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Job 2 · a question people ask

Who brought this on Job: Satan or the LORD?

In the text

The chapter gives each part in its own words and doesn't explain how they fit together, and this study won't add a theory. The LORD says to Satan, "you incited me against him, to ruin him without cause" (2:3) (tap incited). Satan says, "But stretch out your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh" (2:5). The LORD answers, "Behold, he is in your hand. Only spare his life" (2:6). Then "Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful sores" (2:7). Job asks, "Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" (2:10), and the chapter says, "In all this Job didn’t sin with his lips" (2:10). At the end of the book, his brothers and sisters comforted him "concerning all the evil that the LORD had brought on him" (42:11). Chapter 1 sets its verses side by side the same way (1:11-12, 1:21). The book doesn't say how these fit, and this study leaves them as the book does.

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.””
Job 2:3 · World English Bible
“But stretch out your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will renounce you to your face.” The LORD said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand. Only spare his life.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful sores from the sole of his foot to his head.”
Job 2:5-7 · World English Bible
“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.”
Job 2:10 · World English Bible
“Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been of his acquaintance before, came to him and ate bread with him in his house. They comforted him, and consoled him concerning all the evil that the LORD had brought on him. Everyone also gave him a piece of money, and everyone a ring of gold.”
Job 42:11 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Job 2

Job 2: Skin for skin

Job's wife asks, "Do you still maintain your integrity?" (2:9): in Hebrew, the same three words the LORD had used of Job, "He still maintains his integrity" (2:3). And the friends' first seven days with Job were silent: "no one spoke a word to him" (2:13).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions