Study Desk

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.

The LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil."

"Have You not made a fence around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.

a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the female donkeys feeding beside them,

While he was still speaking, another came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three units and made a raid on the camels and took them, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

Again, there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD.

The LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds firm to his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause."

Satan answered the LORD and said, "Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has, he will give for his life.

And Job took a piece of pottery to scrape himself while he was sitting in the ashes.

When they looked from a distance and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept. And each of them tore his robe, and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky.

Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights, with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.

"May the day on which I was to be born perish, As well as the night which said, 'A boy is conceived.'

"May darkness and black gloom claim it; May a cloud settle on it; May the blackness of the day terrify it.

"Or like a miscarriage which is hidden, I would not exist, As infants that never saw light.

"Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, And whom God has shut off?

"If one ventures a word with you, will you become impatient? But who can refrain from speaking?

"Now a word was brought to me secretly, And my ear received a whisper of it.

"Then a spirit passed by my face; The hair of my flesh stood up.

"Something was standing still, but I could not recognize its appearance; A form was before my eyes; There was silence, then I heard a voice: