Job

Job

There was in the land of Uz, a man whose name was Job. He was good and very rich, with great flocks of sheep and goats and herds of camels and asses, and with seven sons and three daughters and many servants. And because of his blameless life, God thought very highly of Job.

Now Satan, who had often heard Jehovah

speak of His servant Job with pride in his uprightness, sought to change His mind. He went before Jehovah and urged that the man of Uz be put to the test of losing all his worldly goods.

So Jehovah agreed to put His servant to the test.

One day soon after, a messenger came to tell Job that his oxen and asses and servants had been set upon by the Sabeans and that he alone had escaped death or capture.

While he was yet speaking, another servant came in to say that all Job's sheep and those guarding them had been consumed by fire. And another came to report that the Chaldeans had stolen Job's camels.

Before he had finished, there came one last servant to say, "Your sons and daughters were all eating in their eldest brother's house, when a great wind came from the wilderness. It smote all four corners of the house at once, and the house was destroyed, and all the children and servants were killed."

Then Job arose, tearing his clothes in grief. He shaved his head, fell to the ground, and worshiped God, saying, "The Lord gave, and now the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."

Then the Lord said to Satan, "Although you have afflicted him without cause, there still is none so good on the earth as my servant Job."

But Satan argued, "A man will give all he has to save his life. But touch his bone or flesh and he will curse You."

And the Lord said, "He is in your power, only save his life."

So Satan smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. Then Job's wife, in despair, came to the city gate where Job sat in the dust scraping his sores with a piece of broken pottery, and said to him, "Curse God, and die." But Job answered. "You speak like a foolish woman. We receive good from the hand of the Lord. Shall we not therefore also receive evil?"

Job's friends came and mourned and argued with him, but still Job would not raise his voice against the Lord.

At last God, knowing that Job would be faithful to the end, saw that it was needless to test him further. Job had remained true to his faith against all the temptations and trials devised by Satan, so God rewarded him twofold in worldly goods, and the remainder of Job's days were full of peace and contentment.