Job’s Character and Wealth
(James 5:7–12)

1  אִ֛ישׁ (A man) הָיָ֥ה (there was) בְאֶֽרֶץ־ (in the land) ע֖וּץ (of Uz)— אִיּ֣וֹב (Job) שְׁמ֑וֹ (was his name)— וְהָיָ֣ה׀ (and was) הָאִ֣ישׁ (the man) הַה֗וּא (that) תָּ֧ם (blameless) וְיָשָׁ֛ר (and upright) וִירֵ֥א (and fearing) אֱלֹהִ֖ים (God) וְסָ֥ר (and turning away) מֵרָֽע׃ (from evil). 2  וַיִּוָּ֥לְדוּ (And were born) ל֛וֹ (to him) שִׁבְעָ֥ה (seven) בָנִ֖ים (sons) וְשָׁל֥וֹשׁ (and three) בָּנֽוֹת׃ (daughters). 3  וַיְהִ֣י (And were) מִ֠קְנֵהוּ (his possessions) שִֽׁבְעַ֨ת (seven) אַלְפֵי־ (thousand) צֹ֜אן (sheep), וּשְׁלֹ֧שֶׁת (and three) אַלְפֵ֣י (thousand) גְמַלִּ֗ים (camels), וַחֲמֵ֨שׁ (and five) מֵא֤וֹת (hundred) צֶֽמֶד־ (pair) בָּקָר֙ (of oxen), וַחֲמֵ֣שׁ (and five) מֵא֣וֹת (hundred) אֲתוֹנ֔וֹת (female donkeys), וַעֲבֻדָּ֖ה (and a service) רַבָּ֣ה (large) מְאֹ֑ד (very) וַיְהִי֙ (and was) הָאִ֣ישׁ (the man) הַה֔וּא (that) גָּד֖וֹל (greater) מִכָּל־ (than all) בְּנֵי־ (the sons) קֶֽדֶם׃ (of the East).

4  וְהָלְכ֤וּ (And would go) בָנָיו֙ (his sons) וְעָשׂ֣וּ (and make) מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה (a feast) בֵּ֖ית (at the house) אִ֣ישׁ (of each man) יוֹמ֑וֹ (in his day), וְשָׁלְח֗וּ (and they would send) וְקָרְאוּ֙ (and call) לִשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת (to three) אַחְיֹתֵיהֶם (their sisters) לֶאֱכֹ֥ל (to eat) וְלִשְׁתּ֖וֹת (and to drink) עִמָּהֶֽם׃ (with them).

5  וַיְהִ֡י (And it came to pass) כִּ֣י (that) הִקִּיפֽוּ֩ (had gone around) יְמֵ֨י (the days) הַמִּשְׁתֶּ֜ה (of the feasting), וַיִּשְׁלַ֧ח (would send) אִיּ֣וֹב (Job) וַֽיְקַדְּשֵׁ֗ם (and would sanctify them), וְהִשְׁכִּ֣ים (and he would rise early) בַּבֹּקֶר֮ (in the morning) וְהֶעֱלָ֣ה (and offer up) עֹלוֹת֮ (burnt offerings) מִסְפַּ֣ר (the number) כֻּלָּם֒ (of them all), כִּ֚י (for) אָמַ֣ר (said) אִיּ֔וֹב (Job), אוּלַי֙ (Perhaps) חָטְא֣וּ (have sinned) בָנַ֔י (my sons) וּבֵרֲכ֥וּ (and cursed) אֱלֹהִ֖ים (God) בִּלְבָבָ֑ם (in their hearts). כָּ֛כָה (Thus) יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה (did) אִיּ֖וֹב (Job) כָּל־ (all) הַיָּמִֽים׃פ (the days).

Satan’s First Attack

6  וַיְהִ֣י (And there was) הַיּ֔וֹם (a day when) וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ (and came) בְּנֵ֣י (the sons) הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים (of God) לְהִתְיַצֵּ֖ב (to present themselves) עַל־ (before) יְהוָ֑ה (YHWH), וַיָּב֥וֹא (and came) גַֽם־ (also) הַשָּׂטָ֖ן (Satan) בְּתוֹכָֽם׃ (into their midst).

7  וַיֹּ֧אמֶר (And said) יְהוָ֛ה (YHWH) אֶל־ (to) הַשָּׂטָ֖ן (Satan), מֵאַ֣יִן (From where) תָּבֹ֑א (have you come)?

וַיַּ֨עַן (And answered) הַשָּׂטָ֤ן (Satan) אֶת־ (-) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) וַיֹּאמַ֔ר (and said), מִשּׁ֣וּט (From roaming about) בָּאָ֔רֶץ (on the earth), וּמֵֽהִתְהַלֵּ֖ךְ (and walking back and forth) בָּֽהּ׃ (on it).

8  וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) אֶל־ (to) הַשָּׂטָ֔ן (Satan), הֲשַׂ֥מְתָּ (Have you set) לִבְּךָ֖ (your heart) עַל־ (upon) עַבְדִּ֣י (My servant) אִיּ֑וֹב (Job), כִּ֣י (that) אֵ֤ין (there is no one) כָּמֹ֙הוּ֙ (like him) בָּאָ֔רֶץ (on the earth), אִ֣ישׁ (a man) תָּ֧ם (blameless) וְיָשָׁ֛ר (and upright), יְרֵ֥א (fearing) אֱלֹהִ֖ים (God) וְסָ֥ר (and turning aside) מֵרָֽע׃ (from evil)?

9  וַיַּ֧עַן (And answered) הַשָּׂטָ֛ן (Satan) אֶת־ (-) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) וַיֹּאמַ֑ר (and said), הַֽחִנָּ֔ם (For nothing) יָרֵ֥א (does fear) אִיּ֖וֹב (Job) אֱלֹהִֽים׃ (God)? 10  הֲלֹֽא־ (Have not) אַתְּ (you) שַׂ֣כְתָּ (put a hedge) בַעֲד֧וֹ (around him) וּבְעַד־ (and around) בֵּית֛וֹ (his house) וּבְעַ֥ד (and around) כָּל־ (all) אֲשֶׁר־ (that is) ל֖וֹ (unto him) מִסָּבִ֑יב (surrounding on every side)? מַעֲשֵׂ֤ה (The work) יָדָיו֙ (of his hands) בֵּרַ֔כְתָּ (You have blessed), וּמִקְנֵ֖הוּ (and the animals of his possession) פָּרַ֥ץ (have burst forth) בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ (in the land). 11  וְאוּלָם֙ (But) שְֽׁלַֽח־ (stretch out) נָ֣א (now) יָֽדְךָ֔ (Your hand) וְגַ֖ע (and touch) בְּכָל־ (against all) אֲשֶׁר־ (that is) ל֑וֹ (unto him), אִם־ (if) לֹ֥א (not) עַל־ (to) פָּנֶ֖יךָ (your face) יְבָרֲכֶֽךָּ׃ (he will curse you)”

12  וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (and said) יְהוָ֜ה (YHWH) אֶל־ (to) הַשָּׂטָ֗ן (Satan), הִנֵּ֤ה (Behold), כָל־ (all) אֲשֶׁר־ (that is) לוֹ֙ (unto him) בְּיָדֶ֔ךָ (is in your hand), רַ֣ק (only) אֵלָ֔יו (unto him) אַל־ (do not) תִּשְׁלַ֖ח (stretch out) יָדֶ֑ךָ (your hand).

וַיֵּצֵא֙ (And went out) הַשָּׂטָ֔ן (Satan) מֵעִ֖ם (from) פְּנֵ֥י (the face) יְהוָֽה׃ (of YHWH).

Job Loses His Children and Possessions

13  וַיְהִ֖י (And there came to be) הַיּ֑וֹם (a day) וּבָנָ֨יו (and his sons) וּבְנֹתָ֤יו (and his daughters) אֹֽכְלִים֙ (were eating) וְשֹׁתִ֣ים (and drinking) יַ֔יִן (wine) בְּבֵ֖ית (in the house) אֲחִיהֶ֥ם (of their brother) הַבְּכֽוֹר׃ (the firstborn). 14  וּמַלְאָ֛ךְ (And a messenger) בָּ֥א (came) אֶל־ (to) אִיּ֖וֹב (Job) וַיֹּאמַ֑ר (and said), הַבָּקָר֙ (The oxen) הָי֣וּ (were) חֹֽרְשׁ֔וֹת (plowing) וְהָאֲתֹנ֖וֹת (and the donkeys) רֹע֥וֹת (were grazing) עַל־ (at) יְדֵיהֶֽם׃ (their sides). 15  וַתִּפֹּ֤ל (Fell on them) שְׁבָא֙ (the Sabeans) וַתִּקָּחֵ֔ם (and took them), וְאֶת־ (and) הַנְּעָרִ֖ים (the servants) הִכּ֣וּ (they struck) לְפִי־ (with the mouth) חָ֑רֶב (of the sword), וָֽאִמָּ֨לְטָ֧ה (and have escaped) רַק־ (only) אֲנִ֛י (I) לְבַדִּ֖י (by myself alone) לְהַגִּ֥יד (to declare it) לָֽךְ׃ (to you).

16  ע֣וֹד׀ (Still) זֶ֣ה (this one) מְדַבֵּ֗ר (was speaking), וְזֶה֮ (and this one) בָּ֣א (came) וַיֹּאמַר֒ (and said), אֵ֣שׁ (The fire) אֱלֹהִ֗ים (of God) נָֽפְלָה֙ (fell) מִן־ (from) הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם (the heavens) וַתִּבְעַ֥ר (and burned up) בַּצֹּ֛אן (the sheep) וּבַנְּעָרִ֖ים (and the servants) וַתֹּאכְלֵ֑ם (and it consumed them), וָאִמָּ֨לְטָ֧ה (and have escaped) רַק־ (only) אֲנִ֛י (I) לְבַדִּ֖י (by myself alone) לְהַגִּ֥יד (to declare it) לָֽךְ׃ (to you).

17  ע֣וֹד׀ (Still) זֶ֣ה (this one) מְדַבֵּ֗ר (was speaking), וְזֶה֮ (and this one) בָּ֣א (came) וַיֹּאמַר֒ (and said), כַּשְׂדִּ֞ים (The Chaldeans) שָׂ֣מוּ׀ (made) שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה (three) רָאשִׁ֗ים (heads) וַֽיִּפְשְׁט֤וּ (and rushed) עַל־ (upon) הַגְּמַלִּים֙ (the camels) וַיִּקָּח֔וּם (and took them away), וְאֶת־ (and) הַנְּעָרִ֖ים (the servants) הִכּ֣וּ (they struck) לְפִי־ (with the mouth) חָ֑רֶב (of the sword), וָאִמָּ֨לְטָ֧ה (and I have escaped) רַק־ (only) אֲנִ֛י (I) לְבַדִּ֖י (by myself alone) לְהַגִּ֥יד (to declare it) לָֽךְ׃ (to you).

18  עַ֚ד (Still) זֶ֣ה (this one) מְדַבֵּ֔ר (was speaking), וְזֶ֖ה (and this one) בָּ֣א (came) וַיֹּאמַ֑ר (and said), בָּנֶ֨יךָ (Your sons) וּבְנוֹתֶ֤יךָ (and daughters) אֹֽכְלִים֙ (were eating) וְשֹׁתִ֣ים (and drinking) יַ֔יִן (wine) בְּבֵ֖ית (in the house) אֲחִיהֶ֥ם (of their brother) הַבְּכֽוֹר׃ (the firstborn), 19  וְהִנֵּה֩ (and behold) ר֨וּחַ (a wind) גְּדוֹלָ֜ה (great) בָּ֣אָה׀ (came) מֵעֵ֣בֶר (from across) הַמִּדְבָּ֗ר (the desert) וַיִּגַּע֙ (and struck) בְּאַרְבַּע֙ (against the four) פִּנּ֣וֹת (corners) הַבַּ֔יִת (of the house), וַיִּפֹּ֥ל (and it fell) עַל־ (upon) הַנְּעָרִ֖ים (the young people), וַיָּמ֑וּתוּ (and they died), וָאִמָּ֨לְטָ֧ה (and I have escaped) רַק־ (only) אֲנִ֛י (I) לְבַדִּ֖י (by myself alone) לְהַגִּ֥יד (to declare it) לָֽךְ׃ (to you).

20  וַיָּ֤קָם (And arose) אִיּוֹב֙ (Job) וַיִּקְרַ֣ע (and tore) אֶת־ (-) מְעִל֔וֹ (his robe) וַיָּ֖גָז (and shaved) אֶת־ (-) רֹאשׁ֑וֹ (his head), וַיִּפֹּ֥ל (and he fell) אַ֖רְצָה (to the ground) וַיִּשְׁתָּֽחוּ׃ (and bowed low), 21  וַיֹּאמֶר֩ (and he said),

עָרֹ֨ם (Naked) יָצָתִי (I came forth) מִבֶּ֣טֶן (from the womb) אִמִּ֗י (of my mother),

וְעָרֹם֙ (and naked) אָשׁ֣וּב (shall I return) שָׁ֔מָה (there).

יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) נָתַ֔ן (gave), וַיהוָ֖ה (and YHWH) לָקָ֑ח (has taken away).

יְהִ֛י (Let be) שֵׁ֥ם (the name) יְהוָ֖ה (of YHWH) מְבֹרָֽךְ׃ (blessed).

22  בְּכָל־ (In all) זֹ֖את (this) לֹא־ (not) חָטָ֣א (did sin) אִיּ֑וֹב (Job) וְלֹא־ (and not) נָתַ֥ן (did he ascribe) תִּפְלָ֖ה (foolishness) לֵאלֹהִֽים׃פ (to God).