Job 1: Job, the satan before Yahweh, and the four messengers
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What happens?
Job is a blameless and upright man in the land of Uz, with seven sons, three daughters and great possessions. Yahweh and the satan speak about Job in heaven, and Yahweh puts all that Job has in the satan's hand, but not Job himself. Four messengers come in one day to tell Job of the loss of his livestock, his servants, and his ten children, and Job tears his robe, shaves his head, falls on the ground and worships.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. Yahweh speaks in 3 of the 22 verses (7, 8 and 12), in his talk with the satan. The satan speaks in verses 7 and 9 to 11, so verse 7 holds both speakers. Job's words are quoted in verses 5 and 21. Four messengers speak in verses 14 to 19: the first in 14 and 15, the second in 16, the third in 17, the fourth in 18 and 19. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God, and turned away from evil.
In plain English: There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright. He feared God and turned away from evil.
The Hebrew word: "Blameless" is tam, which the dictionary gives as "complete; usually (morally) pious; specifically, gentle, dear". It is in 7 verses of Job, and the WEB says "blameless" in all 7.
Good to know: Uz is a land that the text names. The name is found in 1 verse of Job, this one. The text gives no further place.
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2There were born to him seven sons and three daughters.
In plain English: Seven sons and three daughters were born to him.
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3His possessions also were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the children of the east.
In plain English: His livestock was seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred pairs of oxen and five hundred female donkeys, and he had a very great household. That man was the greatest of all the people of the east (the Hebrew says: the sons of the east).
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4His sons went and held a feast in the house of each one on his birthday; and they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
In plain English: His sons went and held a feast in the house of each one on his day (the WEB says: his birthday). They sent and invited their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
The Hebrew words: The Hebrew says that each one made a feast "his day", with no word for "birthday". The WEB prints "birthday". It is the only verse of Job where the WEB says "birthday". The same Hebrew word, "his day", is in , where the WEB says "the day of his birth".
What changes: With "birthday" each son held his feast on the day he was born. The Hebrew words themselves say only "his day". The text does not say more.
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5It was so, when the days of their feasting had run their course, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced God in their hearts.” Job did so continually.
In plain English: When the days of the feast had gone around, Job sent for them and set them apart (the WEB says: sanctified them). He rose early in the morning and offered burnt offerings, by the number of them all. For Job said, "Perhaps my sons have sinned and renounced (the Hebrew word is: blessed) God in their hearts." Job did this all the days.
The Hebrew word: "Renounced" is barak, which the dictionary gives as "to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit); also (by euphemism) to curse (God or the king, as treason)". It is in 8 verses of Job. In 4 of them the WEB says "renounce" or "renounced": 1:5, , and . In the other 4 the WEB says "bless" or "blessed".
How it is translated: Where the WEB says "renounced God", the Hebrew word is the one used for blessing. The same word is used for the satan's "renounce you" in 1:11 and 2:5, and for Job's wife in 2:9. The WEB says "blessed" for it in and .
What changes: With "bless", Job's fear is that his sons have sinned and, in their hearts, blessed God. With "renounce" or "curse", the fear is that they have turned from him. The text does not say which Job meant.
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6Now on the day when God’s sons came to present themselves before Yahweh, Satan also came among them.
In plain English: On the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Yahweh, Satan (the Hebrew says: the satan) also came among them.
The Hebrew words: "Satan" is ha-satan, with the word for "the" in front of it. The dictionary gives the word satan as "an opponent; especially (with the article prefixed) Satan, the arch-enemy of good". In Job it is in 11 verses, all of them in chapters 1 and 2 (1:6 to 1:9, 1:12, 2:1 to 2:4, 2:6 and 2:7), and in all 11 the Hebrew has "the" before it. In the whole Bible it is in 23 verses, and the WEB says "Satan" in 14 of them.
The Hebrew words: "God's sons" is bene ha-elohim, "the sons of God". The text says they "came to present themselves before Yahweh" and gives no more about who they are. It is in too, and has "sons of God" (bene Elohim, without the word for "the").
Church tradition: Many Christian traditions read "the satan" here as the devil. Job does not itself say so. For "the sons of God" traditions read angels, a heavenly council, or other beings. The text gives no more.
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7Yahweh said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “From going back and forth on the earth, and from walking up and down in it.”God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Then Satan answered Yahweh and said, "From going back and forth on the earth, and from walking up and down in it."
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8Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant, Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil.”God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Satan, "Have you set your heart on my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil."
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9Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing?
In plain English: Then Satan answered Yahweh and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing?
The Hebrew word: "For nothing" is chinnam, which the dictionary gives as "gratis, i.e. devoid of cost, reason or advantage". It is in 4 verses of Job. The WEB says "for nothing" in 2 and "without cause" in 2, one of them , where Yahweh uses the same word.
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10Haven’t you made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
In plain English: Have you not made a hedge around him, around his house and around all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock has spread out in the land.
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11But stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will renounce you to your face.”
In plain English: But stretch out your hand now and touch all that he has, and he will renounce (the Hebrew word is: bless) you to your face."
The Hebrew word: "Renounce" is barak, the same word as in , where the note gives the dictionary meaning and the counts. The Hebrew reads "if not, he will bless you to your face".
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12Yahweh said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only on himself don’t stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of Yahweh.God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Satan, "Look, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand." So Satan went out from the presence of Yahweh.
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13It fell on a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,
In plain English: It fell on a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their oldest brother,
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14that a messenger came to Job, and said, “The oxen were plowing, and the donkeys feeding beside them,
In plain English: that a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing, and the female donkeys were grazing beside them,
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15and the Sabeans attacked, and took them away. Yes, they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
In plain English: and the Sabeans fell on them and took them. They struck the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."
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16While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God has fallen from the sky, and has burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
In plain English: While he was still speaking, another came and said, "The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you."
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17While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans made three bands, and swept down on the camels, and have taken them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
In plain English: While he was still speaking, another came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three companies and made a raid on the camels and took them. They struck the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."
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18While he was still speaking, there came also another, and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,
In plain English: While he was still speaking, another came and said, "Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their oldest brother,
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19and behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young men, and they are dead. I alone have escaped to tell you.”
In plain English: and look, a great wind came from across the wilderness and touched the four corners of the house. It fell on the young men, and they died. I alone have escaped to tell you."
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20Then Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down on the ground, and worshiped.
In plain English: Then Job rose and tore his robe and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and bowed down (or: worshiped).
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21He said, “Naked I came out of my mother’s womb, and naked will I return there. Yahweh gave, and Yahweh has taken away. Blessed be Yahweh’s name.”
In plain English: He said, "Naked I came out of my mother's womb, and naked I will return there. Yahweh gave, and Yahweh has taken. Blessed be the name of Yahweh."
Good to know: "Blessed" is barak again, the word of . says: "For we brought nothing into the world, and we certainly can't carry anything out." says: "As he came out of his mother's womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand." The wording is different in each.
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22In all this, Job didn’t sin, nor charge God with wrongdoing.
In plain English: In all this Job did not sin, and he did not charge God with wrongdoing (see the note).
The Hebrew word: "Wrongdoing" is tiphlah, which the dictionary gives as "frivolity". It is in 3 verses of the Bible: this one, and . The WEB says "wrongdoing" here and "folly" in the other two.
What changes: With "folly", the verse says that Job did not charge God with anything foolish. The Hebrew says that he "did not give" it to God. The text does not say more.
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