Job 1
1 Once there was a man called Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was a man of integrity who did what was right. He respected God and avoided evil.
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God, and turned away from evil.
2 He had seven sons and three daughters.
There were born to him seven sons and three daughters.
3 He owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred teams of oxen, and five hundred female donkeys, as well as many servants. He was more wealthy than anyone else in the East.
His possessions also were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the children of the east.
4 Job's sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes on their specific day, also inviting their sisters to come and eat and drink with them.
His sons went and held a feast in the house of each one on his birthday; and they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
5 When the days of feasting were over, Job would send for them and purify them by getting up early in the morning to offer a burnt offering for each of them. He was concerned, thinking to himself, “Maybe my children have sinned in some way and have unintentionally offended God.” This is what Job always did.
It was so, when the days of their feasting had run their course, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced God in their hearts.” Job did so continually.
6 One day the angels came to present themselves to the Lord, and Satan came with them.
Now on the day when God’s sons came to present themselves before the LORD, Satan also came amongst them.
7 The Lord asked Satan, “What have you been doing?” “Traveling around on earth, going here and there,” Satan replied.
The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, “From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.”
8 “Have you paid attention to Job, my servant?” asked the Lord. “There's no one like him on earth, a man of integrity who does what is right, who respects God and avoids evil.”
The LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant, Job? For there is no one like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil.”
9 “Is it for nothing that Job respects God?” Satan answered. “You've placed a protective fence around him and his family—in fact around everything he has.
Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing?
10 You have blessed everything he does. His flocks and herds have increased so much they fill the whole land!
Haven’t you made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
11 But if you reach out and take everything he has, he will definitely curse you to your face.”
But stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will renounce you to your face.”
12 The Lord told Satan, “Very well, you have the power to do whatever you want to everything he has, but don't hurt him physically.” Then Satan left the Lord's presence.
The LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only on himself don’t stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
13 The day came when while Job's sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house,
It fell on a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,
14 a messenger came to Job and told him, “As the oxen were plowing and female donkeys were grazing nearby,
that a messenger came to Job, and said, “The oxen were ploughing, and the donkeys feeding beside them,
15 the Sabeans attacked and took them, killing the herdsmen. Only I escaped to bring you this news.”
and the Sabeans attacked, and took them away. Yes, they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
16 While he was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and set the sheep and shepherds on fire and burned them up. Only I escaped to bring you this news.”
While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God has fallen from the sky, and has burnt up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
17 While he was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “Three armed companies of Chaldeans attacked the camels and took them, killing the herdsmen. Only I escaped to bring you this news.”
While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans made three bands, and swept down on the camels, and have taken them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
18 While he was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother
While he was still speaking, there came also another, and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,
19 when all of a sudden a tremendous wind came in from the desert. It hit the house on all four sides so that it collapsed on them and they died. Only I escaped to bring you this news.”
and behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young men, and they are dead. I alone have escaped to tell you.”
20 Then Job stood up and tore his robe. Then cut off his hair and fell to the ground in worship.
Then Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down on the ground, and worshipped.
21 “I was naked when I came out of my mother's womb, and I shall be naked when I leave,” he said. “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. May the Lord's name be honored.”
He said, “Naked I came out of my mother’s womb, and naked will I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the LORD’s name.”
22 In all of this Job did not sin, nor blame God.
In all this, Job didn’t sin, nor charge God with wrongdoing.
