(א) אִ֛ישׁ הָיָ֥ה בְאֶֽרֶץ־ע֖וּץ אִיּ֣וֹב שְׁמ֑וֹ וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ הָאִ֣ישׁ הַה֗וּא תָּ֧ם וְיָשָׁ֛ר וִירֵ֥א אֱלֹהִ֖ים וְסָ֥ר מֵרָֽע׃
(1) There was a man in the land of Uz named Job. That man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.
THERE ONCE WAS A MAN IN THE LAND OF UZ WHOSE NAME WAS JOB - The opening words of the book, "there once was a man named Job" sort of give off the idea that this book is a work of fable, but if that were the case, the book loses all its power, and given the opening words, it's understandable how one would come to that conclusion. Rather, it is because this man existed and endured trial that the book speaks to us to this day. But as for the name itself, "אִיּ֣וֹב" its etymology is uncertain. One possibility is that it is derived from the root for "to hate, to be an enemy," it may relate to a passive nominal form, hence "the hated one" or "the persecuted one." Another possibility relates to an active nominal form: "the enemy, the hater."
(ב) וַיִּוָּ֥לְדוּ ל֛וֹ שִׁבְעָ֥ה בָנִ֖ים וְשָׁל֥וֹשׁ בָּנֽוֹת׃ (ג) וַיְהִ֣י מִ֠קְנֵ֠הוּ שִֽׁבְעַ֨ת אַלְפֵי־צֹ֜אן וּשְׁלֹ֧שֶׁת אַלְפֵ֣י גְמַלִּ֗ים וַחֲמֵ֨שׁ מֵא֤וֹת צֶֽמֶד־בָּקָר֙ וַחֲמֵ֣שׁ מֵא֣וֹת אֲתוֹנ֔וֹת וַעֲבֻדָּ֖ה רַבָּ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד וַֽיְהִי֙ הָאִ֣ישׁ הַה֔וּא גָּד֖וֹל מִכׇּל־בְּנֵי־קֶֽדֶם׃
(2) Seven sons and three daughters were born to him; (3) his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred she-asses, and a very large household. That man was wealthier than anyone in the East.
THAT MAN WAS GREATER THAN ANYONE IN THE EAST - A common idea throughout the Tanakh, the vastness of material wealth and familial blessing was seen as a direct result of godliness and as a proof of his godliness (cf. Deut 28:1-14), to the point that the book describes him as the greatest man of the East, perhaps in both a physical and moral sense?
SEVEN SONS, AND THREE DAUGHTERS- SEVEN THOUSAND SHEEP, THREE THOUSAND CAMELS- FIVE HUNDRED OXEN, FIVE HUNDRED SHE-ASSES - It's also worth noting that the numbers given of his children and livestock all add up to 10 or some form of it, or are divisible by 10. Seven sons, three daughters (10); seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels (10 x 1000); five hundred oxen, five hundred female donkeys (10 x 100). The number 10 is associated with fullness, but biblically, it speaks of trial or testing (see Num 14:22; Dan 1:12) especially considering that Egypt had 10 plagues. This is excellent foreshadowing.
(ד) וְהָלְכ֤וּ בָנָיו֙ וְעָשׂ֣וּ מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה בֵּ֖ית אִ֣ישׁ יוֹמ֑וֹ וְשָׁלְח֗וּ וְקָֽרְאוּ֙ לִשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת אַחְיֹתֵיהֶ֔ם לֶאֱכֹ֥ל וְלִשְׁתּ֖וֹת עִמָּהֶֽם׃
(4) It was the custom of his sons to hold feasts, each on his set day in his own home. They would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
IT WAS THE CUSTOM OF HIS SONS - The opening Hebrew phrase is difficult to make out by translators, so it's rendered variously. But what we do know is that it refers to a habitual pattern. It could literally mean having religious feast days, a rotation among the boys, or literal birthdays, we don't know, we can only go by what information we're given in the following verses.
(ה) וַיְהִ֡י כִּ֣י הִקִּ֩יפוּ֩ יְמֵ֨י הַמִּשְׁתֶּ֜ה וַיִּשְׁלַ֧ח אִיּ֣וֹב וַֽיְקַדְּשֵׁ֗ם וְהִשְׁכִּ֣ים בַּבֹּ֘קֶר֮ וְהֶעֱלָ֣ה עֹלוֹת֮ מִסְפַּ֣ר כֻּלָּם֒ כִּ֚י אָמַ֣ר אִיּ֔וֹב אוּלַי֙ חָטְא֣וּ בָנַ֔י וּבֵרְכ֥וּ אֱלֹהִ֖ים בִּלְבָבָ֑ם כָּ֛כָה יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה אִיּ֖וֹב כׇּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃ {פ}
(5) When a round of feast days was over, Job would send word to them to sanctify themselves, and, rising early in the morning, he would make burnt offerings, one for each of them; for Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts.” This is what Job always used to do.
FOR JOB THOUGHT, "PERHAPS MY CHILDREN HAVE CURSED G-D IN THEIR HEARTS." - Jobs concern that during their feasting his children may have cursed G-d- seems to emphasize his piety, rather than his children's sin. From what we see, to 'curse G-d in your heart' mostly refers to an outward, verbal cursing of G-d. Job exhibits exemplary behavior in his sacrifice for his children, which may also mean that this is a pre-Israelite period since there is no mention of a tabernacle or any temple service of any kind.
(ו) וַיְהִ֣י הַיּ֔וֹם וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים לְהִתְיַצֵּ֖ב עַל־יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיָּב֥וֹא גַֽם־הַשָּׂטָ֖ן בְּתוֹכָֽם׃
(6) One day the divine beings presented themselves before the LORD, and the Adversary came along with them.
THE SONS OF G-D PRESENTED THEMSELVES - This is where the juice of the story actually begins, especially since the necessary character backdrop has been established and we know who Job is. Job is the subject of a giant spiritual "battle" played out on Earth. The angelic beings come to present themselves before G-d, with Satan in their midst, he is like the other "sons of G-d" in that he enters the heavenly courts, but also unlike them in that only he alone is identified, but is referred to as an outsider.
ONE DAY - The text says that the plot unfolded on a fateful day (lit. "the day") but there is no indication of what day or time out of the year. According to later rabbinic tradition, this was the first day of the seventh month of the biblical calendar; the day of the sounding of trumpets, which was later developed as Rosh Hashanah; the new year and time of judgment. This is also reflected in the Aramaic targums. It renders "the day" of 2:1 to refer to the day of atonement, which falls on the tenth day of the seventh month. This would then mean that there was a space of 10 days from 1:6 to 2:1, which is definitely plausible, but a little compressed given that the events unfold in the first two chapters (the continual appearance of the number 10 is quite interesting). Also, the rabbinic interpretive tradition is also in keeping with the rabbinic concept that the first 10 days of the seventh were days of divine testing.
וַהֲוָה יוֹם דִינָא רַבָּא יוֹם שְׁבוֹק סָרְחָנַיָא וַאֲתוֹ כִתֵּי מַלְאֲכַיָא לְמֵקוּם בְּדִינָא קֳדָם יהוה וַאֲתָא לְחוֹד סִטְנָא בִּמְצִיעֵיהוֹן לְמֵקוּם בְּדִינָא קֳדָם יהוה:
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(ז) וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶל־הַשָּׂטָ֖ן מֵאַ֣יִן תָּבֹ֑א וַיַּ֨עַן הַשָּׂטָ֤ן אֶת־יְהֹוָה֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר מִשּׁ֣וּט בָּאָ֔רֶץ וּמֵֽהִתְהַלֵּ֖ךְ בָּֽהּ׃
(7) The LORD said to the Adversary, “Where have you been?” The Adversary answered the LORD, “I have been roaming all over the earth.”
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" - G-d’s question, as some will try and point out, does not imply a lack of omniscience, but the opposite, He knows the answer to the question, it's simply rhetorical. The purpose of the question was (as indicated) for the sake of accountability & disclosure, rather than to gain information.
THE ADVERSARY ANSWERED, "I HAVE BEEN ROAMING ALL OVER THE EARTH." - As for Satan's response, he speaks about roaming the Earth as if he owned it, he's going "back and forth" throughout the land, just as G-ds word to Abraham in Genesis 13:17 to "walk throughout the land." It's as if Satan is saying no one on Earth is righteous, in the same way, someone says to an earthly national leader that they have no loyal citizens.
(ח) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־הַשָּׂטָ֔ן הֲשַׂ֥מְתָּ לִבְּךָ֖ עַל־עַבְדִּ֣י אִיּ֑וֹב כִּ֣י אֵ֤ין כָּמֹ֙הוּ֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ אִ֣ישׁ תָּ֧ם וְיָשָׁ֛ר יְרֵ֥א אֱלֹהִ֖ים וְסָ֥ר מֵרָֽע׃
(8) The LORD said to the Adversary, “Have you noticed My servant Job? There is no one like him on earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and shuns evil!”
"HAVE YOU NOTICED MY SERVANT JOB?" - The meaning behind Satan's response to the earlier question is confirmed here in this verse by G-ds immediate response. He responds with Job himself, as he was called G-ds servant. Which for anyone is the best possible endorsement. G-ds description of Job is the same description we're given when we read v.1.
(ט) וַיַּ֧עַן הַשָּׂטָ֛ן אֶת־יהוה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַֽחִנָּ֔ם יָרֵ֥א אִיּ֖וֹב אֱלֹהִֽים׃ (י) הֲלֹֽא־[אַ֠תָּ֠ה] (את) שַׂ֣כְתָּ בַעֲד֧וֹ וּבְעַד־בֵּית֛וֹ וּבְעַ֥ד כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־ל֖וֹ מִסָּבִ֑יב מַעֲשֵׂ֤ה יָדָיו֙ בֵּרַ֔כְתָּ וּמִקְנֵ֖הוּ פָּרַ֥ץ בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
(9) The Adversary answered the LORD, “Does Job fear God for nothing? (10) Why, it is You who have fenced him round, him and his household and all that he has. You have blessed his efforts so that his possessions spread out in the land.
"DOES JOB FEAR G-D FOR NOTHING?" - It is written in the New Testament (Titus 1:15), "To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure, in fact, both their minds and conscience are corrupted." In the same way, Satan is the opposite of Job- full of corruption as opposed to being blameless; mocking G-d instead of fearing Him, and embodying evil instead of running from it. And so, as a result, he cannot believe that someone would serve G-d without some ulterior motive. This is an insult to G-d as if there's nothing about G-d that makes Him worth praising.
(יא) וְאוּלָם֙ שְֽׁלַֽח־נָ֣א יָֽדְךָ֔ וְגַ֖ע בְּכׇל־אֲשֶׁר־ל֑וֹ אִם־לֹ֥א עַל־פָּנֶ֖יךָ יְבָרְכֶֽךָּ׃
(11) But lay Your hand upon all that he has and he will surely blaspheme You to Your face.”
"TAKE ALL HE HAS AND HE WILL SURELY CURSE YOU TO YOUR FACE" - His intentions become clearer with every word he speaks, combative, cold, and cruel. He is evil manifest
(יב) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־הַשָּׂטָ֗ן הִנֵּ֤ה כׇל־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ֙ בְּיָדֶ֔ךָ רַ֣ק אֵלָ֔יו אַל־תִּשְׁלַ֖ח יָדֶ֑ךָ וַיֵּצֵא֙ הַשָּׂטָ֔ן מֵעִ֖ם פְּנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃
(12) The LORD replied to the Adversary, “See, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on him.” The Adversary departed from the presence of the LORD.
"ALL HE HAS IS IN YOUR HAND" - We're familiar with this part of the story but at some level, it's still shocking, especially if you're reading it for the first time. We should have expected G-d to rebuke Satan saying, "Absolutely not! I love Job, he's my servant!" But we know that there was a greater purpose, one that glorifies G-d, and one that was ultimately in the best interest of Job (as hard as that is to comprehend). But this verse is very telling about the nature of G-d as well, He would not lay a finger on Job, his livestock, or his family, Satan would have to carry out those destructive acts himself.
(יג) וַיְהִ֖י הַיּ֑וֹם וּבָנָ֨יו וּבְנֹתָ֤יו אֹֽכְלִים֙ וְשֹׁתִ֣ים יַ֔יִן בְּבֵ֖ית אֲחִיהֶ֥ם הַבְּכֽוֹר׃
(13) One day, as his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother,
ONE DAY - Again, we see another "fateful day" (see note on 1:4)
AS HIS SONS AND DAUGHTERS WERE EATING AND DRINKING - Satans actions seemed to have taken place almost immediately, the text seems to imply that what occurs is like an ambush. In the Gospel of John (John 8:44), Satan is described as "a murderer from the beginning," He is also described by Peter (1 Peter 5:8) as prowling (or "roaming") around "like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." In the verses that follow, we see him doing what he's always done. And despite the fact that G-d permitted him to carry out these cruel acts (possibly a demonstration to the extent of His providence even over His enemies), the text makes it clear that G-d does not rise against anyone without just cause. It is Satan who does all these things.
(יד) וּמַלְאָ֛ךְ בָּ֥א אֶל־אִיּ֖וֹב וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַבָּקָר֙ הָי֣וּ חֹֽרְשׁ֔וֹת וְהָאֲתֹנ֖וֹת רֹע֥וֹת עַל־יְדֵיהֶֽם׃ (טו) וַתִּפֹּ֤ל שְׁבָא֙ וַתִּקָּחֵ֔ם וְאֶת־הַנְּעָרִ֖ים הִכּ֣וּ לְפִי־חָ֑רֶב וָאִמָּ֨לְטָ֧ה רַק־אֲנִ֛י לְבַדִּ֖י לְהַגִּ֥יד לָֽךְ׃ (טז) ע֣וֹד ׀ זֶ֣ה מְדַבֵּ֗ר וְזֶה֮ בָּ֣א וַיֹּאמַר֒ אֵ֣שׁ אֱלֹהִ֗ים נָֽפְלָה֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַתִּבְעַ֥ר בַּצֹּ֛אן וּבַנְּעָרִ֖ים וַתֹּֽאכְלֵ֑ם וָאִמָּ֨לְטָ֧ה רַק־אֲנִ֛י לְבַדִּ֖י לְהַגִּ֥יד לָֽךְ׃ (יז) ע֣וֹד ׀ זֶ֣ה מְדַבֵּ֗ר וְזֶה֮ בָּ֣א וַיֹּאמַר֒ כַּשְׂדִּ֞ים שָׂ֣מוּ ׀ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה רָאשִׁ֗ים וַֽיִּפְשְׁט֤וּ עַל־הַגְּמַלִּים֙ וַיִּקָּח֔וּם וְאֶת־הַנְּעָרִ֖ים הִכּ֣וּ לְפִי־חָ֑רֶב וָאִמָּ֨לְטָ֧ה רַק־אֲנִ֛י לְבַדִּ֖י לְהַגִּ֥יד לָֽךְ׃ (יח) עַ֚ד זֶ֣ה מְדַבֵּ֔ר וְזֶ֖ה בָּ֣א וַיֹּאמַ֑ר בָּנֶ֨יךָ וּבְנוֹתֶ֤יךָ אֹֽכְלִים֙ וְשֹׁתִ֣ים יַ֔יִן בְּבֵ֖ית אֲחִיהֶ֥ם הַבְּכֽוֹר׃ (יט) וְהִנֵּה֩ ר֨וּחַ גְּדוֹלָ֜ה בָּ֣אָה ׀ מֵעֵ֣בֶר הַמִּדְבָּ֗ר וַיִּגַּע֙ בְּאַרְבַּע֙ פִּנּ֣וֹת הַבַּ֔יִת וַיִּפֹּ֥ל עַל־הַנְּעָרִ֖ים וַיָּמ֑וּתוּ וָאִמָּ֨לְטָ֧ה רַק־אֲנִ֛י לְבַדִּ֖י לְהַגִּ֥יד לָֽךְ׃
(14) a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the she-asses were grazing alongside them (15) when Sabeans attacked them and carried them off, and put the boys to the sword; I alone have escaped to tell you.” (16) This one was still speaking when another came and said, “God’s fire fell from heaven, took hold of the sheep and the boys, and burned them up; I alone have escaped to tell you.” (17) This one was still speaking when another came and said, “A Chaldean formation of three columns made a raid on the camels and carried them off and put the boys to the sword; I alone have escaped to tell you.” (18) This one was still speaking when another came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother (19) when suddenly a mighty wind came from the wilderness. It struck the four corners of the house so that it collapsed upon the young people and they died; I alone have escaped to tell you.”
A MESSENGER CAME TO JOB - All the messengers came as the sole survivor of their particular ordeal. The first comes and says that Sabeans came and killed his servants in an act of human cruelty, the second comes and describes what seemed to him as divine fire, and the third comes and says the camels were stolen and servants killed.
THIS ONE WAS STILL SPEAKING WHEN ANOTHER CAME - Job is receiving the news from these messengers all at the same, but the final straw is when he hears from the final messenger about his children all being dead. Given Jobs worldview, there could be no doubt in his mind that all these events were orchestrated by the hand of G-d. Years of blessing and wealth, gone. The only question that remains is: 'How will Job respond?'
(כ) וַיָּ֤קׇם אִיּוֹב֙ וַיִּקְרַ֣ע אֶת־מְעִל֔וֹ וַיָּ֖גׇז אֶת־רֹאשׁ֑וֹ וַיִּפֹּ֥ל אַ֖רְצָה וַיִּשְׁתָּֽחוּ׃ (כא) וַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ עָרֹ֨ם יָצָ֜תִי מִבֶּ֣טֶן אִמִּ֗י וְעָרֹם֙ אָשׁ֣וּב שָׁ֔מָּה יְהֹוָ֣ה נָתַ֔ן וַֽיהֹוָ֖ה לָקָ֑ח יְהִ֛י שֵׁ֥ם יְהֹוָ֖ה מְבֹרָֽךְ׃
(20) Then Job arose, tore his robe, cut off his hair, and threw himself on the ground and worshiped. (21) He said, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the LORD has given, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”
JOB AROSE, TORE HIS ROBE, SHAVED HIS HEAD, FELL TO THE GROUND, AND WORSHIPED - Satan had made his prediction about Jobs response to the news from his messengers. Instead, Job demonstrates why G-d boasted about him in the first place. He got up; which means he was probably sitting down, tore his robe, shaved his head, which at the time was an outward-physical symbol of mourning (cf. Deut 21:12-13; Ezek 27:31), and worshipped, he praised the name of G-d instead of cursing Him, Job has no idea that this was the work of Satan, but blesses G-d, and for that moment, he is defeated. He defeats Satan at this moment because even in his anger and pain, he still blesses G-d, this is the example that's highlighted in that text so we should emulate this behavior, because everything that happened to Job, occurred in the most extreme sense, so anything that happens to us, seems light in comparison.
THE LORD HAS GIVEN AND THE LORD HAS TAKEN AWAY - Despite the fact that we know that G-d did not take anything from Job, a point is made: G-d is free to give and take as He pleases because there is nothing that we can cultivate from our own doing that didn't already belong to G-d, because you cannot steal something that belongs to you.
(כב) בְּכׇל־זֹ֖את לֹא־חָטָ֣א אִיּ֑וֹב וְלֹא־נָתַ֥ן תִּפְלָ֖ה לֵאלֹהִֽים׃ {פ}
(22) For all that, Job did not sin nor did he cast reproach on God.
FOR ALL THAT - This is added in emphasis of all that had just occurred, leading to the culmination of Jobs response to all that happened to him.
JOB DID NOT CHARGE G-D WITH WRONG - This last verse is variously rendered, depending on what translation you read. The Hebrew word used; "תִּפְלָ֖ה," is the subject of the varying readings from one translation to another. NJPS renders the word as "reproach, which is an interesting translation since the word best suited would be "wrongdoing" or "wrong." The word is rendered as such in translations like the LEB, ESV, and NIV. "תִּפְלָ֖ה" could also be used to mean "tastelessness" or "offensiveness." Interestingly, the LXX renders it as "thoughtlessness," which seems as an interesting parallel to the very nature of G-d, as G-d (by definition) is not thoughtless, and so to accuse Him of such would be what Satan would have expected of him. Either way, the text makes it clear that G-d did not commit said "thoughtlessness" or "wrongdoing."