Wisdom · Chapter 1 of 42

Job 1

Job, a blameless and wealthy man of Uz, fears God and guards his children with sacrifices. In heaven, God commends him to Satan, who claims Job serves only for reward. Given permission to strike Job's possessions, Satan destroys his livestock, servants, and all ten children in one day. Job tears his robe, worships, and blesses the LORD's name, sinning not.

What happens in Job 1

The chapter establishes Job's exceptional piety and prosperity: seven sons, three daughters, vast herds, and a habit of offering sacrifices in case his children have sinned. The scene shifts to the heavenly court, where the sons of God present themselves and Satan appears among them. God draws attention to Job's integrity, and Satan retorts that Job fears God only because God has hedged and blessed him. Challenged, God permits Satan to touch everything Job owns, though not Job himself.

Four messengers arrive in rapid succession, each the sole survivor of a disaster: Sabeans steal the oxen and asses, fire consumes the sheep, Chaldeans raid the camels, and a great wind collapses the house upon all his children. Job rises, tears his mantle, shaves his head, falls down, and worships, declaring that the LORD gave and has taken away. He does not sin or charge God foolishly.

Job 1 in context

Job belongs to the wisdom literature and is set in the patriarchal world east of Israel, in the land of Uz, likely Edomite territory. Its hero is a Gentile outside the covenant line, wrestling with a question that governs the whole book: why do the righteous suffer? This opening prologue is prose, and it grants the reader information Job never receives, namely the heavenly wager behind his ruin.

Main themes of Job 1

Job 1 (KJV)

1There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. 2And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. 3His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. 4And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 5And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. 6Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. 7And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. 8And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? 9Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? 10Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. 11But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. 12And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD. 13And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: 14And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: 15And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 16While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 17While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 18While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: 19And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 20Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, 21And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. 22In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

Verses to carry from Job 1

“And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?”Job 1:8

“And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”Job 1:21

“In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.”Job 1:22

Reflection

When everything that could be counted was gone, Job still had a name to bless. Ask yourself what your worship depends on. If God gave you nothing further today, would there still be praise in your mouth? Job's grief was loud and his robe was torn, yet his knees still found the ground. Honest sorrow and true worship can live together.

A prayer from Job 1