King James Version

Job 2

13 verses with commentary

Satan's Second Attack

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.

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The second divine council scene parallels chapter 1, demonstrating that God's purposes unfold in stages. The repetition 'sons of God came to present themselves' shows the regularity of divine governance over the spirit realm. Satan's continued presence despite his failure with Job reveals that God permits evil agents to continue operating even after their accusations prove false—not because God is indecisive, but to further demonstrate His sovereignty and the authenticity of His servants' faith.

And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

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God's question 'Hast thou considered my servant Job?' is identical to 1:8, emphasizing that Job remains the exemplar of righteous faith despite his losses. God's initiative in directing Satan's attention to Job demonstrates His sovereign confidence in His own preserving grace. The phrase 'he holdeth fast his integrity' uses the Hebrew 'chazaq' (to seize, hold firmly), indicating Job's active, volitional perseverance—not passive resignation but Spirit-wrought faithfulness.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. to destroy: Heb. to swallow him up

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God's second testimony adds 'he holdeth fast his integrity' (machaziq be-tummato, מַחֲזִיק בְּתֻמָּתוֹ). The verb chazaq means to be strong, to hold firmly—Job clings to integrity despite loss. God then accuses Satan: 'although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause' (chinnam, חִנָּם). This divine statement is crucial: God acknowledges Job's suffering has no basis in personal sin. The phrase vindicates Job's protests and refutes his friends' theology that all suffering results from sin.

And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

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Satan's proverb 'skin for skin' likely reflects an ancient trading principle—a person will sacrifice external possessions to preserve their own life. The phrase 'all that a man hath will he give for his life' reveals Satan's materialistic anthropology: he cannot comprehend worship that transcends self-preservation. This challenges the health-and-wealth gospel and exposes the prosperity heresy—Satan's own theology! Reformed faith maintains that true religion perseveres even to martyrdom (Revelation 2:10).

But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

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Satan requests permission to touch Job's 'bone and flesh'—his physical person—predicting this will cause Job to curse God directly ('to thy face'). The Hebrew 'nega'' (touch) is the same word used for plague or affliction, suggesting painful physical disease. Satan assumes that bodily suffering penetrates deeper than economic loss, revealing his belief that humans are fundamentally materialistic. Yet God's grant of permission demonstrates His confidence that true faith endures even physical torment.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. but: or, only

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God grants Satan permission to afflict Job's body but draws a clear boundary: 'save his life.' This demonstrates God's absolute sovereignty even over Satan's attacks—the adversary can only go as far as divinely permitted. The preservation of Job's life ensures the trial doesn't end prematurely and that Job's vindication will be complete. This parallels Jesus's words to Peter: Satan demanded to sift him, but Christ's prayer ensures his faith doesn't fail (Luke 22:31-32).

So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

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Satan's immediate action ('went forth from the presence of the Lord and smote Job') shows his eagerness to execute his accusation. The 'sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown' indicates comprehensive, excruciating bodily affliction covering Job's entire body. The Hebrew 'shechin ra'' (evil boils/inflammation) suggests a painful, disfiguring condition. This physical suffering isolates Job socially while causing constant agony, testing whether his worship depends on comfort or conviction.

And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.

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Job scraping himself with a potsherd (broken pottery) while sitting among ashes depicts complete abasement. The ash heap was both the city dump and a place of mourning/repentance. The imagery suggests Job is treating himself as refuse, yet this self-abasement paradoxically positions him for God's eventual vindication (compare James 4:10). His action demonstrates that faith perseveres even when suffering strips away all dignity and comfort.

Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

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Job's wife urges him to 'curse God and die.' The verb barek normally means 'to bless' but here is a euphemism for cursing—ancient scribes avoided writing 'curse God.' Her counsel is Satan's desired outcome. Job's response calls her words foolish (nevalah, נְבָלָה), denoting moral senselessness. His rhetorical question 'Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?' establishes profound theology: faith must accept God's sovereignty in adversity as well as prosperity.

But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

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Job's rebuke of his wife is theologically profound: 'shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?' The Hebrew 'ra'' (evil/calamity) acknowledges that both blessing and affliction come from God's sovereign hand. This is not dualism—God doesn't commit moral evil—but it affirms that God ordains all circumstances, including suffering (Isaiah 45:7). The narrator's verdict 'in all this did not Job sin with his lips' shows that accepting God's sovereignty over both prosperity and adversity is righteous, not fatalistic.

Job's Three Friends Arrive

Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

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Job's three friends—Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar—hear of his calamities and come 'to mourn with him and to comfort him.' Their names and origins suggest they represent the wisdom traditions of the wider Ancient Near East. Their initial motivation appears righteous: covenant friendship demands presence in suffering. This sets up the tragedy that follows—good intentions without divine wisdom produce false comfort that 'makes the heart sick' (Proverbs 13:12).

And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.

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The friends' inability to recognize Job demonstrates the severity of his disfigurement. Their actions—lifting their voices weeping, tearing their robes, sprinkling dust on their heads—represent genuine covenant mourning. The seven days and nights of silence reveal proper pastoral care: presence precedes pronouncement. Unfortunately, this wise silence will soon give way to false accusations, showing that even those who begin well can fail without maintaining humble dependence on God's wisdom.

So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

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So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great. This verse captures one of the most powerful acts of compassion in Scripture—the ministry of presence. Job's three friends—Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar—demonstrate profound empathy by sitting in silent solidarity with their suffering friend. The Hebrew verb yashab (יָשַׁב, "sat down") indicates intentional, deliberate action; they chose to enter into Job's grief.

The seven-day period parallels ancient mourning customs (Genesis 50:10, 1 Samuel 31:13) and symbolizes completeness in Hebrew thought. Sitting on the ground was a traditional posture of mourning, symbolizing humility and identification with the sufferer. Their silence was not awkward or empty, but filled with shared sorrow—they recognized that Job's pain was beyond words.

The phrase "his grief was very great" (kiy-gadal hakkeh-ev me'od) emphasizes the overwhelming magnitude of Job's suffering. His friends' initial response models biblical comfort: presence over platitudes, solidarity over solutions. Tragically, when they later broke their silence, they abandoned this ministry of presence for theological arguments, becoming "miserable comforters" (Job 16:2). This teaches that sometimes the most powerful ministry is simply being present with those who suffer.

About Job

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Job 2

Satan's Second Attack

Job's Three Friends Arrive

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