1AGAIN there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Sa tan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. 2And the LORD said to Satan, Whence have you come? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking on it. 3And the LORD said to Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, an innocent and upright man, one who reveres God, and turns away from evil? He still holds fast to his integrity, although you provoked me against him, to destroy him without cause. 4And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man has will he give for his life, to save it. 5But put forth thy hand now, and touch his flesh or his bone, and he will curse thee to thy face. 6And the LORD said to Satan, Behold, he is delivered into your hands; only spare his life.

7So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with cancer from the sole of his foot to his brain. 8And he took a potsherd to scrape himself with it; and he sat down upon 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. We have indeed received God's blessings, now shall we not also receive his afflictions? In all these misfortunes Job did not sin, nor did he blaspheme against God with his lips.

11Now when Job's three friends heard of all this misfortune that had come upon him, they set a time of meeting, and came to him every one from his own place: Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; for they had made an appointment together to console and comfort him. 12And when they lifted up their eyes from afar, they did not recognize him, and they lifted up their voices, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and threw dust upon their heads toward the heaven. 13So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spoke a word to him; for they saw that his affliction was very great.