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Job
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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*The word is “fear” but is used in the sense of reverence and awe rather than being frightened or terrified. God and avoided evil. 2 He had 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.
4 Job's sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes on their specific day,†The “specific day” could be a set date or a birthday, for example. also inviting their sisters to come and eat and 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‡The word used here is “blessed” but is usually understood as a euphemism for “cursed.” God.” This is what Job always did.
6 One day the angels§Literally, “the sons of God.” came to present themselves to the Lord, and Satan*The name means “Adversary.” came with them. 7 The Lord asked Satan, “What have you been doing?”
“Traveling around on earth, going here and there,” Satan replied.
8 “Have you paid attention to Job, my servant?”†The term “servant” is used here as a positive term to describe someone who admires and respects rather than someone who simply obeys commands. 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.”
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. 10 You have blessed everything he does. His flocks and herds have increased so much they fill the whole land! 11 But if you reach out and take everything he has, he will definitely curse 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.
13 The day came when while Job's sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house, 14 a messenger came to Job and told him, “As the oxen were plowing and female donkeys were grazing nearby, 15 the Sabeans attacked and took them, killing the herdsmen. Only I escaped to bring you this news.”
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.”
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.”
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 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.”
20 Then Job stood up and tore his robe.‡An expression of intense feeling. Then cut off his hair and fell to the ground in worship. 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.”
22 In all of this Job did not sin, nor blame God.

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*1:1 The word is “fear” but is used in the sense of reverence and awe rather than being frightened or terrified.

†1:4 The “specific day” could be a set date or a birthday, for example.

‡1:5 The word used here is “blessed” but is usually understood as a euphemism for “cursed.”

§1:6 Literally, “the sons of God.”

*1:6 The name means “Adversary.”

†1:8 The term “servant” is used here as a positive term to describe someone who admires and respects rather than someone who simply obeys commands.

‡1:20 An expression of intense feeling.

© 2018 Dr. Jonathan Gallagher