Study Desk

Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him-blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil. He still retains his integrity, even though you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause."

"Skin for skin!" Satan replied. "A man will give up all he owns in exchange for his life.

But stretch out Your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse You to Your face."

"Very well," said the LORD to Satan. "He is in your hands, but you must spare his life."

So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and infected Job with terrible boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.

Now when Job's three friends-Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite-heard about all this adversity that had come upon him, each of them came from his home and met together to go and sympathize with Job and comfort him.

When they lifted up their eyes from afar, they could barely recognize Job. They began to weep aloud, and each man tore his robe and threw dust into the air over his head.

Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights, but no one spoke a word to him because they saw how intense his suffering was.

After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.

Both small and great are there, and the slave is freed from his master.

By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of His anger they are consumed.

'Can a mortal be more righteous than God, or a man more pure than his Maker?

If God puts no trust in His servants, and He charges His angels with error,

I have seen a fool taking root, but suddenly his house was cursed.

His sons are far from safety, crushed in court without a defender.

The hungry consume his harvest, taking it even from the thorns; and the thirsty pant after his wealth.

For He wounds, but He also binds; He strikes, but His hands also heal.

that God would be willing to crush me, to unleash His hand and cut me off!

A despairing man should have the kindness of his friend, even if he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

Is not man consigned to labor on earth? Are not his days like those of a hired hand?