Job 2:1–13 Satan's Second Attempt to Bring Job Down

135 Pages·2013·2.03 MB·English

by  Gary Kukis

Job 2
Job 2:1–13 Satan’s Second Attempt to Bring Job Down
These studies are designed for believers in Jesus Christ only. If you have exercised faith in Christ, then you are
in the right place. If you have not, then you need to heed the words of our Lord, Who said, “For God so loved the
world that He gave His only-begotten [or, uniquely-born] Son, so that every [one] believing [or, trusting] in Him shall
not perish, but shall be have eternal life! For God did not send His Son into the world so that He should judge the
world, but so that the world shall be saved through Him. The one believing [or, trusting] in Him is not judged, but
the one not believing has already been judged, because he has not believed in the Name of the only-begotten [or,
uniquely-born] Son of God.” (John 3:16–18). “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life! No one comes to the
Father except through [or, by means of] Me!” (John 14:6).
Every study of the Word of God ought to be preceded by a naming of your sins to God. This restores you to
fellowship with God (1John 1:8–10). If there are people around, you would name these sins silently. If there is
no one around, then it does not matter if you name them silently or whether you speak aloud.
These exegetical studies are not designed for you to read each and every word. For instance, the Hebrew
exegesis is put into greyish tables, so that if you want to skip over them, that is fine. If you question a translation,
you can always refer back to the appropriate Hebrew tables to sort it all out.
The intent is to make this particular study the most complete and most accurate examination of Job 2 which is
available in writing. The idea is to make every phrase, verse and passage understandable; and to make
application of all that is studied.
Besides teaching you the doctrinal principles related to this chapter, this commentary is also to help bring this
narrative to life, so that you can understand the various characters, their motivations, and the choices that they
make. Ideally, you will be able to visualize the peoples and armies as they move across the landscape of the Land
of Promise.
Outline of Chapter 2:
Introduction
vv. 1–6 Angelic Convocation Part II
vv. 7–8 Satan Strikes Job with a Horrid Disease
vv. 9–10 The Reaction of Job’s Wife
vv. 11–13 Job’s 3 Friends Come to Comfort Him
Addendum
Charts, Maps and Short Doctrines:
Introduction The Suffering of Job (graphic)
Job 2 Page -254-
Introduction The Principals of Job 2
Introduction The Prequel of Job 2
Introduction A Synopsis of Job 2
Introduction Matthew Henry’s Outline for Job 2
Introduction The Pulpit Commentary Outlines Job 2
v. 3 Ancient Law Codes
v. 3 The Stages of Spiritual Growth
v. 4 Interpretations of “Skin for skin; he will give all he has for his life”
v. 5 Possible reasons why most translators render bârake to mean curse
v. 7 Theories on the Disease Which Afflicted Job
v. 7 Job’s Afflictions Variously Described
v. 9 The Greek Text
v. 9 Job’s Wife and Principles Derived from Their Relationship
v. 10 Job 2:10 (graphic)
v. 11 Gerard Seghers’ The Patient Job (graphic)
v. 11 Dating the Book of Job
v. 11 Eliphaz
v. 11 Teman
v. 11 The Pulpit Commentary Sums up the Characteristics of these Men
v. 12 USA Today Survey on Youth Values (graph)
v. 13 McGee on What Satan has Taken from Job
v. 13 McEwan’s Doctrine of Suffering
Addendum What We Learn from Job 2
Addendum A Complete Translation of Job 2
Addendum Job, a Type of Christ (graphic)
Chapter Outline Charts, Maps and Short Doctrines
Beginning of Document Doctrines Covered and Alluded to Chapters of the Bible Alluded To
Other Chapters of the Bible
Psalms Appropriately Exegeted
Appropriately Exegeted with this Definition of Terms
with this Chapter
Chapter
Introduction Addendum
www.kukis.org Links to the Chapters of Job
Pre-Introduction Links
Doctrines Covered and Chapters of the Bible Alluded To or Psalms
Definition of Terms
Alluded To Appropriately Exegeted with this Chapter
Doctrines Covered Doctrines Alluded To
Laws of Divine
Angelic Conflict Sin unto Death
Establishment
Page -255- The Book of Job
Chapters of the Bible Alluded To
Job 1
Psalms Appropriately Exegeted with this Chapter
Other Chapters of the Bible Appropriately Exegeted with this Chapter
Many who read and study this chapter are 1st or 2nd generation students of R. B. Thieme, Jr., so that much of
this vocabulary is second nature. One of Bob’s contributions to theology is a fresh vocabulary along with a
number of concepts which are theologically new or reworked, yet still orthodox. Therefore, if you are unfamiliar
with his work, the definitions below will help you to fully understand all that is being said. In addition to this, I
will use a number of other more traditional technical theological terms which will be used and therefore defined
as well.
Definition of Terms
Before man was created, God created billions of angels. Satan sinned against God and
a third of the angels went with Satan (these are known as the fallen angels). Satan has
Angelic Conflict been sentenced to eternity in the Lake of Fire, but this sentence has not been carried out
yet, presumably because Satan has lodged many objections. Man was created in order
to resolve the Angelic Conflict.
The term "cosmic system" refers to Satan's plan and process for controlling the world, and
Cosmic System his attempt, using his organization of fallen angels, to counteract the plan of God in all
respects.
Cosmic Thinking Cosmic thinking is the way that Satan thinks; it is the opposite of thinking like God thinks.
We all face personal disasters (disease, loss of loved ones) and many of us face natural
Disaster testing (hurricanes, floods, tornadoes) and national disasters (violence, terrorism, war). When
we apply Bible doctrine from our souls to such a crisis, our spiritual growth is accelerated.
Laws of Divine These are the laws by which all men ought to be governed. Much of the Mosaic Law is
Establishment divine establishment law.
Momentum testing represents a variety of different tests (people testing, system
Momentum
testing, disaster testing, thought testing) which result, ideally, in accelerated spiritual
testing
growth.
Masoretic text The Hebrew text of the Old Testament, passed down for many hundreds of years.
In the New Testament, this is naming your sins to God, so that you are both restored to
Rebound
temporal fellowship with God and are then filled with the Spirit of God. In the Old
(Restoration to
Testament, naming your sins to God would result in a restoration of fellowship and, in
fellowship with
some cases, the empowerment of the Holy Spirit once again (the Holy Spirit was not given
God)
to all Old Testament believers).
Septuagint A Greek translation made of the Old Testament somewhere between 300–100 B.C.
Job 2 Page -256-
Definition of Terms
When a believer continues to sin without rebound and without responding to warning
discipline, God will often remove that believer from this life with the sin unto death. This
Sin unto Death
is not a particular sin, but usually a series of sins, which may includes acts of human good
and evil.
Textual criticism The science of determining the best reading for any given passage.
Some of these definitions are taken from
http://gracebiblechurchwichita.org/?page_id=1556
http://www.bibledoctrinechurch.org/?subpages/GLOSSARY.shtml
http://rickhughesministries.org/content/Biblical-Terms.pdf
http://www.gbible.org/index.php?proc=d4d
http://www.wordoftruthministries.org/termsanddefs.htm
http://www.realtime.net/~wdoud/topics.html
http://www.theopedia.com/
——————————
An Introduction to Job 2
Introduction: Job 2 is Act 2 in the book of Job. God convenes the angels and Satan comes forward, and God
questions Satan about Job, pointing out that God has caused Job harm without cause. If you will recall the
previous chapter, Satan said that Job served God only because God was good to him. “Take away all of his
blessings, and he will curse You to Your face,” Satan alleged. That did not happen. So Satan applied a new
strategy in this chapter.
It is very likely that Satan is quite frustrated with Job
and angry. To his way of thinking, Job should have
cursed God and desired death. However, Satan did
not respond as he expected. So, more satanic
viewpoint is presented here in Job 2. Satan alleges
that if God physically harms, Job, then Job will
certainly curse God and desire death. God gives
Satan permission to strike Job with disease;
however, Job is to be kept alive.
The Suffering of Job, from 4.bp.blogspot.com.
Satan strikes Job with a horribly painful and
disgusting skin disease. This is the last straw for
Job’s wife, and she suggests to Job to curse God
and die.
From 4.bp.blogspot.com. Accessed May 25, 2013.
Then three of Job’s business associates (possibly
friends) hear of his troubles and come to commiserate with him at the end of Job 2.
Chapter Outline Charts, Maps and Short Doctrines
We need to know who the people are who populate this chapter.
Page -257- The Book of Job
The Principals of Job 2
Characters Biographical Material
Job is the protagonist throughout his eponymous book. He is a mature believer to
Job whom God allows great misfortune to fall, because Satan impugned God’s character
by saying that His people are loyal to him just because He gives them a lot of stuff.
Yehowah is the Revealed Member of the Godhead. It is with Him that all of his
Yehowah creatures interact. It appears that Satan has face to face with God; but it is not clear
that Job has enjoyed that.
In the book of Job, Satan is actually the satan, which means the adversary. Because
Satan
of this, he is assigned this name.
At this point, it is unclear whether Job had a good wife to begin with; but this wife is so
Job’s wife
upset over their circumstance that she will tell Job to curse God and die.
Job has 3 friends or business associates with whom he has been associated over the
Job’s 3 friends past so many years, and they come to him to commiserate with him, although we learn
very little about them in this short chapter.
Chapter Outline Charts, Maps and Short Doctrines
It is important to understand what has gone before.
The Prequel of Job 2
In Job 1 (HTML) (PDF) (WPD), there is an angelic convocation which includes fallen and elect angels
(apparently) and Satan comes in the midst of them. God asks Satan if he has observed Job, His servant, and
Satan claims that Job is serving God only because God blesses Job. “Remove these blessings and Job will
curse you,” Satan alleges. This appears to be one of the man objections which Satan has lodged in the Angelic
Conflict (HTML) (PDF) (WPD).
God will allow Satan to destroy Job’s wealth, which will include his children. Satan does so immediately, in such
a way as to cause the greatest damage to Job’s life. Rather than cursing God, Job 1 will end with Job praising
God. “Yehowah gives and Yehowah takes away; praised by the name of Yehowah,” is how Job concludes the
chapter. He does not sin, nor does he hold God accountable for arbitrary behavior.
Matthew Henry: We left Job honourably acquitted upon a fair trial between God and Satan concerning him.
Satan had leave to touch, to touch and take, all he had, and was confident that he would then curse God to his
face; but, on the contrary, he blessed him, and so he was proved an honest man and Satan a false accuser.
Now, one would have thought, this would be conclusive, and that Job would never have his reputation called
in question again; but Job is known to be armour of proof, and therefore is here set up for a mark, and brought
upon his trial, a second time.1
Chapter Outline Charts, Maps and Short Doctrines
1 Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; from e-Sword, Job 2 chapter notes.
Job 2 Page -258-
A Synopsis of Job 2
Again there is an angelic convocation where Satan lodges and objection. He claims that Job’s very life is what
is most precious to him, and that Job would trade anything to retain his life.
God allows Satan in inflict physical harm to Job, but that Satan had to stop short of killing Job.
Satan strikes Job with a horrible disease, which covers him with great sores from head to feet.
Job’s wife suggests that he simply curse God and die, because of this life he now leads.
Job remains faithful to God.
Job has 3 friends or business associates who come to him, and are horrified by how Job appears to them. He
cannot even be recognized for the disease which has struck him. For 7 days and nights, they all sit in silence
together.
Chapter Outline Charts, Maps and Short Doctrines
It is quite difficult to come up with an alternate outline for Job 2, as each scene is so distinct. Therefore, Henry’s
outline below is not dramatically different from my own.
Matthew Henry’s Outline for Job 2
1. Satan moves for another trial, which should touch his bone and his flesh (Job. 2:1–5).
2. God, for holy ends, permits it (Job. 2:6).
3. Satan smites him with a very painful and loathsome disease (Job. 2:7–8).
4. His wife tempts him to curse God, but he resists the temptation (Job. 2:9–10).
5. His friends come to condole with him and to comfort him (Job. 2:11–13). And in this that good man is set
forth for an example of suffering affliction and of patience.
From Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; from e-Sword, Chapter 2 introduction.
Chapter Outline Charts, Maps and Short Doctrines
Originally, I saw this as act II, divided into 3 scenes:
The Pulpit Commentary Outlines Job 2
1. Vers. 1-6 contain an account of Satan’s second appearance in the courts of heaven, and of a second
colloquy between him and the Almighty. The angelic convocation in heaven.
2. Vers. 7-10 contain the sequel to this colloquy, viz. Satan"s further affliction of Job, and his conduct under
it. Satan’s attack on Job on earth.
3. Vers. 11-13 contain an account of the arrival of Job"s three special friends to mourn with him and to
comfort him; and of their behavior during the first seven days after their arrival. Job’s friends hear of Job’s
troubles and go to him.
From The Pulpit Commentary; 1880-1919; by Joseph S. Exell, Henry Donald Maurice Spence-Jones, courtesy of e-sword,
Job 2:1.
——————————
Chapter Outline Charts, Maps and Short Doctrines
Page -259- The Book of Job
Angelic Convocation Part II
This chapter opens exactly as we found in Job 1:6–8; God is sovereign, the angels come before Him, there is the
interaction between the Adversary (Satan) and God. The Adversary, ignoring that he had been shown wrong
before, has a new objection to lodge and God and His relationship with His creatures (in this case, Job). As
before, God is wholly and fully in charge, and Satan can do no more than God allows, whatever his objection might
be.
Slavishly literal: Moderately literal:
And so is the day and so comes sons of the And the day is when the sons of Elohim come
Elohim to take a stand against Yehowah. And Job to take a stand against Yehowah. The adversary
so comes also the adversary [= the Satan] in 2:1 also [= the Satan] came in their midst to take a
their midst to take a stand against Yehowah. stand against Yehowah.
The day came when the sons of God [= angels] came to take a stand against Jehovah. The
adversary—Satan—also came with them, taking his stand with the fallen angels against Jehovah.
Here is how others have translated this verse:
Ancient texts: Note: I compare the Hebrew text to English translations of the Latin, Syriac and
Greek texts, using the Douay-Rheims translation2; George Lamsa’s translation, and
Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brenton’s translation as revised and edited by Paul W.
Esposito, respectively. I often update these texts with non-substantive changes
(e.g., you for thou, etc.). I often use the text of the Complete Apostles’ Bible instead
of Brenton’s translation, because it updates the English text.
The Septuagint was the earliest known translation of a book (circa 200 B.C.). Since
this translation was made before the textual criticism had been developed into a
science and because different books appear to be translated by different men, the
Greek translation can sometimes be very uneven.
When there are serious disparities between my translation and Brenton’s (or the
text of the Complete Apostles’ Bible), I look at the Greek text of the Septuagint (the
LXX) to see if a substantive difference actually exists (and I reflect these changes
in the English rendering of the Greek text). I use the Greek LXX with Strong’s
numbers and morphology available for e-sword. The only problem with this
resource (which is a problem for similar resources) is, there is no way to further
explore Greek verbs which are not found in the New Testament. Although I usually
quote the Complete Apostles’ Bible here, I have begun to make changes in the
translation when their translation conflicts with the Greek and note what those
changes are.
The Masoretic text is the Hebrew text with all of the vowels (vowel points) inserted
(the original Hebrew text lacked vowels). We take the Masoretic text to be the text
closest to the original. However, differences between the Masoretic text and the
Greek, Latin and Syriac are worth noting and, once in a great while, represent a
more accurate text possessed by those other ancient translators.
In general, the Latin text is an outstanding translation from the Hebrew text into
Latin and very trustworthy (I say this as a non-Catholic). Unfortunately, I do not
2 I have begun to doubt my e-sword Douay-Rheims version, so I now use www.latinvulgate.com.
Job 2 Page -260-
read Latin—apart from some very obvious words—so I am dependent upon the
English translation of the Latin (principally, the Douay-Rheims translation).
Underlined words indicate differences in the text.
Bracketed portions of the Dead Sea Scrolls are words, letters and phrases lost in
the scroll due to various types of damage. Underlined words or phrases are those
in the Dead Sea Scrolls but not in the Masoretic text.
Ancient texts:
Chaldee And there was a day of the great judgment, a day of the remission of sins and there
came bands of angels...3
Latin Vulgate And it came to pass, when on a certain day the sons of God came, and stood
before the Lord, and Satan came amongst them, and stood in His sight.
Masoretic Text (Hebrew) And so is the day and so comes sons of the Elohim to take a stand against
Yehowah. And so comes also the adversary [= the Satan] in their midst to take a
stand against Yehowah.
Peshitta (Syriac) AGAIN there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before
the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.
Charles Thomson (Greek) Again on the day when the angels of God came to present themselves before the
Lord, Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord.
Septuagint (Greek) And it came to pass on a certain day, that the angels of God came to stand before
the Lord, and the devil came among them to stand before the Lord.
Significant differences: Again is not found in the Hebrew, and, apparently, not in the Greek either (despite
Thomson’s translation).
To present themselves before the Lord does not really match up with the Hebrew
(although I don’t think that is what is found in the Greek).
Thought-for-thought translations; paraphrases:
Common English Bible Job's Adversary refuses to give up
One day the divine beings came to present themselves before the LORD. The
Adversary also came among them to present himself before the LORD.
Contemporary English V. When the angels gathered around the LORD again, Satan was there with them,...
Easy English Satan opposes Job again
On another day, the angels (servants of God) gathered in heaven to see God. The
accuser, called Satan, came with them to see God.
Easy-to-Read Version On another day, the angels [Literally, "sons of God."] came to meet with the Lord.
Even Satan came to meet with the Lord.
The Message One day when the angels came to report to GOD, Satan also showed up.
New Berkeley Version Another day when the sons of God came to stand and present themselves before
the LORD, Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD.
New Living Translation Job's Second Test
One day the members of the heavenly court [Hebrew the sons of God.] came again
to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan [Hebrew and the
satan; similarly throughout this chapter.], came with them.
The Voice Now one day, it was time for the sons of God, God's heavenly messengers, to
present themselves to the Eternal One to give reports and receive instructions. The
3 Barnes’ Notes, Job, Volume 1; Baker Books; p. 112.
Page -261- The Book of Job
Accuser [Literally, the Satan] was with them there again, also ready to present
himself to Him.
Partially literal and partially paraphrased translations:
American English Bible Then on another day, God's messengers again came to stand before Jehovah, and
the Opposer came among them once more to stand before the Lord.
Christian Community Bible Once more the heavenly be ings came to present themselves be - fore Yah weh,
and again Satan was with them.
New Advent (Knox) Bible Once again the heavenly powers came to wait upon the Lord's presence; and there,
waiting with the rest of them, was the Enemy of man.
New American Bible (R.E.) The Second Interview.
One day, when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, the
satan also came with them. Jb 1:6.
NIRV Job Is Put to the Test Again
On another day angels came to the Lord. Satan also came to him along with them.
New Jerusalem Bible Another day, the sons of God came to attend on Yahweh and Satan came with
them too.
New Simplified Bible One day when the sons of God came to present themselves in front of Jehovah,
Satan the Accuser came along with them.
Revised English Bible Once again the day came when the members of the court of heaven took their
places in the presence of the LORD, and the Adversary was there among them.
Mostly literal renderings (with some occasional paraphrasing):
Ancient Roots Translinear In a day the sons of God had came to abide by Yahweh, Satan (opposition) also
came in their midst to abide by Yahweh.
Bible in Basic English And there was a day when the sons of the gods came together before the Lord, and
the Satan came with them.
The Expanded Bible Satan Appears Before the Lord Again
·On another day [or One day] the ·angels [Lthe sons of God] came to ·show
themselves [Lstand] before the Lord, and Satan [1:6] was with them again.
Ferar-Fenton Bible Another day arrived when the sons of GOD reported themselves to the LORD, and
the Accuser reported himself amongst them to the LORD;...
NET Bible® Satan's Additional Charge
Again the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the
Lord, and Satan also arrived among them to present himself before the Lord [This
last purpose clause has been omitted in some Greek versions]. When it comes to
making an actual material change to the text, the NET Bible® is pretty good about
indicating this. Since most of these corrections will be clear in the more literal
translations below and within the Hebrew exegesis itself, I will not continue to list
every NET Bible® footnote.
NIV – UK On another day the angels [Hebrew the sons of God] came to present themselves
before the Lord, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him.
Jewish/Hebrew Names Bibles:
Complete Jewish Bible Another day came when the sons of God came to serve ADONAI, and among them
came the Adversary to serve ADONAI.
exeGeses companion Bible THE SECOND CHALLENGE OF SATAN
And so be it,
the day the sons of Elohim
come to station themselves by Yah Veh;
and Satan also comes among them
Job 2 Page -262-
to station himself by Yah Veh.
Judaica Press Complete T. Now the day came about that the angels of God came to stand beside the Lord, and
the Adversary too came among them to stand beside the Lord.
Orthodox Jewish Bible Again there was a day when the Bnei HaElohim came to present themselves before
Hashem, and Hasatan came also among them to present himself before Hashem.
Literal, almost word-for-word, renderings:
The Amplified Bible Again there was a day when the sons of God [the angels] came to present
themselves before the Lord, and Satan (the adversary and the accuser) came also
among them to present himself before the Lord.
Concordant Literal Version The day came around again when the sons of Elohim came to station themselves
before Yahweh, and Satan came also in their midst to station himself before
Yahweh.
Context Group Version Again on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before YHWH,
the Adversary { trad. "satan" } came also among them to present himself before
YHWH.
Emphasized Bible And there came a certain day when the sons of God entered in, to present
themselves unto Yahweh—so the accuser also entered in their midst, to present
himself unto Yahweh.
English Standard Version Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before
the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD.
NASB Job Loses His Health
Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before
the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD.
New King James Version Satan Attacks Job's Health
Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before
the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.
New RSV One day the heavenly beings [Heb sons of God] came to present themselves before
the Lord, and Satan [Or the Accuser; Heb ha-satan] also came among them to
present himself before the LORD.
Syndein/Thieme {Chapters 1-2: Administration of Evidence Testing}
{Part II -Verses 1-10: Loss of Health, Social life and Human Attractiveness}
On another day, the 'sons of gods/'elohiym {angels} came to present themselves
before Jehovah/God, and Satan came also among them to present himself before
Jehovah/God.
World English Bible Again it happened on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves
before Yahweh, that Satan came also among them to present himself before
Yahweh.
Young’s Updated LT And the day is, that sons of God come in to station themselves by Jehovah, and
there does come also the Adversary in their midst to station himself by Jehovah.
The gist of this verse: There is another convocation of angels before God. Satan is also there.
Job 2:1a
BDB and Strong’s
Hebrew/Pronunciation Common English Meanings Notes/Morphology
Numbers
and so, and then, then, and; so,
wa (or va) (åÇ) No Strong’s #
that, yet, therefore, wâw consecutive
[pronounced wah] BDB #253
consequently; because