Job 1

¹There 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 .

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

³He possessed 7,000 sheep , 3,000 camels , 500 yoke of oxen , and 500 female donkeys , and very many servants , so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east .

⁴His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day , and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

⁵And 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 .

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

⁷The Lord said to Satan , From where have you come ? Satan answered the Lord and said , From going to and fro on the earth , and from walking up and down on it.

⁸And 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 ?

⁹Then Satan answered the Lord and said , Does Job fear God for no reason ?

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

¹¹But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face .

¹²And the Lord said to Satan , Behold , all that he has is in your hand . Only against him do not stretch out your hand . So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

¹³Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house ,

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

¹⁵and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword , and I alone have escaped to tell you.

¹⁶While he was yet speaking , there came another 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.

¹⁷While he was yet speaking , there came another and said , The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword , and I alone have escaped to tell you.

¹⁸While he was yet speaking , there came another and said , Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house ,

¹⁹and behold , a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house , and it fell upon the young people , and they are dead , and I alone have escaped to tell you.

²⁰Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped .

²¹And he said , Naked I came from my mother’s womb , and naked shall I return . The Lord gave , and the Lord has taken away ; blessed be the name of the Lord.

²²In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong .