Job 2:5

5 therefore put to thine hand, and touch his bone and his flesh, and then thou shalt see, that he shall curse thee in thy face. (and so put thy hand against him, and touch his bones and his flesh, and then thou shalt see that he shall curse thee to thy face.)

Job 2:5 Meaning and Commentary

Job 2:5

But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh,
&c.] That is, his body, which consisted of flesh and bones; these are the constituent parts of the body, and which distinguish it from spirit, ( Luke 24:39 ) ; this is the motion made by Satan for a second trial of Job's integrity; he moves that God would take off his hand of providence over him, which secured his health unto him, and stretch his hand of power upon him, and fill his flesh with diseases, and his bones with rottenness; or break them, and touch him to the quick, to the marrow, which gives exquisite pain; or by his bone may be meant him himself F21:

and he will curse thee to thy face;
he will fly in thy face, arraign thy providence, and call in question thy wisdom, justice, truth, and faithfulness: or he will "bless thee" F23, and take his farewell of thee F24, and have nothing more to do with thee or religion; if he does not do this, for something is to be understood, the words being an imprecation, let me be in a worse condition than I am at present; let me not have the liberty of ranging about in the earth, to do the mischief I delight in; let me bound, and cast into the bottomless pit before my time, or be thrown into the lake burning with fire and brimstone, where I know I must be forever.


FOOTNOTES:

F21 So Gussetius and Genevenses, in ib. p. 630.
F23 (Kkrby) "benedicet tibi", Piscator, Cocceius, Schmidt.
F24 "Te valere jubebit", Schultens.

Job 2:5 In-Context

3 And the Lord said to Satan, Whether thou hast not considered my servant Job, that none in [the] earth is like him; he is a simple man, and rightful, and dreading God, and going away from evil, and yet holding innocence? But thou hast moved me against him, that I should torment him in vain/that thou vex him in vain. (And the Lord said to Satan, Hast thou seen my servant Job? there is one on earth like him; he is without guile, and upright, and feareth God/and revereth God, and goeth away from evil, and remaineth innocent. But thou hast moved me against him, that I should torment him without cause/that thou should vex him for no reason.)
4 To whom Satan answered, and said, A man shall give skin for skin, and all things that he hath for his life;
5 therefore put to thine hand, and touch his bone and his flesh, and then thou shalt see, that he shall curse thee in thy face. (and so put thy hand against him, and touch his bones and his flesh, and then thou shalt see that he shall curse thee to thy face.)
6 Therefore the Lord said to Satan, Lo! he is in thine hand; nevertheless keep thou his life. (And so the Lord said to Satan, Lo! he is in thy hands, or under thy power; but do not thou kill him.)
7 Therefore Satan went out from the face of the Lord, and he smote Job with the worst stinking botch, from the sole of his foot till to his top; (And so Satan went out from before the Lord, and he struck Job with running sores, from the soles of his feet unto the top of his head;)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.