Job 1:7

Contemporary English Version

the Lord asked, "Satan, where have you been?" Satan replied, "I have been going all over the earth."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The Lord asked Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Hebrew Names Version
The LORD said to Hasatan, "Where have you come from?" Then Hasatan answered the LORD, and said, "From going back and forth in the eretz, and from walking up and down in it."

King James Version
And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord , and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

English Standard Version
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."

New Century Version
The Lord said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the Lord , "I have been wandering around the earth, going back and forth in it."

New English Translation
The Lord said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" And Satan answered the Lord , "From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it."

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

New American Standard Bible
The LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" Satan answered the LORD and said, "From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it."

World English Bible
Yahweh said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, "From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then the Lord sayde vnto Satan, Whence commest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, saying, From compassing the earth to and fro, and from walking in it.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Yahweh said to Satan, "From where do you come?" Then Satan answered Yahweh and said, "From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it."

Berean Standard Bible
"Where have you come from?" said the LORD to Satan. "From roaming through the earth," he replied, "and walking back and forth in it."

Complete Jewish Bible
Adonai asked the Adversary, "Where are you coming from?" The Adversary answered Adonai , "From roaming through the earth, wandering here and there."

Darby Translation
And Jehovah said to Satan, Whence comest thou? And Satan answered Jehovah and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

Easy-to-Read Version
The Lord said to Satan, "Where have you been?" Satan answered the Lord , "I have been roaming around the earth, going from place to place."

George Lamsa Translation
And the LORD said to Satan, Whence have you come? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking on it.

Good News Translation
The Lord asked him, "What have you been doing?" Satan answered, "I have been walking here and there, roaming around the earth."

Lexham English Bible
So Yahweh said to Satan, "From where have you come?" Then Satan answered Yahweh and said, "From roaming on the earth and from walking about in it."

Literal Translation
And Jehovah said to Satan, From where have you come? And Satan answered Jehovah and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the LORDE sayde vnto Sathan: From whence commest thou? Sathan answered the LORDE, and sayde: I haue gone aboute the lode, and walked thorow it.

American Standard Version
And Jehovah said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered Jehovah, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

Bible in Basic English
And the Lord said to the Satan, Where do you come from? And the Satan said in answer, From wandering this way and that on the earth, and walking about on it.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the Lorde saide vnto Satan Whence comest thou? Satan aunswered the Lorde and saide: From compassing the earth to and fro, & from walking through it.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the LORD said unto Satan: 'Whence comest thou?' Then Satan answered the LORD, and said: 'From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.'

King James Version (1611)
And the Lord said vnto Satan, Whence commest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and sayde, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking vp and downe in it.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the Lord said to the devil, Whence art thou come? And the devil answered the Lord, and said, I am come from compassing the earth, and walking up and down in the world.

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

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
To whom the Lord seide, Fro whennus comest thou? Which answeride, and seide, Y haue cumpassid the erthe, and Y haue walkid thorouy it.

Update Bible Version
And Yahweh said to Satan, Where do you come from? Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD said to Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down upon it.

New King James Version
And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" So Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it."

New Living Translation
"Where have you come from?" the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord , "I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that's going on."

New Life Bible
And the Lord said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the Lord and said, "From traveling around on the earth and walking around on it."

New Revised Standard
The Lord said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the Lord , "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Yahweh said unto the accuser, Whence comest thou? And the accuser answered Yahweh, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and wandering about therein.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord said to him: Whence comest thou? And he answered and said: I have gone round about the earth, and walked through it.

Revised Standard Version
The LORD said to Satan, "Whence have you come?" Satan answered the LORD, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it."

Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah saith unto the Adversary, `Whence comest thou?' And the Adversary answereth Jehovah and saith, `From going to and fro in the land, and from walking up and down on it.'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
The LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it."

Contextual Overview

⁶ One day, when the angels had gathered around the Lord , and Satan was there with them, ⁷ the Lord asked, "Satan, where have you been?" Satan replied, "I have been going all over the earth." ⁸ Then the Lord asked, "What do you think of my servant Job? No one on earth is like him—he is a truly good person, who respects me and refuses to do evil." ⁹ "Why shouldn't he respect you?" Satan remarked. ¹⁰ "You are like a wall protecting not only him, but his entire family and all his property. You make him successful in whatever he does, and his flocks and herds are everywhere. ¹¹ Try taking away everything he owns, and he will curse you to your face." ¹² The Lord replied, "All right, Satan, do what you want with anything that belongs to him, but don't harm Job." Then Satan left.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Whence: Job 2:2, 2 Kings 5:25

From going: Zechariah 1:10, Zechariah 1:11, Zechariah 6:7, Matthew 12:43, 1 Peter 5:8, Revelation 12:9, Revelation 12:12-17, Revelation 20:8

Reciprocal: Judges 9:9 - to be promoted over the trees 1 Kings 22:21 - General Luke 11:24 - he walketh Ephesians 2:2 - of the air Revelation 20:2 - the dragon

Cross-References

Genesis 1:8
and named it "Sky." Evening came and then morning—that was the second day.

Genesis 1:9

The Third Day

God said, "I command the water under the sky to come together in one place, so there will be dry ground." And that's what happened.

Genesis 1:11
God said, "I command the earth to produce all kinds of plants, including fruit trees and grain." And that's what happened.

Genesis 1:15
I command them to shine on the earth." And that's what happened.

Genesis 1:24

The Sixth Day

God said, "I command the earth to give life to all kinds of tame animals, wild animals, and reptiles." And that's what happened.

Genesis 1:28
God gave them his blessing and said: Have a lot of children! Fill the earth with people and bring it under your control. Rule over the fish in the ocean, the birds in the sky, and every animal on the earth.

Genesis 1:29
I have provided all kinds of fruit and grain for you to eat.

Job 26:8
God stores water in clouds, but they don't burst,

Psalms 104:10
You provide streams of water in the hills and valleys,

Psalms 148:4
Highest heavens, and the water above the highest heavens, come and offer praise.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the Lord said unto Satan, whence comest thou?.... This question is put, not as ignorant of the place from whence he came; for the omniscient God knows all persons and things, men and angels, and these good and bad, where they are, from whence they come, and what they do, see Genesis 3:9 but it is put either as being angry with him, and resenting his coming among the sons of God, and chiding him for it, as having no proper business there, like the question in Matthew 22:12, or rather in order to lead on to another, and to bring out from him what he intended to have expressed by him, of what he had seen and taken notice of in the place from whence he came, and particularly concerning Job: how God and spirits converse together we are not able to say; but no doubt there is a way in which God talks with spirits, even with evil ones, as well as good ones, and in which they speak to him; and so this does not at all affect the reality of this narrative:

then Satan answered the Lord and said, from going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it; this he said as swaggering and boasting, as if he was indeed the God of the whole world, the Prince and King of it, and had and exercised a sovereign dominion over it, and as such had been making a tour through it, and taking a survey of it, see Matthew 4:8, and as if he was at full liberty to go where he pleased, and was under no control, when he was in chains of darkness, and could go nowhere, nor do anything, without divine permission; could not touch Job, nor his substance, nor, as in the days of Christ, so much as enter into a herd of swine without leave: likewise this may denote the disquietude and restlessness of this evil spirit, who could not abide long in a place, but moving to and fro, seeking rest, but finding none, Matthew 12:43, as also his diligence and indefatigableness in doing and seeking to do mischief, going about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, taking all opportunities of doing injury, sowing his tares while men are asleep and off their guard, 1 Peter 5:8, and so the first word here used signifies a diligent search, and is rendered by some, and particularly by Mr. Broughton, "from searching about the earth" o, "and from walking in it"; and so the Targum,

"from going about in the earth, to search the works of the children of men, and from walking in it;''

and it points at the place of Satan's abode, the earth, with the circumambient air, Ephesians 2:2 and the extent of his influence, which reaches not to heaven, and to the saints there, out of which he is cast, and can never reenter, but to the earth only, and men on it; and here no place is free from him; he and his angels are roving about everywhere, city and country; public and private places, men's own houses, or the house of God, are not exempt from them; and therefore all here need to watch and pray, lest they enter into temptation,

Matthew 26:41. Schultens interprets the word of Satan going through the earth with great force and violence, whipping and scourging miserable mortals.

o So Rambam and Ben Melech.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? - This inquiry does not appear to have been made as if it was improper that Satan should have appeared there, for no blame seems to have been attached to him for this. He came as a spirit that was subject to the control of yahweh; he came with others, not to mingle in their society, and partake of their happiness, but to give an account of what he had done, and of what he had observed. The poetic idea is, that this was done periodically, and that “all” the spirits employed by yahweh to dispense blessings to mortals, to inflict punishment, or to observe their conduct, came and stood before him. Why the inquiry is directed particularly to “Satan,” is not specified. Perhaps it is not meant that there was any “special” inquiry made of him, but that, as he was to have so important an agency in the transactions which follow, the inquiry that was made of him only is recorded In respect to the others, nothing occurred pertaining to Job, and their examination is not adverted to. Or it may be, that, as Satan was known to be malignant, suspicious, and disposed to think evil of the servants of God, the design was to direct his attention particularly to Job as an illustrious and indisputable example of virtue and piety.

From going to and fro in the earth - Dr. Good renders this, “from roaming round.” Noyes, “from wandering over.” The word which is here used (שׁוּט shûṭ) means properly,

(1.) to whip, to scourge, to lash;

(2.) to row, that is, to lash the sea with oars;

(3.) to run up and down, to go here and there, or to and fro, so as to lash the air with one’s arms as with oars, and hence, to travel over a land, or to go through it in order to see it, 2 Samuel 24:2, 2 Samuel 24:8.

Dr. Good, in conformity with the interpretation proposed by Schultens, says that “the word imports, not so much the act of going forward and backward, as of making a circuit or circumference; of going round about. The Hebrew verb is still in use among the Arabic writers, and in every instance implies the same idea of gyration or circumambulation.” In Arabic, according to Castell, the word means “to heat, to burn, to cause to boil, to consume:” then to propel to weariness, as e. g. a horse, and then to make a circuit, to go about at full speed, to go with diligence and activity. Thus, in Carnuso, as quoted by Schultens, “a course made at one impulse to the goal is called שׁוט shôṭ. In 2 Samuel 24:2, the word is used in the sense of passing around through different places for the purpose of taking a census. “Go now (Margin, “compass”) through all the tribes of Israel.” In Numbers 11:8, it is applied to the Israelites going about to collect manna, passing rapidly and busily in the places where it fell for the purpose of gathering it.

In Zechariah 4:10, it is applied to “the eyes of Yahweh,” which are said to “run to and fro through the earth,” that is, he surveys all things as one does whose eye passes rapidly from object to object. The same phrase occurs in 2 Chronicles 16:9. In Jeremiah 5:1, it is applied to the action of a man passing rapidly through the streets of a city. “Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem “compare Jeremiah 49:3. From these passages it is clear that the idea is not that of going “in a circuit” or circle, but it is that of passing rapidly; of moving with alacrity and in a hurry; and it is not improbable that the “original” idea is that suggested in the Arabic of “heat” - and thence applied to a whip or scourge because it produces a sensation like burning, and also to a rapid journey or motion, because it produces heat or a glow. It means that Satan had been active and diligent in passing from place to place in the earth to survey it. The Chaldee adds to this, “to examine into the works of the sons of men.”

And from walking - That is, to investigate human affairs. On this verse it is observed by Rosenmullcr, that in the life of Zoroaster (see Zendavesta by John G. Kleukner, vol. 3: p. 11,) the prince of the evil demons, the angel of death, whose name is “Engremeniosch,” is said to go far and near through the world for the purpose of injuring and opposing good people.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 1:7. From going to and fro in the earth — The translation of the Septuagint is curious: Περιελθων την γην και εμπεριπατησας την ὑπ' ουρανον, παρειμι; "Having gone round the earth, and walked over all that is under heaven, I am come hither." The Chaldee says, "I am come from going round the earth to examine the works of the children of men; and from walking through it." Coverdale, who generally hits the sense, translates thus: I have gone aboute the londe ond walked thorow it. Mr. Good has it, from roaming round the earth, and walking about it.

St. Peter, as has been already stated, 1 Peter 5:8, refers to this: Be sober, be vigilant; for your ADVERSARY the DEVIL GOETH ABOUT, as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. I rather think, with Coverdale, that ארץ arets here signifies rather that land, than the habitable globe. The words are exceedingly emphatic; and the latter verb התהלך hithhallech being in the hithpael conjugation shows how earnest and determined the devil is in his work: he sets himself to walk; he is busily employed in it; he is seeking the destruction of men; and while they sleep, he wakes-while they are careless, he is alert. The spirit of this saying is often expressed by the simple inhabitants of the country: when they perceive a man plotting mischief, and frequent in transgression, they say, The devil is BUSY with him.