1 CHAPTER I. HERE was a man in the land of Uz, Job was THE his name, and this man was perfect and upright, fearing GOD, and turning aside from evil. 2 And there were born to him seven sons and three 3 daughters. And his property was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and a great multitude of servants. And this man was greater 4 than all the sons of the east. And his sons made a feast, each at his own house, in turn, and they sent and called their three sisters to eat and to drink 5 with them. And it was when the days of their feasting were going about, that Job sanctified them; he arose early in the morning, and offered a burntoffering for each of them; for he said, Lest my sons JOB. should sin, and bless the gods in their hearts. Thus 6 did Job each day. And the day was, and the sons of perdition* came to set themselves against JEHOVAH, and the Satan [enemy] also came among 7 them. And JEHOVAH said to the Satan, From whence comest thou? And the Satan answered JEHOVAH, and said, From wandering to and fro 8 in the earth, and from walking through it. And JEHOVAH said to the Satan, Hast thou set thy heart upon [observed] my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, 9 fearing GOD, and avoiding evil. And the Satan answered JEHOVAH, and said, Doth Job fear GoD 10 for nought? Hast thou not fenced around him, and his house, and around all that belongs to him? The work of his hands thou hast blessed, and his 11 cattle are scattered over the earth. now put forth thy hand, and smite But if thou wilt all that is his, The sons of Gop would have been כני האלחים,Note * *Note, as it occurs in many passages of scripture. I do not know that the article appears any where else, prefixed to Elohim, in regimene, except in the 6th chapter of Genesis, which, perhaps, might not be less intelligible thus translated, than as it now stands. It is well known that son does not always imply a father, as for instance, "sons of the east ;" which might as well be translated, sons of former times. whether to thy face he will not bless thee? [curse 12 thee.] And JEHOVAH said to the Satan, Behold, all that is his is in thy hand, only put not forth thy hand upon himself. And the Satan went out from 13 the presence of JEHOVAH. And the day was when Job's sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother, 14 That a messenger came to Job, and said, The oxen were ploughing, and the asses feeding beside them: 15 And the Sabeans fell upon them and took them; and slew the young men with the edge of the sword, 16 and I only have escaped alone to tell thee. This was yet speaking, when another came, and said, The fire of GOD has fallen from heaven, and burnt among the sheep and among the young men, and consumed them, and I only am escaped alone to tell 17 thee. He was yet speaking, when another came, and said, The Chaldeans made three parties, and rushed forth upon the camels and took them, and the young men they slew with the edge of the sword, and I only have escaped alone to tell thee. 18 He was yet speaking, when another came, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drink19 ing wine in their eldest brother's house: And lo! a great wind came from across the desert, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they died, and I only am escaped 20 alone to tell thee. And Job arose, and rent his mantle, and tore the hair from his head, and fell on 21 the earth, and prostrated himself, and said, Naked came I from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither! JEHOVAH gave, and JEHOVAH took, 22 be the name of JEHOVAH blessed. In all this Job did not sin, and did not render folly to JEHOVAH. CHAP. II. 1 AND the day was that the sons of perdition came to set* themselves against JEHOVAH, and there came also the Satan amongst them, to set himself 2 against JEHOVAH. And JEHOVAH 'said to the Satan, From whence comest thou? And the Satan answered JEHOVAH, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking through it. 3 And JEHOVAH said to the Satan, Hast thou set thy heart to my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a man perfect and upright, fearing GOD, and avoiding evil: and he yet holdeth fast *Not merely to stand, but to set themselves as pillars. Must not this mean, that they came in a rebellious, hostile manner? his integrity, though thou hast roused me against 4 him, to swallow him up for nothing. And the Satan answered JEHOVAH, and said, Skin after skin, and all that a man hath, he will give for his life; 5 But put forth thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, will he not curse thee to thy face? 6 And JEHOVAH said to the Satan, Behold, he is in 7 thy hand, only preserve his life. And the Satan went out from the presence of JEHOVAH, and smote Job with burning boils* from the sole of his foot 8 to the crown of his head. And he took a potsherd to scrape himself with, and he sat among the ashes. 9 And his wife said to him, Dost thou still hold fast 10 thy integrity, blessing Goo, and dying? And he said to her, Thou speakest to me like one of the foolish women. The good is received from God, and the evil shall it not be received? In all this 11 Job sinned not with his lips. And three friends of Job heard of all this evil that was come upon him, and they came each from his place, Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shahite, and Zophar the Namathite; and they appointed together to come 12 to console him, and comfort him. And they lift up * Supposed, from the description, to be the distemper now known by the name of Elephantiasis. |