< Job 2 >
1 And the day is, that sons of God come in to station themselves by Jehovah, and there doth come also the Adversary in their midst to station himself by Jehovah.
Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.
2 And Jehovah saith unto the Adversary, 'Whence camest thou?' And the Adversary answereth Jehovah and saith, 'From going to and fro in the land, and from walking up and down in it.'
And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence come you? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
3 And Jehovah saith unto the Adversary, 'Hast thou set thy heart unto My servant Job because there is none like him in the land, a man perfect and upright, fearing God and turning aside from evil? and still he is keeping hold on his integrity, and thou dost move Me against him to swallow him up for nought!'
And the LORD said unto Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God, and turns away from evil? and still he holds fast his integrity, although you moved me against him, to destroy him without cause.
4 And the Adversary answereth Jehovah and saith, 'A skin for a skin, and all that a man hath he doth give for his life.
And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man has will he give for his life.
5 Yet, put forth, I pray Thee, Thy hand, and strike unto his bone and unto his flesh — if not: unto Thy face he doth bless Thee!'
But put forth your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.
6 And Jehovah saith unto the Adversary, 'Lo, he [is] in thy hand; only his life take care of.'
And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in your hand; but save his life.
7 And the Adversary goeth forth from the presence of Jehovah, and smiteth Job with a sore ulcer from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and stroke Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
8 And he taketh to him a potsherd to scrape himself with it, and he is sitting in the midst of the ashes.
And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself likewise; and he sat down among the ashes.
9 And his wife saith to him, 'Still thou art keeping hold on thine integrity: bless God and die.'
Then said his wife unto him, Do you still retain your integrity? curse God, and die.
10 And he saith unto her, 'As one of the foolish women speaketh, thou speakest; yea, the good we receive from God, and the evil we do not receive.' In all this Job hath not sinned with his lips.
But he said unto her, You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
11 And three of the friends of Job hear of all this evil that hath come upon him, and they come in each from his place — Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite — and they are met together to come in to bemoan him, and to comfort him;
Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.
12 and they lift up their eyes from afar and have not discerned him, and they lift up their voice and weep, and rend each his robe, and sprinkle dust on their heads — heavenward.
And when they lifted up their eyes far off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.
13 And they sit with him on the earth seven days and seven nights, and there is none speaking unto him a word when they have seen that the pain hath been very great.
So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spoke a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.