Bible Gateway passage: Job 1 - New International Version (2024)

Prologue

1In the land of Uz^(A) there lived a man whose name was Job.^(B) This man was blameless^(C) and upright;^(D) he feared God^(E) and shunned evil.^{(F) 2}He had seven sons^(G) and three daughters,^{(H) 3}and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys,^(I) and had a large number of servants.^(J) He was the greatest man^(K) among all the people of the East.^(L)

⁴His sons used to hold feasts^(M) in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. ⁵When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified.^(N) Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering^(O) for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned^(P) and cursed God^(Q) in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.

⁶One day the angels^[a](R) came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan^[b](S) also came with them.^{(T) 7}The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”^(U)

⁸Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job?^(V) There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God^(W) and shuns evil.”^(X)

⁹“Does Job fear God for nothing?”^(Y) Satan replied. ¹⁰“Have you not put a hedge^(Z) around him and his household and everything he has?^(AA) You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.^{(AB) 11}But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has,^(AC) and he will surely curse you to your face.”^(AD)

¹²The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has^(AE) is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”^(AF)

Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

¹³One day when Job’s sons and daughters^(AG) were feasting^(AH) and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, ¹⁴a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing^(AI) nearby, ¹⁵and the Sabeans^(AJ) attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

¹⁶While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens^(AK) and burned up the sheep and the servants,^(AL) and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

¹⁷While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans^(AM) formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

¹⁸While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters^(AN) were feasting^(AO) and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, ¹⁹when suddenly a mighty wind^(AP) swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead,^(AQ) and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!^(AR)”

²⁰At this, Job got up and tore his robe^(AS) and shaved his head.^(AT) Then he fell to the ground in worship^{(AU) 21}and said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.^[c](AV)
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;^(AW)
may the name of the Lord be praised.”^(AX)

²²In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.^(AY)

Footnotes

1. Job 1:6 Hebrew the sons of God
2. Job 1:6 Hebrew satan means adversary.
3. Job 1:21 Or will return there

Cross references

1. Job 1:1 : S Ge 10:23
2. Job 1:1 : Eze 14:14, 20; Jas 5:11
3. Job 1:1 : S Ge 6:9; S Job 23:10
4. Job 1:1 : Job 23:7; Ps 11:7; 107:42; Pr 21:29; Mic 7:2
5. Job 1:1 : S Ge 22:12
6. Job 1:1 : ver 8; S Dt 4:6; Job 2:3; 1Th 5:22
7. Job 1:2 : S Ru 4:15
8. Job 1:2 : ver 13, 18; Job 42:13; Ps 127:3; 144:12
9. Job 1:3 : S Ge 13:2
10. Job 1:3 : S Ge 12:16
11. Job 1:3 : ver 8; Job 29:25
12. Job 1:3 : S Ge 25:6; Job 42:10; Ps 103:10
13. Job 1:4 : ver 13, 18
14. Job 1:5 : S Ne 12:30
15. Job 1:5 : S Ge 8:20
16. Job 1:5 : Job 8:4
17. Job 1:5 : 1Ki 21:10, 13; Ps 10:3; 74:10
18. Job 1:6 : S 1Ki 22:19; fn Ge 6:2
19. Job 1:6 : S 2Sa 24:1; S 2Ch 18:21; S Ps 109:6; Lk 22:31
20. Job 1:6 : Job 2:1
21. Job 1:7 : S Ge 3:1; 1Pe 5:8
22. Job 1:8 : S Jos 1:7
23. Job 1:8 : Ps 25:12; 112:1; 128:4
24. Job 1:8 : S ver 1; S Ex 20:20
25. Job 1:9 : 1Ti 6:5
26. Job 1:10 : S 1Sa 25:16
27. Job 1:10 : ver 12; Job 2:4; Ps 34:7
28. Job 1:10 : ver 3; Job 8:7; 29:6; 42:12, 17
29. Job 1:11 : Job 19:21; Lk 22:31
30. Job 1:11 : Lev 24:11; Job 2:5; Isa 3:8; 65:3; Rev 12:9-10
31. Job 1:12 : S ver 10
32. Job 1:12 : Job 2:6; 1Co 10:13
33. Job 1:13 : S ver 2
34. Job 1:13 : S ver 4
35. Job 1:14 : Ge 36:24
36. Job 1:15 : S Ge 10:7; S Job 9:24
37. Job 1:16 : S 1Ki 18:38; 2Ki 1:12; Job 20:26
38. Job 1:16 : S Ge 18:17; S Lev 10:2; S Nu 11:1-3
39. Job 1:17 : S Ge 11:28, 31; S Job 9:24
40. Job 1:18 : S ver 2
41. Job 1:18 : S ver 4
42. Job 1:19 : Ps 11:6; Isa 5:28; 21:1; Jer 4:11; 13:24; 18:17; Eze 17:10; Hos 13:15; Mt 7:25
43. Job 1:19 : Job 16:7; 19:13-15
44. Job 1:19 : Eze 24:26
45. Job 1:20 : S Ge 37:29; S Mk 14:63
46. Job 1:20 : Isa 3:24; 15:2; 22:12; Jer 7:29; 16:6; Eze 27:31; 29:18; Mic 1:16
47. Job 1:20 : 1Pe 5:6
48. Job 1:21 : Ecc 5:15; 1Ti 6:7
49. Job 1:21 : Ru 1:21; 1Sa 2:7
50. Job 1:21 : S Jdg 10:15; Job 2:10; Ecc 7:14; Jer 40:2; S Eph 5:20; 1Th 5:18; Jas 5:11
51. Job 1:22 : Job 2:10; Ps 39:1; Pr 10:19; 13:3; Isa 53:7; Ro 9:20