Study Desk

There was a man in the ^(C1)land of Uz whose name was ^(C2)Job; and that man was ^(C3)blameless, upright, ^(C4)fearing God and ^(C5)turning away from evil.

^(C1)Seven sons and three daughters were born to him.

^(C1)His possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was ^(C2)the greatest of all the ^(F1)men of the east.

His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send word and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send word to them and consecrate them, getting up early in the morning and offering ^(C1)burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, "^(C2)Perhaps my sons have sinned and ^(C3)cursed God in their hearts." Job did so continually.

^(C1)Now there was a day when the ^(F1)(C2)sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and ^(F2)Satan also came among them.

The LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" Satan answered the LORD and said, "^(C1)From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it."

The LORD said to Satan, "Have you ^(F1)considered ^(C1)My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, ^(C2)a blameless and upright man, ^(F2)fearing God and turning away from evil."

Then ^(C1)Satan answered the ^(F1)LORD, "Does Job fear God for nothing?

"^(C1)Have You not made a fence around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? ^(C2)You have blessed the work of his hands, and his ^(C3)possessions have increased in the land.

"^(C1)But reach out with Your hand now and ^(C2)touch all that he has; he will certainly curse You to Your face."

Then the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your ^(F1)power; only do not reach out and put your hand on him." So Satan departed from the presence of the LORD.

Now on the day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,

a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the female donkeys feeding beside them,

and ^(F1)the ^(C1)Sabeans ^(F2)attacked and took them. They also ^(F3)killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and ^(F4)I alone have escaped to tell you."

While he was still speaking, another came and said, "^(C1)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."

While he was still speaking, another came and said, "The ^(C1)Chaldeans formed three units and made a raid on the camels and took them, and ^(F1)killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,

and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

Then Job got up, ^(C1)tore his robe, and shaved his head; then he fell to the ground and worshiped.

He said, "^(C1)Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked I shall return there. The ^(C2)LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD."

^(C1)Despite all this, Job did not sin, nor did he ^(F1)blame God.

^(C1)Again, there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and ^(F1)Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD.

The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it."

The LORD said to Satan, "Have you ^(F1)considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man ^(F2)fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still ^(C1)holds firm to his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ^(F3)ruin him without cause."

Satan answered the LORD and said, "Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has, he will give for his life.

"^(C1)However, reach out with Your hand now, and ^(C2)touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face!"

So the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your ^(F1)power, only spare his life."

Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and struck Job with ^(C1)severe boils from the sole of his foot to the top of his head.

And Job took a piece of pottery to scrape himself while ^(C1)he was sitting in the ashes.

Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold firm your integrity? Curse God and die!"

But he said to her, "You are speaking as one of the foolish women speaks. ^(C1)Shall we actually accept good from God but not accept adversity?" ^(C2)Despite all this, Job did not sin with his lips.

Now when Job's three friends heard about all this adversity that had come upon him, they came, each one from his own place—Eliphaz the ^(C1)Temanite, Bildad the ^(C2)Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to ^(C3)sympathize with him and comfort him.

When they ^(F1)looked from a distance and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept. And each of them ^(C1)tore his robe, and they ^(C2)threw dust over their heads toward the sky.

^(C1)Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights, with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.