New King James Version (NKJV)

Job and His Family in Uz

1 There was a manin the land of Uz, whose namewasJob; and that man wasblameless and upright, and one whofeared God and shunned evil.

2 And seven sons and three daughters were born to him.

3 Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East.

4 And his sons would go and feastintheirhouses, each on hisappointedday, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

5 So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morningand offer burnt offeringsaccordingtothe number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned andcursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly.

Satan Attacks Job’s Character

6 Nowthere was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before theLord, and Satan also came among them.

7 And theLordsaid to Satan, “From where do you come?”

# So Satan answered theLordand said, “Fromgoing to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”

8 Then theLordsaid to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, thatthereisnone like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”

9 So Satan answered theLordand said, “Does Job fear God for nothing?

10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side?You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.

11 But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surelycurse You to Your face!”

12 And theLordsaid to Satan, “Behold, all that he hasisin your power; only do not lay a hand on hisperson.”

So Satan went out from the presence of theLord.

Job Loses His Property and Children

13 Now there was a daywhen his sons and daughterswereeating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house;

14 and a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,

15 when the Sabeans raidedthemand took them away—indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

16 While hewasstill speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

17 While hewasstill speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

18 While hewasstill speaking, another also came and said,“Your sons and daughterswereeating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,

19 and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

20 Then Job arose,tore his robe, and shaved his head; and hefell to the ground and worshiped.

21 And he said:

# “Naked I came from my mother’s womb,

And naked shall I return there.

# TheLordgave, and theLordhastaken away;

# Blessed be the name of theLord.”

22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.

Satan Attacks Job’s Health

1 Againthere was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before theLord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before theLord.

2 And theLordsaid to Satan, “From where do you come?”

# Satan answered theLordand said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”

3 Then theLordsaid to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, thatthereisnone like him on the earth,a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still heholds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him,to destroy him without cause.”

4 So Satan answered theLordand said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.

5 But stretch out Your hand now, and touch hisbone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”

6 And theLordsaid to Satan, “Behold, heisin your hand, but spare his life.”

7 So Satan went out from the presence of theLord, and struck Job with painful boilsfrom the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.

8 And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himselfwhile he sat in the midst of the ashes.

9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!”

10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks.Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?”In all this Job did notsin with his lips.

Job’s Three Friends

11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place—Eliphaz theTemanite, Bildad theShuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to comeand mourn with him, and to comfort him.

12 And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe andsprinkled dust on his head toward heaven.

13 So they sat down with him on the groundseven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw thathisgrief was very great.

Job Deplores His Birth

1 After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of hisbirth.

2 And Job spoke, and said:

3 “Maythe day perish on which I was born,

And the nightinwhichit was said,

‘A male child is conceived.’

4 May that day be darkness;

May God above not seek it,

Nor the light shine upon it.

5 May darkness andthe shadow of death claim it;

May a cloud settle on it;

May the blackness of the day terrify it.

6 Asforthat night, may darkness seize it;

May it not rejoice among the days of the year,

May it not come into the number of the months.

7 Oh, may that night be barren!

May no joyful shout come into it!

8 May those curse it who curse the day,

# Thosewho are ready to arouse Leviathan.

9 May the stars of its morning be dark;

May it look for light, buthavenone,

And not see the dawning of the day;

10 Because it did not shut up the doors of mymother’swomb,

Nor hide sorrow from my eyes.

11 “Whydid I not die at birth?

Whydid Inotperish when I came from the womb?

12 Why did the knees receive me?

Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?

13 For now I would have lain still and been quiet,

I would have been asleep;

Then I would have been at rest

14 With kings and counselors of the earth,

# Whobuilt ruins for themselves,

15 Or with princes who had gold,

Who filled their houseswithsilver;

16 Orwhywas I not hiddenlike a stillborn child,

Like infants who never saw light?

17 There the wicked ceasefromtroubling,

# And there the weary are atrest.

18 Therethe prisoners rest together;

# They do not hear the voice of the oppressor.

19 The small and great are there,

And the servantisfree from his master.

20 “Whyis light given to him who is in misery,

# And life to thebitter of soul,

21 Wholong for death, but it does notcome,

# And search for it more thanhidden treasures;

22 Who rejoice exceedingly,

# Andare glad when they can find thegrave?

23 Whyislightgivento a man whose way is hidden,

# And whom God has hedged in?

24 For my sighing comes before I eat,

And my groanings pour out like water.

25 For the thing I greatlyfeared has come upon me,

And what I dreaded has happened to me.

26 I am not at ease, nor am I quiet;

I have no rest, for trouble comes.”

Eliphaz: Job Has Sinned

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

2 “Ifone attempts a word with you, will you become weary?

But who can withhold himself from speaking?

3 Surely you have instructed many,

# And youhave strengthened weak hands.

4 Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,

# And youhave strengthened the feeble knees;

5 But now it comes upon you, and you are weary;

It touches you, and you are troubled.

6 Isnotyour reverenceyour confidence?

And the integrity of your ways your hope?

7 “Remember now,whoeverperished being innocent?

Or where were the uprightevercut off?

8 Even as I have seen,

# Those who plow iniquity

And sow trouble reap the same.

9 By the blast of God they perish,

And by the breath of His anger they are consumed.

10 The roaring of the lion,

The voice of the fierce lion,

# Andthe teeth of the young lions are broken.

11 The old lion perishes for lack of prey,

And the cubs of the lioness are scattered.

12 “Now a word was secretly brought to me,

And my ear received a whisper of it.

13 In disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night,

When deep sleep falls on men,

14 Fear came upon me, andtrembling,

Which made all my bones shake.

15 Then a spirit passed before my face;

The hair on my body stood up.

16 It stood still,

But I could not discern its appearance.

A formwasbefore my eyes;

Therewassilence;

Then I heard a voicesaying:

17 ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God?

Can a man be more pure than his Maker?

18 If Heputs no trust in His servants,

IfHe charges His angels with error,

19 How much more those who dwell in houses of clay,

Whose foundation is in the dust,

Whoare crushed before a moth?

20 They are broken in pieces from morning till evening;

They perish forever, with no one regarding.

21 Does not their own excellence go away?

They die, even without wisdom.’

Eliphaz: Job Is Chastened by God

1 “Call out now;

Is there anyone who will answer you?

And to which of the holy ones will you turn?

2 For wrath kills a foolish man,

And envy slays a simple one.

3 I have seen the foolish taking root,

But suddenly I cursed his dwelling place.

4 His sons arefar from safety,

They are crushed in the gate,

# Andthereisno deliverer.

5 Because the hungry eat up his harvest,

Taking it even from the thorns,

And a snare snatches their substance.

6 For affliction does not come from the dust,

Nor does trouble spring from the ground;

7 Yet man isborn to trouble,

As the sparks fly upward.

8 “But as for me, I would seek God,

And to God I would commit my cause—

9 Who does great things, and unsearchable,

Marvelous things without number.

10 He gives rain on the earth,

And sends waters on the fields.

11 He sets on high those who are lowly,

And those who mourn are lifted to safety.

12 He frustrates the devices of the crafty,

So that their hands cannot carry out their plans.

13 He catches thewise in their own craftiness,

And the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them.

14 They meet with darkness in the daytime,

And grope at noontime as in the night.

15 ButHe saves the needy from the sword,

From the mouth of the mighty,

And from their hand.

16 So the poor have hope,

And injustice shuts her mouth.

17 “Behold,happyisthe man whom God corrects;

Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.

18 For He bruises, but He binds up;

He wounds, but His hands make whole.

19 He shall deliver you in six troubles,

# Yes, in sevenno evil shall touch you.

20 In famine He shall redeem you from death,

And in war from the power of the sword.

21 You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue,

And you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes.

22 You shall laugh at destruction and famine,

# Andyou shall not be afraid of thebeasts of the earth.

23 For you shall have a covenant with the stones of the field,

And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.

24 You shall know that your tentisin peace;

You shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss.

25 You shall also know thatyour descendantsshallbemany,

# And your offspringlike the grass of the earth.

26 You shall come to the grave at a full age,

As a sheaf of grain ripens in its season.

27 Behold, this we havesearched out;

Itistrue.

Hear it, and know for yourself.”

Job: My Complaint Is Just

1 Then Job answered and said:

2 “Oh, that my grief were fully weighed,

And my calamity laid with it on the scales!

3 For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea—

Therefore my words have been rash.

4 For the arrows of the Almightyarewithin me;

My spirit drinks in their poison;

# The terrors of God are arrayedagainst me.

5 Does thewild donkey bray when it has grass,

Or does the ox low over its fodder?

6 Can flavorless food be eaten without salt?

Or is thereanytaste in the white of an egg?

7 My soul refuses to touch them;

Theyareas loathsome food to me.

8 “Oh, that I might have my request,

That God would grantmethe thing that I long for!

9 That it would please God to crush me,

# That He would loose His hand andcut me off!

10 Then I would still have comfort;

Though in anguish I would exult,

He will not spare;

# ForI have not concealed the words ofthe Holy One.

11 “What strength do I have, that I should hope?

And whatismy end, that I should prolong my life?

12 Ismy strength the strength of stones?

Or is my flesh bronze?

13 Ismy help not within me?

And is success driven from me?

14 “Tohim who is afflicted, kindnessshouldbeshownby his friend,

Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

15 My brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook,

# Like the streams of the brooks that pass away,

16 Which are dark because of the ice,

Andinto which the snow vanishes.

17 When it is warm, they cease to flow;

When it is hot, they vanish from their place.

18 The paths of their way turn aside,

They go nowhere and perish.

19 The caravans ofTema look,

# The travelers ofSheba hope for them.

20 They aredisappointed because they were confident;

They come there and are confused.

21 For nowyou are nothing,

# You see terror andare afraid.

22 Did I ever say, ‘Bringsomethingto me’?

Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth’?

23 Or, ‘Deliver me from the enemy’s hand’?

Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of oppressors’?

24 “Teach me, and I will hold my tongue;

Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

25 How forceful are right words!

But what does your arguing prove?

26 Do you intend to rebukemywords,

And the speeches of a desperate one,whichareas wind?

27 Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless,

# And youundermine your friend.

28 Now therefore, be pleased to look at me;

For I would never lie to your face.

29 Yield now, let there be no injustice!

# Yes, concede, myrighteousness still stands!

30 Is there injustice on my tongue?

Cannot my taste discern the unsavory?

Job: My Suffering Is Comfortless

1 “Istherenota time of hard service for man on earth?

Arenothis days also like the days of a hired man?

2 Like a servant who earnestly desires the shade,

And like a hired man who eagerly looks for his wages,

3 So I have been allottedmonths of futility,

And wearisome nights have been appointed to me.

4 When I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I arise,

And the night be ended?’

For I have had my fill of tossing till dawn.

5 My flesh iscaked with worms and dust,

My skin is cracked and breaks out afresh.

6 “Mydays are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,

And are spent without hope.

7 Oh, remember thatmy lifeisa breath!

My eye will never again see good.

8 The eye of him who sees me will see me nomore;

Whileyour eyesareupon me, I shall no longerbe.

9 Asthe cloud disappears and vanishes away,

# Sohe who goes down to the grave does not come up.

10 He shall never return to his house,

# Nor shall his place know him anymore.

11 “Therefore I willnot restrain my mouth;

I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;

# I willcomplain in the bitterness of my soul.

12 AmI a sea, or a sea serpent,

That You set a guard over me?

13 When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me,

My couch will ease my complaint,’

14 Then You scare me with dreams

And terrify me with visions,

15 So that my soul chooses strangling

Anddeath rather than my body.

16 I loathemylife;

I would not live forever.

# Let me alone,

# Formy daysarebuta breath.

17 “Whatisman, that You should exalt him,

ThatYou should set Your heart on him,

18 That You should visit him every morning,

Andtest him every moment?

19 How long?

Will You not look away from me,

And let me alone till I swallow my saliva?

20 Have I sinned?

# What have I done to You,O watcher of men?

# Whyhave You set me as Your target,

So that I am a burden to myself?

21 Why then do You not pardon my transgression,

And take away my iniquity?

For now I will lie down in the dust,

And You will seek me diligently,

But Iwillno longerbe.”

Bildad: Job Should Repent

1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:

2 “How long will you speak thesethings,

And the words of your mouthbelikea strong wind?

3 Does God subvert judgment?

Or does the Almighty pervert justice?

4 Ifyour sons have sinned against Him,

He has cast them away for their transgression.

5 If you would earnestly seek God

And make your supplication to the Almighty,

6 If youwerepure and upright,

Surely now He would awake for you,

And prosper your rightful dwelling place.

7 Though your beginning was small,

# Yet your latter end wouldincrease abundantly.

8 “Forinquire, please, of the former age,

And consider the things discovered by their fathers;

9 Forwewerebornyesterday, and know nothing,

Because our days on eartharea shadow.

10 Will they not teach you and tell you,

And utter words from their heart?

11 “Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh?

Can the reeds flourish without water?

12 While itisyet greenandnot cut down,

It withers before anyotherplant.

13 Soarethe paths of all whoforget God;

# And the hope of thehypocrite shall perish,

14 Whose confidence shall be cut off,

And whose trustisa spider’s web.

15 He leans on his house, but it does not stand.

He holds it fast, but it does not endure.

16 He grows green in the sun,

And his branches spread out in his garden.

17 His roots wrap around the rock heap,

Andlook for a place in the stones.

18 If he is destroyed from his place,

Thenitwill deny him,saying,‘I have not seen you.’

19 “Behold, this is the joy of His way,

# Andout of the earth others will grow.

20 Behold,God will not cast away the blameless,

Nor will He uphold the evildoers.

21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughing,

And your lips with rejoicing.

22 Those who hate you will beclothed with shame,

And the dwelling place of the wicked will come to nothing.”