Job

1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job.*+ He was an upright man of integrity;*+ he feared God and shunned what was bad.+ 2 Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 3 His livestock amounted to 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 1,000 cattle,* and 500 donkeys,* along with a very large number of servants, so that he became the greatest of all the people of the East.

4 Each of his sons would hold a banquet at his house on his own set day.* They would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 After a series of banquet days was complete, Job would send for them in order to sanctify them. Then he would get up early in the morning and offer up burnt sacrifices+ for each of them. For Job said: “Maybe my sons have sinned and have cursed God in their heart.” That is what Job would always do.+

6 Now the day came when the sons of the true God*+ entered to take their station before Jehovah,+ and Satan+ also entered among them.+

7 Then Jehovah said to Satan: “Where have you come from?” Satan answered Jehovah: “From roving about on the earth and from walking about in it.”+ 8 And Jehovah said to Satan: “Have you taken note of* my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth. He is an upright man of integrity,*+ fearing God and shunning what is bad.” 9 At that Satan answered Jehovah: “Is it for nothing that Job has feared God?+ 10 Have you not put up a protective hedge around him+ and his house and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands,+ and his livestock has spread out in the land. 11 But, for a change, stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your very face.” 12 Then Jehovah said to Satan: “Look! Everything that he has is in your hand.* Only do not lay your hand on the man himself!” So Satan went out from the presence* of Jehovah.+

13 Now on the day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,+ 14 a messenger came to Job and said: “The cattle were plowing and the donkeys were grazing beside them 15 when the Sa·beʹans attacked and took them, and they killed the servants with the sword. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

16 While he was still speaking, another one came and said: “Fire from God* fell from the heavens and blazed among the sheep and the servants and consumed them! I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

17 While he was still speaking, another one came and said: “The Chal·deʹans+ formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them, and they killed the servants with the sword. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

18 While he was still speaking, yet another one came and said: “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house. 19 Suddenly a great wind came from the wilderness, and it struck the four corners of the house, so that it fell on the young people and they were killed. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

20 At that Job got up and ripped apart his garment and cut the hair off his head; then he fell to the ground and bowed down 21 and said:

Jehovah has given,+ and Jehovah has taken away.

Let the name of Jehovah continue to be praised.”

22 In all of this, Job did not sin or accuse God of doing anything wrong.*