Job 1:1 · Bible study
Job 1:1 Commentary: Blameless, Upright, Fearing God
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
What does 'blameless and upright' mean for Job? Study the Hebrew terms and the setting of this key verse.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Job is presented as a real, morally upright man whose integrity will be tested.
- Key words: tam (blameless, complete), yashar (upright), yare Elohim (fearing God), sar mera' (turning from evil).
- Main debate: Whether “blameless” means sinless perfection or sincere integrity (commentators side with integrity).
- Theological theme: The relationship between personal righteousness and undeserved suffering.
- Best use: Establishes Job’s character before the testing, so readers see his suffering is not hidden punishment.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And this man was blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil.
WEB World English Bible 2000
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God, and turned away from evil.
KJV King James Version 1769
There 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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
There 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 turned away from evil.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
A man there hath been in the land of Uz--Job his name--and that man hath been perfect and upright--both fearing God, and turning aside from evil.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and this man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God and abstained from evil.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
There was a man in the land of Hus, whose name was Job, and that man was simple and upright, and fearing God, and avoiding evil.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
HUBO un varón en tierra de Hus, llamado Job; y era este hombre perfecto y recto, y temeroso de Dios, y apartado del mal.
Havia um homem na terra de Uz, cujo nome era Jó; e este homem era íntegro e correto, temente a Deus, e que se afastava do mal.
Il y avait dans le pays d’ Uts un homme qui s’ appelait Job. Et cet homme était intègre et droit; il craignait Dieu, et se détournait du mal.
Es war ein Mann im Lande Uz, der hieß Hiob. Derselbe war schlecht und recht, gottesfürchtig und mied das Böse.
Er was een man in het land Uz, zijn naam was Job; en dezelve man was oprecht, en vroom, en godvrezende, en wijkende van het kwaad.
C’era nel paese di Uz un uomo che si chiamava Giobbe. Quest’uomo era integro e retto; temeva Iddio e fuggiva il male.
Był mąż w ziemi Uz, imieniem Ijob; a ten mąż był doskonały, i szczery, i bojący się Boga, a odstępujący od złego.
Был человек в земле Уц, имя его Иов; и был человек этот непорочен, справедлив и богобоязнен и удалялся от зла.
烏斯 地 有 一個人 名叫 約伯；那 人 完全 正直，敬畏 神，遠離 惡事。
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. He was without sin and upright, fearing God and keeping himself far from evil.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Job 1:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Job is introduced as a real historical figure, not a literary fiction (Barnes; Poole). The Hebrew word tam ("blameless") denotes completeness and soundness, moral wholeness, not absolute sinlessness (Wesley; JFB). Paired with yashar ("upright"), the phrase describes honest, straight dealings. Job's piety has two sides: fearing God (yare Elohim) and turning from evil (sar mera'). This fourfold description establishes Job's genuine righteousness, which the coming trials will test. Keil and Delitzsch note that his integrity is not a façade but a lived reality. The verse sets the book's central question: if this man suffers, what does that say about divine justice?
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Job is depicted as a man of genuine moral integrity and deep devotion to God, setting the stage for the book's exploration of suffering.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'blameless' (tam) | The Hebrew term denotes moral completeness, soundness, and integrity. | Some read it as sinless perfection; most commentators see it as sincere, consistent devotion, not absolute faultlessness. |
| Location of Uz | Uz lies east of Palestine, in the region of Arabia near Edom. | Whether it is north Arabia (near Damascus/Hauran) or south nearer Seir/Edom proper. |
| Historicity of Job | The text presents Job as a real person in a real place. | Some interpreters take the book as a didactic fiction, while others defend it as straightforward history. |
| Meaning of the name Job | The name is significant and relates to his story. | Gesenius proposes 'persecuted'; Eichhorn suggests 'one who repents'. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The land of Uz appears several times in the Old Testament: as a son of Aram (Genesis 10:23), a son of Nahor (Genesis 22:21), and a descendant of Seir (Genesis 36:28). These references point either to Syria northeast of Palestine or to the region of Edom further south. The Septuagint places Uz “on the borders of Edom and Arabia.” From the book itself, Job's exposure to Chaldeans on the east (Job 1:17) and Sabeans on the south (Job 1:15) suggests a location east of Palestine and north of Edom, in the Arabian desert near the Euphrates (Cambridge; Keil & Delitzsch).
Job's name may mean “persecuted” (Gesenius, from a root meaning to hate or be an enemy) or “one who returns/repents” (Eichhorn, from an Arabic root). Significant names were common in the ancient Near East, often given after a life event. The description of Job as “the greatest of all the children of the east” (Job 1:3) places him in a patriarchal setting, likely contemporary with Abraham or earlier. His wealth in livestock and his role as priest for his sons (Job 1:5) fit that era.
Culturally, suffering in the ancient world was often interpreted as divine punishment for sin. Job's story challenges that assumption head-on. His initial character is carefully drawn so readers understand his trials are not the result of hidden evil.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant manuscript variants for Job 1:1. The verse is stable across Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions.
Reception History
The verse has been central to Christian and Jewish reflection on suffering. The New Testament invokes Job as an example of patience (James 5:11). Early church fathers, notably Gregory the Great, wrote extensive commentaries on Job, seeing in his integrity a type of Christ. In Jewish tradition, Job is regarded as a righteous gentile and a model of steadfastness. The description of Job as “blameless and upright” has comforted believers who suffer without obvious cause, assuring them that righteousness does not guarantee an easy life.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- A Real Man in a Real Place. The opening line reads like history, not parable: “there was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job.” Naming a specific location grounds the story.
- A Complete Character. “Blameless and upright” does not mean sinlessly perfect but wholehearted integrity, a person of consistent, sincere devotion.
- A Faith That Fears God and Shuns Evil. True piety has two movements: reverence toward God and avoidance of sin. Job embodies both.
Five-point outline
- The Setting: Land of Uz, a real but debated location.
- The Name: Job, possibly meaning “persecuted” or “repentant.”
- The Character: Blameless (tam) and upright (yashar).
- The Piety: Fearing God, turning from evil.
- The Foundation: This description gets tested in the chapters ahead. Suffering does not come because Job sinned.
Illustration hooks
- A respected community leader loses everything in a natural disaster. Friends whisper, “What did they do wrong?” The question assumes suffering equals punishment.
- A person with a spotless reputation faces a sudden, crushing accusation. The Bible’s Job shows that integrity and calamity can coexist.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I be “blameless” if I still sin?
- Does this verse imply that suffering only comes to people who deserve it?
- If Job feared God and shunned evil, why did God allow Satan to test him?
Leading a Discussion
Job 1:1 gives us a portrait of a man who seems to have it all: wealth, family, and a deep faith. But the story that follows will strip everything away. This verse sets up a crucial question: What kind of righteousness is this, and can it survive severe testing?
Discussion questions
- What words does the author use to describe Job? Which one stands out to you most?
- Why do you think the author names a specific location (Uz) and a specific person?
- The Hebrew word tam can mean whole, complete, or blameless. How does that change the way you read verse 1?
- Job fears God and turns from evil. Why are both actions important? Can you have one without the other?
- How does knowing Job’s character before the trials begin affect the way you read the rest of the book?
- In your experience, do people often assume that suffering proves someone has sinned? How does Job 1:1 challenge that assumption?
- What does this verse teach us about the kind of righteousness that God values?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 6:9 | This is the history of the generations of Noah: Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time. Noah walked with God. |
| Genesis 10:23 | The sons of Aram were: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. |
| Genesis 17:1 | When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Yahweh appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty. Walk before me and be blameless. |
| Genesis 22:12 | He said, “Don’t lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” |
| Genesis 22:20 | After these things, Abraham was told, “Behold, Milcah, she also has borne children to your brother Nahor: |
| Genesis 22:21 | Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, |
| Genesis 36:28 | These are the children of Dishan: Uz and Aran. |
| Exodus 18:21 | Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men which fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the name Job means one persecuted based on the Hebrew word meaning to breathe out anger. He also says the word for perfect describes a person whose integrity is complete in all parts like a whole watch.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Christians who hold the view that Job was perfect point to his description as a complete and upright man, while others emphasize his godfearing nature. Both seek to be faithful to Scripture.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva Bible Notes notes that Job lived in the land of Uz and was a person who walked righteously before God. He always feared God and avoided doing evil.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill clarifies that Job's perfection refers not to sinless perfection but to justification through Christ and sincerity of heart. Job's piety in the idolatrous land of Uz displays God's distinguishing grace, proving that true religion can flourish anywhere through faith.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
The emir of Uz was named Job because people called him so due to his great trials. His name means one who is greatly tried. He had integrity and consistency in his life because he feared God.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch place Uz in the northern Arabian desert, northeast of Idumea, not in Idumea proper. They argue Job's name is not symbolic of his suffering, as some suggest, but likely derives from a root meaning to shout with joy or one who goes of himself.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange identifies the land of Uz as a region northeast of Edom toward the Arabian desert, not Edom itself. He bases this on Job being called a “son of the East,” the proximity of Sabeans and Chaldeans, and a distinction made in Jeremiah 25 between Uz and Edom.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that these early books were simple stories easy for most to understand. He says this passage introduces harder material that needs careful study but offers great reward once understood.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley clarifies that the description of Job as perfect does not mean legal or exact perfection, but rather sincere intentions and diligent efforts to fulfill all duties toward God and others. He defines upright as exact and regular in human dealings, and notes that fearing God and eschewing evil together mark true piety.