Job Faces Terrible Loss

Job lived in the land of Uz. He was known as a man who feared God and turned away from evil. He had seven sons, three daughters, many servants, and great wealth in animals. His children held feast days in one another’s houses. After these days, Job regularly offered burnt offerings for them, because he thought they might have sinned and renounced God in their hearts.

On a day when God’s sons came before Yahweh, Satan also came. Satan argued that Job feared God only because he was protected and blessed. Yahweh allowed Satan to test all Job had, but not to harm Job himself. Then terrible reports came one after another. Sabeans took the oxen and donkeys. Fire from the sky burned the sheep and servants. Chaldeans carried off the camels. A great wind struck the house where Job’s sons and daughters were gathered, and they died.

Job showed his sorrow openly. He tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell to the ground. Yet he worshipped. He said he had come from his mother’s womb with nothing and would return with nothing. He said that Yahweh had given and Yahweh had taken away, and he blessed Yahweh’s name. In all this, Job did not sin or accuse God of wrongdoing.

Again Satan came before Yahweh and said that if Job’s own body suffered, he would renounce God. Yahweh allowed Job to be struck, but his life had to be spared. Painful sores covered Job from the sole of his foot to his head. He sat among the ashes and scraped himself with a broken piece of pottery. When his wife urged him to renounce God, Job refused. In all this, he did not sin with his lips.

When Job’s three friends heard what had happened, they came from their own places and agreed to comfort him. They were Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. When they saw Job from a distance, they did not recognise him. They wept, tore their robes, and threw dust toward the sky. Then they sat with Job on the ground for seven days and seven nights without speaking, because his grief was so great.