Job's Character and Wealth

¹There was a man in the land of aUz whose name was bJob, and that man was cblameless and upright, one who dfeared God and eturned away from evil. ²There were born to him fseven sons and three daughters. ³He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all gthe people of the east. ⁴His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. ⁵And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and hconsecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and ioffer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and jcursed1 God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.

Satan Allowed to Test Job

⁶Now there was a day when kthe sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and lSatan2 also came among them. ⁷The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From mgoing to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” ⁸And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you nconsidered my oservant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, pa blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” ⁹Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? ¹⁰Have you not put qa hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have rblessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. ¹¹But sstretch out your hand and ttouch all that he has, and he will ucurse you vto your face.” ¹²And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

Satan Takes Job's Property and Children

¹³Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, ¹⁴and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, ¹⁵and wthe Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants3 with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” ¹⁶While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, x“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.” ¹⁷While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, y“The Chaldeans formed zthree groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” ¹⁸While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, a“Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, ¹⁹and behold, a great wind came across bthe wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

²⁰Then Job arose and ctore his drobe and eshaved his head fand fell on the ground and worshiped. ²¹And he said, g“Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I hreturn. The Lord igave, and the Lord has taken away; jblessed be the name of the Lord.”

²²kIn all this Job did not sin or charge God with lwrong.