May 21 Job 1-5

1There was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. 2There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. 3He had seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred donkeys, and very many servants; so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. 4His sons used to go and hold feasts in one another’s houses in turn; and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5And when the feast days had run their course, Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt-offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, ‘It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.’ This is what Job always did.
Attack on Job’s Character6 One day the heavenly beings* came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan* also came among them. 7The Lord said to Satan,* ‘Where have you come from?’ Satan* answered the Lord, ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.’ 8The Lord said to Satan,* ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil.’ 9Then Satan* answered the Lord, ‘Does Job fear God for nothing? 10Have you not put a fence around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11But stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.’ 12The Lord said to Satan,* ‘Very well, all that he has is in your power; only do not stretch out your hand against him!’ So Satan* went out from the presence of the Lord.
Job Loses Property and Children13 One day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the eldest brother’s house, 14a messenger came to Job and said, ‘The oxen were ploughing and the donkeys were feeding beside them, 15and the Sabeans fell on them and carried them off, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; I alone have escaped to tell you.’ 16While he was still speaking, another came and said, ‘The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; I alone have escaped to tell you.’ 17While he was still speaking, another came and said, ‘The Chaldeans formed three columns, made a raid on the camels and carried them off, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; I alone have escaped to tell you.’ 18While he was still speaking, another came and said, ‘Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house, 19and suddenly a great wind came across the desert, struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; I alone have escaped to tell you.’
20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell on the ground and worshipped. 21He said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’
22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrongdoing.
Attack on Job’s Health2One day the heavenly beings* came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan* also came among them to present himself before the Lord. 2The Lord said to Satan,* ‘Where have you come from?’ Satan* answered the Lord, ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.’ 3The Lord said to Satan,* ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil. He still persists in his integrity, although you incited me against him, to destroy him for no reason.’ 4Then Satan* answered the Lord, ‘Skin for skin! All that people have they will give to save their lives.* 5But stretch out your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.’ 6The Lord said to Satan,* ‘Very well, he is in your power; only spare his life.’
7 So Satan* went out from the presence of the Lord, and inflicted loathsome sores on Job from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 8Job* took a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and sat among the ashes.
9 Then his wife said to him, ‘Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse* God, and die.’ 10But he said to her, ‘You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?’ In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Job’s Three Friends11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all these troubles that had come upon him, each of them set out from his home—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to go and console and comfort him. 12When they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him, and they raised their voices and wept aloud; they tore their robes and threw dust in the air upon their heads. 13They sat with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.


Job Curses the Day He Was Born3After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. 2Job said:
3‘Let the day perish on which I was born,
and the night that said,
“A man-child is conceived.”
4Let that day be darkness!
May God above not seek it,
or light shine on it.
5Let gloom and deep darkness claim it.
Let clouds settle upon it;
let the blackness of the day terrify it.
6That night—let thick darkness seize it!
let it not rejoice among the days of the year;
let it not come into the number of the months.
7Yes, let that night be barren;
let no joyful cry be heard* in it.
8Let those curse it who curse the Sea,*
those who are skilled to rouse up Leviathan.
9Let the stars of its dawn be dark;
let it hope for light, but have none;
may it not see the eyelids of the morning—
10because it did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb,
and hide trouble from my eyes.


11‘Why did I not die at birth,
come forth from the womb and expire?
12Why were there knees to receive me,
or breasts for me to suck?
13Now I would be lying down and quiet;
I would be asleep; then I would be at rest
14with kings and counsellors of the earth
who rebuild ruins for themselves,
15or with princes who have gold,
who fill their houses with silver.
16Or why was I not buried like a stillborn child,
like an infant that never sees the light?
17There the wicked cease from troubling,
and there the weary are at rest.
18There the prisoners are at ease together;
they do not hear the voice of the taskmaster.
19The small and the great are there,
and the slaves are free from their masters.


20‘Why is light given to one in misery,
and life to the bitter in soul,
21who long for death, but it does not come,
and dig for it more than for hidden treasures;
22who rejoice exceedingly,
and are glad when they find the grave?
23Why is light given to one who cannot see the way,
whom God has fenced in?
24For my sighing comes like* my bread,
and my groanings are poured out like water.
25Truly the thing that I fear comes upon me,
and what I dread befalls me.
26I am not at ease, nor am I quiet;
I have no rest; but trouble comes.’


Eliphaz Speaks: Job Has Sinned4Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:
2‘If one ventures a word with you, will you be offended?
But who can keep from speaking?
3See, you have instructed many;
you have strengthened the weak hands.
4Your words have supported those who were stumbling,
and you have made firm the feeble knees.
5But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;
it touches you, and you are dismayed.
6Is not your fear of God your confidence,
and the integrity of your ways your hope?


7‘Think now, who that was innocent ever perished?
Or where were the upright cut off?
8As I have seen, those who plough iniquity
and sow trouble reap the same.
9By the breath of God they perish,
and by the blast of his anger they are consumed.
10The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion,
and the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11The strong lion perishes for lack of prey,
and the whelps of the lioness are scattered.


12‘Now a word came stealing to me,
my ear received the whisper of it.
13Amid thoughts from visions of the night,
when deep sleep falls on mortals,
14dread came upon me, and trembling,
which made all my bones shake.
15A spirit glided past my face;
the hair of my flesh bristled.
16It stood still,
but I could not discern its appearance.
A form was before my eyes;
there was silence, then I heard a voice:
17“Can mortals be righteous before* God?
Can human beings be pure before* their Maker?
18Even in his servants he puts no trust,
and his angels he charges with error;
19how much more those who live in houses of clay,
whose foundation is in the dust,
who are crushed like a moth.
20Between morning and evening they are destroyed;
they perish for ever without any regarding it.
21Their tent-cord is plucked up within them,
and they die devoid of wisdom.”


Job Is Corrected by God5‘Call now; is there anyone who will answer you?
To which of the holy ones will you turn?
2Surely vexation kills the fool,
and jealousy slays the simple.
3I have seen fools taking root,
but suddenly I cursed their dwelling.
4Their children are far from safety,
they are crushed in the gate,
and there is no one to deliver them.
5The hungry eat their harvest,
and they take it even out of the thorns;*
and the thirsty* pant after their wealth.
6For misery does not come from the earth,
nor does trouble sprout from the ground;
7but human beings are born to trouble
just as sparks* fly upward.


8‘As for me, I would seek God,
and to God I would commit my cause.
9He does great things and unsearchable,
marvellous things without number.
10He gives rain on the earth
and sends waters on the fields;
11he sets on high those who are lowly,
and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12He frustrates the devices of the crafty,
so that their hands achieve no success.
13He takes the wise in their own craftiness;
and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.
14They meet with darkness in the daytime,
and grope at noonday as in the night.
15But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth,
from the hand of the mighty.
16So the poor have hope,
and injustice shuts its mouth.


17‘How happy is the one whom God reproves;
therefore do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.*
18For he wounds, but he binds up;
he strikes, but his hands heal.
19He will deliver you from six troubles;
in seven no harm shall touch you.
20In famine he will redeem you from death,
and in war from the power of the sword.
21You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue,
and shall not fear destruction when it comes.
22At destruction and famine you shall laugh,
and shall not fear the wild animals of the earth.
23For you shall be in league with the stones of the field,
and the wild animals shall be at peace with you.
24You shall know that your tent is safe,
you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing.
25You shall know that your descendants will be many,
and your offspring like the grass of the earth.
26You shall come to your grave in ripe old age,
as a shock of grain comes up to the threshing-floor in its season.
27See, we have searched this out; it is true.
Hear, and know it for yourself.’