdoing, establishing him as a model of patience and faithfulness amidst suffering.

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Referenced by

  1. Ruth 1:20-21v21Naomi's lament in Ruth 1:20-21, where she expresses her bitterness and loss, echoes Job's expression of suffering and acknowledgment of God's sovereignty in Job 1:21.
  2. 1 Chronicles 21:1v6In 1 Chronicles 21:1, Satan incites David to number Israel, similar to how Satan challenges God regarding Job's faithfulness in Job 1:6-12. Both passages highlight Satan's role as an adversary and tempter.
  3. Job 2:3v8In both Job 2:3 and Job 1:8, God describes Job as a blameless and upright man who fears God and shuns evil. This repetition emphasizes Job's righteousness and integrity, setting the stage for the trials he faces.
  4. Job 29:2v10In Job 29:2, Job longs for the days when God watched over him, which reflects the initial description of Job's blessed state in Job 1:10, where God had placed a hedge of protection around him.
  5. Job 32:2v1Job 32:2 introduces Elihu, who is angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God. This contrasts with Job 1:1, where Job is described as blameless and upright, highlighting the tension between Job's self-perception and Elihu's critique.
  6. Ecclesiastes 5:15v21Ecclesiastes 5:15 reflects on the reality that we leave the world as we came, with nothing, a sentiment echoed by Job in Job 1:21, where he acknowledges that he came naked from his mother's womb and will return the same way.
  7. Zechariah 3:1v6In Zechariah 3:1, Satan stands to accuse Joshua the high priest, similar to how Satan accuses Job before God in Job 1:6-12. Both passages depict Satan as the accuser of God's people.
  8. James 5:10-11v21James 5:10-11 cites the prophets and Job as examples of patience and endurance, highlighting Job's perseverance and faithfulness in suffering as seen in Job 1:21-22.

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