There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.
And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.
And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”
Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason?
and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,
Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped.
In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.
And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.”
So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.
But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They made an appointment together to come to show him sympathy and comfort him.
After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.
And Job said:
Then Job answered and said:
Then Job answered and said:
Then Job answered and said:
Then Job answered and said:
Then Job answered and said:
Then Job answered and said:
Then Job answered and said:
Then Job answered and said:
And Job again took up his discourse, and said:
And Job again took up his discourse, and said:
let thorns grow instead of wheat, and foul weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God.
He burned with anger also at Job's three friends because they had found no answer, although they had declared Job to be in the wrong.
Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he.
I gave you my attention, and, behold, there was none among you who refuted Job or who answered his words.
“But now, hear my speech, O Job, and listen to all my words.
Pay attention, O Job, listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.
For Job has said, ‘I am in the right, and God has taken away my right;
What man is like Job, who drinks up scoffing like water,
‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without insight.’
Would that Job were tried to the end, because he answers like wicked men.
Job opens his mouth in empty talk; he multiplies words without knowledge.”
“Hear this, O Job; stop and consider the wondrous works of God.
Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
And the Lord said to Job:
Then Job answered the Lord and said:
Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
Then Job answered the Lord and said:
After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.
Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.”
So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted Job's prayer.
And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.
And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys.
And in all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job's daughters. And their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.
And after this Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, four generations.
And Job died, an old man, and full of days.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
ESV® Permanent Text Edition (2016). The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers.
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