< Job 2 >

1 Again it happened on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, that Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.
And there came a certain day when the sons of God entered in, to present themselves unto Yahweh—so the accuser also entered in their midst, to present himself unto Yahweh.
2 The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, and said, "From going back and forth on the earth, and from walking up and down on it."
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 from wandering about therein.
3 The LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? For there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil. And he still holds firmly to his integrity, although you incited me against him, to ruin him without cause."
And Yahweh said unto the accuser, Hast thou applied thy heart unto my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a man blameless and upright, one who revereth God, and avoideth evil; and still he is holding fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to swallow him up without cause.
4 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, "Skin for skin. Indeed, all that a man has he will give for his life.
Then the accuser answered Yahweh, and said, Skin for skin, and so, all that a man hath, will he give for his life.
5 But put forth your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face."
In very deed, put forth, I pray thee thy hand, and smite unto his bone, and unto his flesh, —verily, unto thy face, will he curse thee.
6 The LORD said to Satan, "Look, he is in your power. Only preserve his life."
And Yahweh said unto the accuser, Behold him! in thy hand, —only, his life, preserve thou!
7 So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the top of his head.
So the accuser went forth from the presence of Yahweh, —and smote Job with a sore boil, from the sole of his foot, unto his crown.
8 And he took for himself a potsherd to scrape himself with while he sat among the ashes.
And he took him a potsherd, to scrape himself therewith; he being seated in the midst of ashes.
9 Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold firmly to your integrity? Curse God, and die."
Then said his wife unto him, Art thou still holding fast thine integrity? Curse God, and die!
10 But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we indeed accept good at the hand of God, and shall we not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
And he said unto her, As one of the base women speaketh, speakest thou? Blessing, shall we accept from God, and, misfortune, shall we not accept? In all this, Job sinned not with his lips.
11 Now when Job's three friends heard of all this adversity that had come on him, they each came from his own place: Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and to comfort him.
Now when the three friends of Job heard of all this misfortune which had befallen him, —they came, every man from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, —for they had by appointment met together to come to shew sympathy with him, and to comfort him.
12 When they lifted up their eyes from a distance, and did not recognize him, they raised their voices, and wept; and they each tore his robe, and threw dust in the air over their heads.
And, when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept—and rent, every one his robe, and sprinkled dust upon their heads, toward the heavens.
13 So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spoke a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.
And they sat with him upon the ground, seven days and seven nights, —and none was speaking unto him a word, for they saw that, exceeding great, was the stinging pain.

< Job 2 >