Job 1

1 There was a man [a male person, individual] in the land [country, territory] of Uz [a region east of Palestine] whose name [identity, character] was Job [a patriarch famous for patience]. And this man [he, the individual] was blameless [perfect, complete] and upright [just, straight], fearing [revering, respecting] God [Elohim, the supreme God] and shunning [turning away from, eschewing] evil [bad, morally harmful]. word study 2 He had [been given, born unto him] seven sons [male descendants, children] and three daughters [female children, girls], word study 3 and he owned [a vast number of] 7,000 sheep [a flock of sheep or goats], 3,000 camels [used for transportation and trade], 500 yoke [pairs] of oxen [domesticated cattle], 500 female donkeys [she-asses], and a very large number [an abundance] of servants [household staff, attendants]. Job was the greatest [most prominent, highly esteemed] man of all the people [inhabitants, descendants] of the East [the region, the orient]. word study 4 Job’s sons [children, descendants] would take turns [regularly, in succession] holding feasts [banquets, celebrations] in their homes [houses, dwelling places], and they would invite [send for, call] their three [a trio, thrice] sisters to eat [partake, devour] and drink [imbibe, feast] with them [together, in company]. word study 5 And when the days [periods of time, seasons] of feasting [banqueting, celebration] were over, Job [a patriarch famous for his patience] would send [dispatch, summon] for his children [sons and daughters, descendants] to purify [consecrate, set apart] them, rising [getting up, ascending] early [at dawn] in the morning [at the break of day] to offer [present, sacrifice] burnt offerings [sacrifices completely consumed by fire] for all [every single one] of them. For Job thought [reflected, considered], “Perhaps [it may be, possibly] my children [sons] have sinned [missed the mark, gone wrong] and [instead of blessing, actually] cursed [renounced, spoken evil of] God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] in their hearts [innermost being, mind and emotions].” This was Job’s [the patriarch’s] regular [customary, habitual] practice [way of life, conduct]. word study 6 One day [a certain day, a specific time] the sons [children, descendants] of God [Elohim, the supreme God] came [presented themselves, gathered] to present themselves [stand before, appear] before the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord of Israel], and Satan [the Adversary, the enemy] also came [approached, appeared] with them [among them, in their midst]. word study 7 “Where [whence, from what place] have you come from?” said the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] to Satan [the arch-enemy of good]. “From roaming [going to and fro, traveling] through the earth [the land, the material world],” he replied, “and walking [going, moving] back and forth [up and down, to and fro] in it [the land, the earth].” word study 8 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Satan [the arch-enemy of good], “Have you considered [thought about, noticed] My servant [faithful servant, one who serves] Job [a man of great patience and faith]? For there is no one [none, nothing comparable] on earth [the land, the world] like him, a man who is blameless [perfect, without sin] and upright [straight, just], who fears [reveres, respects] God [Elohim, the supreme God] and shuns [turns away from, avoids] evil [bad, morally harmful].” word study 9 Satan [the arch-enemy of good, adversary] answered the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], “Does Job [a patriarch famous for his patience] fear [revere, stand in awe of] God [Elohim, the supreme God] for nothing [in vain, without purpose or cost, without a reason, freely]? word study 10 Have You [not at all, in no way] not placed a hedge [a protective barrier, a wall of defense] on every side [completely surrounding, encompassing] around him and his household [family, loved ones] and all that he owns [possesses, has dominion over]? You have blessed [bestowed divine favor upon, prospered] the work [deeds, labor] of his hands [efforts, endeavors], and his possessions [wealth, substance] have increased [multiplied, flourished] in the land [earth, territory]. word study 11 But [however, in contrast] stretch out Your [powerful, guiding] hand and strike [touch, afflict] all that he has, and he will surely [without a doubt, certainly] curse [renounce, blaspheme] You to Your [personal, intimate] face.” word study 12 “Very well,” said the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] to Satan [the arch-enemy of good]. “Everything he has is in your hands [an open hand; strength, a side or share], but you must not lay a hand [stretch out your power] on the man himself [except his person].” Then Satan went out [departed] from the presence [face] of the LORD [the supreme Creator]. word study 13 One day [a certain day, a specific time], while Job’s sons [male children, descendants] and daughters [female children, women] were eating [consuming food, devouring] and drinking [ingesting, feasting on] wine [fermented drink, intoxicating beverage] in their oldest [eldest, firstborn] brother’s [male sibling, close relative] house [dwelling place, family home], word study 14 a messenger [an ambassador, an envoy] came and reported to Job [the patriarch, a man of faith]: “While the oxen [domesticated cattle, beasts of burden] were plowing [tilling the soil, cultivating] and the donkeys [female asses, gentle creatures] were grazing [feeding, pasturing] nearby [in close proximity, beside them], word study 15 the Sabeans [men of Sheba, a region in southern Arabia] swooped down [fell upon, attacked] and took them away [seized, captured]. They put the servants [young men, herdsmen] to the sword [edge of the sword, by the mouth of the sword], and I alone [only I, except me] have escaped [been delivered, slipped away to safety] to tell you [declare to you, inform you]!” word study 16 While he was still [yet, continuing] speaking, another messenger came and reported: “The fire [divine judgment, consuming flame] of God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] fell [came down, was sent] from heaven [the sky, the realm of the divine]. It burned [consumed, utterly destroyed] and consumed [devoured, completely destroyed] the sheep [flock, livestock] and the servants [young men, attendants], and I alone [only I, by myself] have escaped [been delivered, survived] to tell [declare, inform] you [to reveal the news to you]!” word study 17 While he was still [yet, continuing to] speaking, another messenger came and reported: “The Chaldeans [inhabitants of Chaldea, a region in Mesopotamia] formed [set, appointed] three bands [companies, troops], raided [fell upon, swept down on] the camels, and took them away [carried them off, plundered them]. They put the servants [young men, attendants] to the sword [edge of the sword, by the sword], and I alone [only, except me] have escaped [been delivered, slipped away] to tell [declare, inform] you [bring you news]!” word study 18 While he was still speaking [yet talking, in the midst of conversation], another messenger came [arrived, drew near] and reported [said, spoke]: “Your sons [children, descendants] and daughters [female children, girls] were eating [consuming, devouring] and drinking [imbibing, taking in] wine [fermented drink, intoxicating beverage] in their oldest brother’s [eldest sibling’s, firstborn’s] house [dwelling place, home], word study 19 when suddenly [in an instant, without warning] a mighty [tremendous, powerful] wind [a blast of air] swept in from the desert [wilderness, open field] and struck [hit, touched] the four corners [angles, chief parts] of the house [dwelling place, family home]. It collapsed [fell, came down] on the young people [youth, children] and they are dead [have died, perished], and I alone [only, by myself] have escaped [been delivered, slipped away] to tell [declare, inform] you [to bring news to you]!” word study 20 Then Job [a patriarch famous for his patience] stood up [rose to his feet, arose], tore [rent, ripped apart] his robe [outer garment], and shaved [sheared, cut off] his head [the topmost part of the body]. He fell [to prostrate himself, to bow down] to the ground [land, earth] and worshiped [to bow down, to show reverence, yishtachav], word study 21 saying: “Naked [without clothes, exposed] I came from my mother’s [female parent, nurturer] womb [belly, place of birth], and naked [unadorned, humble] I will return [go back, turn back]. The LORD [Yehovah, God’s covenant name] gave [provided, bestowed], and the LORD has taken away [removed, withdrawn]. Blessed [praised, honored] be the name [reputation, character] of the LORD [Yehovah, the sovereign God].” word study 22 In [all things, everything] all this [specific situation, these events], Job [the patriarch, a righteous man] did not [in no way, never] sin [miss the mark, go wrong] or [nor, neither] charge [blame, accuse] God [Elohim, the supreme One] with [as being, for] wrongdoing [folly, foolishness, evil]. word study