Job 2

1 Wederom was er een dag, als de kinderen Gods kwamen, om zich voor den HEERE te stellen, dat de satan ook in het midden van hen kwam, om zich voor den HEERE te stellen.

2 Toen zeide de HEERE tot den satan: Van waar komt gij? En de satan antwoordde den HEERE, en zeide: Van om te trekken op de aarde, en van die te doorwandelen.

3 En de HEERE zeide tot den satan: Hebt gij ook acht geslagen op Mijn knecht Job? Want niemand is op de aarde gelijk hij, een man, oprecht en vroom, godvrezende en wijkende van het kwaad; en hij houdt nog vast aan zijn oprechtigheid, hoewel gij Mij tegen hem opgehitst hebt, om hem te verslinden zonder oorzaak.

4 Toen antwoordde de satan den HEERE, en zeide: Huid voor huid, en al wat iemand heeft, zal hij geven voor zijn leven.

5 Doch strek nu Uw hand uit, en tast zijn gebeente en zijn vlees aan; zo hij U niet in Uw aangezicht zal zegenen!

6 En de HEERE zeide tot den satan: Zie, hij zij in uw hand, doch verschoon zijn leven.

7 Toen ging de satan uit van het aangezicht des HEEREN, en sloeg Job met boze zweren, van zijn voetzool af tot zijn schedel toe.

8 En hij nam zich een potscherf, om zich daarmede te schrabben, en hij zat neder in het midden der as.

9 Toen zeide zijn huisvrouw tot hem: Houdt gij nog vast aan uw oprechtigheid? Zegen God, en sterf.

10 Maar hij zeide tot haar: Gij spreekt als een der zottinnen spreekt; ja, zouden wij het goede van God ontvangen, en het kwade niet ontvangen? In dit alles zondigde Job met zijn lippen niet.

11 Als nu de drie vrienden van Job gehoord hadden al dit kwaad, dat over hem gekomen was, kwamen zij, ieder uit zijn plaats, Elifaz, de Themaniet, en Bildad, de Suhiet, en Zofar, de Naamathiet; en zij waren het eens geworden, dat zij kwamen om hem te beklagen, en om hem te vertroosten.

12 En toen zij hun ogen van verre ophieven, kenden zij hem niet, en hieven hun stem op, en weenden; daartoe scheurden zij een ieder zijn mantel, en strooiden stof op hun hoofden naar den hemel.

13 Alzo zaten zij met hem op de aarde, zeven dagen en zeven nachten; en niemand sprak tot hem een woord, want zij zagen, dat de smart zeer groot was.

Job 2 Commentary

Chapter 2

Satan obtains leave to try Job. (1-6) Job's sufferings. (7-10) His friends come to comfort him. (11-13)

1-6. How well is it for us, that neither men nor devils are to be our judges! but all our judgment comes from the Lord, who never errs. Job holds fast his integrity still, as his weapon. God speaks with pleasure of the power of his own grace. Self-love and self-preservation are powerful in the hearts of men. But Satan accuses Job, representing him as wholly selfish, and minding nothing but his own ease and safety. Thus are the ways and people of God often falsely blamed by the devil and his agents. Permission is granted to Satan to make trial, but with a limit. If God did not chain up the roaring lion, how soon would he devour us! Job, thus slandered by Satan, was a type of Christ, the first prophecy of whom was, that Satan should bruise his heel, and be foiled.

Verses 7-10 The devil tempts his own children, and draws them to sin, and afterwards torments, when he has brought them to ruin; but this child of God he tormented with affliction, and then tempted to make a bad use of his affliction. He provoked Job to curse God. The disease was very grievous. If at any time we are tried with sore and grievous distempers, let us not think ourselves dealt with otherwise than as God sometimes deals with the best of his saints and servants. Job humbled himself under the mighty hand of God, and brought his mind to his condition. His wife was spared to him, to be a troubler and tempter to him. Satan still endeavours to draw men from God, as he did our first parents, by suggesting hard thoughts of Him, than which nothing is more false. But Job resisted and overcame the temptation. Shall we, guilty, polluted, worthless creatures, receive so many unmerited blessings from a just and holy God, and shall we refuse to accept the punishment of our sins, when we suffer so much less than we deserve? Let murmuring, as well as boasting, be for ever done away. Thus far Job stood the trial, and appeared brightest in the furnace of affliction. There might be risings of corruption in his heart, but grace had the upper hand.

Verses 11-13 The friends of Job seem noted for their rank, as well as for wisdom and piety. Much of the comfort of this life lies in friendship with the prudent and virtuous. Coming to mourn with him, they vented grief which they really felt. Coming to comfort him, they sat down with him. It would appear that they suspected his unexampled troubles were judgments for some crimes, which he had vailed under his professions of godliness. Many look upon it only as a compliment to visit their friends in sorrow; we must look life. And if the example of Job's friends is not enough to lead us to pity the afflicted, let us seek the mind that was in Christ.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 2

This chapter gives an account of a second trial of Job's constancy and integrity, the time and occasion of it, Job 2:1-3; the motion made for it by Satan, which being granted, he smote him from head to foot with sore boils, which he endured very patiently, Job 2:4-8; during which sad affliction he is urged by his wife to give up his integrity, which he bravely resisted, Job 2:9,10; and the chapter is concluded with an account of a visit of three of Job's friends, and of their conduct and behaviour towards him, Job 2:11-13.