Job 2

The Accuser Returns

1Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and the accuser also came among them to present himself before the LORD. 2The LORD said to the accuser, “From where have you come?” The accuser answered the LORD and said, “From roaming through the earth and walking about on it.” 3The LORD said to the accuser, “Have you set your heart upon my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil. He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to swallow him up without cause.” 4The accuser answered the LORD and said, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. 5But now stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh. Surely he will curse you to your face.” 6The LORD said to the accuser, “Look, he is in your hand. Only preserve his life.”

Job Is Struck with Painful Sores

7Then the accuser went out from the presence of the LORD and struck Job with painful sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 8He took a potsherd to scrape himself with, and he sat among the ashes. 9Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” 10But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive trouble?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Job’s Three Friends Come

11Now three friends of Job heard of all this trouble that had come upon him. Each came from his own place: Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They agreed together to come to show him sympathy and comfort him. 12When they lifted their eyes from far away, they did not recognize him. They lifted their voices and wept. Each tore his robe, and they threw dust toward heaven upon their heads. 13They sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.