1There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil.H376H776H5780H8034H347H376H8535H3477H3373H430H5493H74512He had seven sons and three daughters.H3205H7651H1121H7969H13233He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area.H4735H7651H505H6629H7969H505H1581H2568H3967H6776H1241H2568H3967H860H3966H7227H5657H376H1419H1121H69244Job's sons would take turns preparing feasts in their homes, and they would also invite their three sisters to celebrate with them.H1121H1980H4960H6213H1004H376H3117H7971H7121H7969H269H398H83545When these celebrations ended—sometimes after several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, "Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts." This was Job's regular practice.H3117H4960H5362H347H7971H6942H7925H1242H5927H5930H4557H347H559H194H1121H2398H1288H430H3824H6213H347H3117
Job’s First Test
6One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the LORD, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them.H3117H1121H430H935H3320H3068H7854H935H84327"Where have you come from?" the LORD asked Satan. Satan answered the LORD, "I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that's going on."H3068H559H7854H370H935H7854H6030H3068H559H7751H776H19808Then the LORD asked Satan, "Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil."H3068H559H7854H7760H3820H5650H347H776H8535H3477H376H3373H430H5493H74519Satan replied to the LORD, "Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God.H7854H6030H3068H559H347H3372H430H260010You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is!H7753H1157H1004H5439H1288H4639H3027H4735H6555H77611But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!"H199H7971H3027H5060H1288H3808H644012"All right, you may test him," the LORD said to Satan. "Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don't harm him physically." So Satan left the LORD's presence.H3068H559H7854H3027H7971H3027H7854H3318H6440H306813One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting at the oldest brother's house,H3117H1121H1323H398H8354H3196H1060H251H100414a messenger arrived at Job's home with this news: "Your oxen were plowing, with the donkeys feeding beside them,H935H4397H347H559H1241H2790H860H7462H302715when the Sabeans raided us. They stole all the animals and killed all the farmhands. I am the only one who escaped to tell you."H7614H5307H3947H5221H5288H6310H2719H4422H504616While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: "The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the shepherds. I am the only one who escaped to tell you."H1696H935H559H784H430H5307H8064H1197H6629H5288H398H4422H504617While he was still speaking, a third messenger arrived with this news: "Three bands of Chaldean raiders have stolen your camels and killed your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you."H1696H935H559H3778H7760H7969H7218H6584H1581H3947H5221H5288H6310H2719H4422H504618While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: "Your sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother's home.H1696H935H559H1121H1323H398H8354H3196H1060H251H100419Suddenly, a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and hit the house on all sides. The house collapsed, and all your children are dead. I am the only one who escaped to tell you."H935H1419H7307H5676H4057H5060H702H6438H1004H5307H5288H4191H4422H504620Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship.H347H6965H7167H4598H1494H7218H5307H776H781221He said, "I came naked from my mother's womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The LORD gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!"H559H6174H3318H517H990H6174H7725H3068H5414H3068H3947H1288H8034H306822In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.H347H2398H5414H430H8604
Job 2
Job’s Second Test
2One day the members of the heavenly court came again to present themselves before the LORD, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them.H3117H1121H430H935H3320H3068H7854H935H8432H3320H30682"Where have you come from?" the LORD asked Satan. Satan answered the LORD, "I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that's going on."H3068H559H7854H335H935H7854H6030H3068H559H7751H776H19803Then the LORD asked Satan, "Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil. And he has maintained his integrity, even though you urged me to harm him without cause."H3068H559H7854H7760H3820H5650H347H776H8535H3477H376H3373H430H5493H7451H2388H8538H5496H1104H26004Satan replied to the LORD, "Skin for skin! A man will give up everything he has to save his life.H7854H6030H3068H559H5785H5785H376H5414H53155But reach out and take away his health, and he will surely curse you to your face!"H199H7971H3027H5060H6106H1320H1288H64406"All right, do with him as you please," the LORD said to Satan. "But spare his life."H3068H559H7854H3027H8104H53157So Satan left the LORD's presence, and he struck Job with terrible boils from head to foot.H3318H7854H3318H6440H3068H5221H347H7451H7822H3709H7272H69368Job scraped his skin with a piece of broken pottery as he sat among the ashes.H3947H2789H1623H3427H8432H6659His wife said to him, "Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die."H559H802H2388H8538H1288H430H419110But Job replied, "You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?" So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.H559H1696H259H5036H1696H1571H6901H2896H430H6901H7451H347H2398H8193
Job’s Three Friends Share His Anguish
11When three of Job's friends heard of the tragedy he had suffered, they got together and traveled from their homes to comfort and console him. Their names were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite.H347H7969H7453H8085H7451H935H935H376H4725H464H8489H1085H7747H6691H5284H3259H3162H935H5110H516212When they saw Job from a distance, they scarcely recognized him. Wailing loudly, they tore their robes and threw dust into the air over their heads to show their grief.H5375H5869H7350H5234H5375H6963H1058H7167H376H4598H2236H6083H7218H806413Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. No one said a word to Job, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words.H3427H776H7651H3117H7651H3915H1696H1697H7200H3511H3966H1431
Job 3
Job’s First Speech
3At last Job spoke, and he cursed the day of his birth.H310H6605H347H6310H7043H31172He said.H347H6030H5593"Let the day of my birth be erased, and the night I was conceived.H3117H6H3205H3915H559H1397H20294Let that day be turned to darkness. Let it be lost even to God on high, and let no light shine on it.H3117H2822H433H1875H4605H5105H33135Let the darkness and utter gloom claim that day for its own. Let a black cloud overshadow it, and let the darkness terrify it.H2822H6757H1350H6053H7931H3650H3117H12046Let that night be blotted off the calendar, never again to be counted among the days of the year, never again to appear among the months.H3915H652H3947H2302H3117H8141H935H4557H33917Let that night be childless. Let it have no joy.H3915H1565H7445H9358Let those who are experts at cursing—whose cursing could rouse Leviathan—curse that day.H5344H779H3117H6264H5782H38829Let its morning stars remain dark. Let it hope for light, but in vain; may it never see the morning light.H3556H5399H2821H6960H216H7200H6079H783710Curse that day for failing to shut my mother's womb, for letting me be born to see all this trouble.H5462H1817H990H5641H5999H586911"Why wasn't I born dead? Why didn't I die as I came from the womb?H4191H7358H1478H3318H99012Why was I laid on my mother's lap? Why did she nurse me at her breasts?H1290H6923H7699H324313Had I died at birth, I would now be at peace. I would be asleep and at rest.H7901H8252H3462H511714I would rest with the world's kings and prime ministers, whose great buildings now lie in ruins.H4428H3289H776H1129H272315I would rest with princes, rich in gold, whose palaces were filled with silver.H8269H2091H4390H1004H370116Why wasn't I buried like a stillborn child, like a baby who never lives to see the light?H2934H5309H5768H7200H21617For in death the wicked cause no trouble, and the weary are at rest.H7563H2308H7267H3019H3581H511718Even captives are at ease in death, with no guards to curse them.H615H7599H3162H8085H6963H506519Rich and poor are both there, and the slave is free from his master.H6996H1419H5650H2670H11320"Oh, why give light to those in misery, and life to those who are bitter?H216H5414H6001H2416H4751H531521They long for death, and it won't come. They search for death more eagerly than for hidden treasure.H2442H4194H2658H430122They're filled with joy when they finally die, and rejoice when they find the grave.H8056H1524H7797H4672H691323Why is life given to those with no future, those God has surrounded with difficulties?H1397H1870H5641H433H552624I cannot eat for sighing; my groans pour out like water.H585H935H6440H3899H7581H5413H432525What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true.H6343H6342H857H3025H93526I have no peace, no quietness. I have no rest; only trouble comes."H7951H8252H5117H7267H935
Psalms 135
135Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord! Praise him, you who serve the Lord,H1984H3050H1984H8034H3068H1984H5650H30682you who serve in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.H5975H1004H3068H2691H1004H4303Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; celebrate his lovely name with music.H1984H3050H3068H2896H2167H8034H52734For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel for his own special treasure.H3050H977H3290H3478H54595I know the greatness of the Lord—that our Lord is greater than any other god.H3045H3068H1419H113H4306The Lord does whatever pleases him throughout all heaven and earth, and on the seas and in their depths.H3068H2654H6213H8064H776H3220H84157He causes the clouds to rise over the whole earth. He sends the lightning with the rain and releases the wind from his storehouses.H5387H5927H7097H776H6213H1300H4306H3318H7307H2148He destroyed the firstborn in each Egyptian home, both people and animals.H5221H1060H4714H120H9299He performed miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt against Pharaoh and all his people.H7971H226H4159H8432H4714H6547H565010He struck down great nations and slaughtered mighty kings—H5221H7227H1471H2026H6099H442811Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kings of Canaan.H5511H4428H567H5747H4428H1316H4467H366712He gave their land as an inheritance, a special possession to his people Israel.H5414H776H5159H5159H3478H597113Your name, O Lord, endures forever; your fame, O Lord, is known to every generation.H8034H3068H5769H2143H3068H1755H175514For the Lord will give justice to his people and have compassion on his servants.H3068H1777H5971H5162H565015The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands.H6091H1471H3701H2091H4639H120H302716They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see.H6310H1696H5869H720017They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell.H241H238H3426H7307H631018And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them.H6213H98219O Israel, praise the Lord! O priests—descendants of Aaron—praise the Lord!H1288H3068H1004H3478H1288H3068H1004H17520O Levites, praise the Lord! All you who fear the Lord, praise the Lord!H1288H3068H1004H3878H3373H3068H1288H306821The Lord be praised from Zion, for he lives here in Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!H1288H3068H6726H7931H3389H1984H3050
Dublin, OH
came to present themselves before the LORD, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them.H3117
