Job 2 · a question people ask
What does the chapter say about Job's wife?
Very little. She speaks once in the book, in one verse: "Do you still maintain your integrity? Renounce God, and die" (2:9) (tap integrity, renounce). Job answers her, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" (2:10). Those are Job's words to her. The chapter itself doesn't name her, doesn't say why she said what she said, and passes no verdict of its own on her; its next words are about Job: "In all this Job didn’t sin with his lips" (2:10). One thing can be seen in the text: her question uses the words the LORD used of Job, "He still maintains his integrity" (2:3). Later in the book Job mentions her twice, in his own words (19:17, 31:10), and she doesn't speak again. This study doesn't guess at her reasons or her grief, and doesn't make her a lesson about anyone else.
The verses
“The LORD 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. He still maintains his integrity, although you incited me against him, to ruin him without cause.””
“Then his wife said to him, “Do you still maintain your integrity? Renounce God, and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job didn’t sin with his lips.”
“My breath is offensive to my wife. I am loathsome to the children of my own mother.”
“then let my wife grind for another, and let others sleep with her.”