Job 2:1-10 · Bible study
Job 2:1-10 Commentary: The Accuser's Second Challenge to Job's Integrity
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
In Job 2:1-10, the heavenly court meets again. Satan strikes Job's body with boils. His wife urges him to curse God, but Job refuses to sin.
Research Summary
- Meaning: After losing wealth and children, Job now loses his health and is tempted by his wife, yet he refuses to curse God.
- Key words: Integrity (תֻּמָּה, tummāh), blameless (תָּם, tām), the Satan (הַשָּׂטָן, haśśāṭān), “bless” (בָּרַךְ, bāraḵ, as euphemism for curse).
- Main debate: What does “skin for skin” mean? Interpreters see it as a general proverb about self-preservation or a specific reference to Job’s previous losses.
- Therm one theme: God’s sovereignty is not diminished by suffering; true faith trusts God even when He seems to give evil.
- Best use: This passage offers a foundation for preaching and teaching on the problem of suffering, the role of the spiritual realm, and the nature of disinterested faith.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
1On another day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before Him.
2“Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.”
3Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil. He still retains his integrity, even though you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.”
4“Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give up all he owns in exchange for his life.
5But stretch out Your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”
6“Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “He is in your hands, but you must spare his life.”
7So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and infected Job with terrible boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.
8And Job took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself as he sat among the ashes.
9Then Job’s wife said to him, “Do you still retain your integrity? Curse God and die!”
10“You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept from God only good and not adversity?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.
WEB World English Bible 2000
1Again, on the day when God’s sons came to present themselves before Yahweh, Satan came also among them to present himself before Yahweh.
2Yahweh said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.”
3Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil. He still maintains his integrity, although you incited me against him, to ruin him without cause.”
4Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “Skin for skin. Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.
5But stretch out your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will renounce you to your face.”
6Yahweh said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand. Only spare his life.”
7So Satan went out from the presence of Yahweh, and struck Job with painful sores from the sole of his foot to his head.
8He took for himself a potsherd to scrape himself with, and he sat among the ashes.
9Then his wife said to him, “Do you still maintain your integrity? Renounce God, and die.”
10But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job didn’t sin with his lips.
KJV King James Version 1769
1Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord.
2And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
3And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
4And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
5But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.
6And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.
7So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
8And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.
9Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
10But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
1Again it came to pass on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah, that Satan came also among them to present himself before Jehovah.
2And Jehovah said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered Jehovah, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
3And Jehovah said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil: and he still holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
4And Satan answered Jehovah, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
5But put forth thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will renounce thee to thy face.
6And Jehovah said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thy hand; only spare his life.
7So Satan went forth from the presence of Jehovah, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
8And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself therewith; and he sat among the ashes.
9Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still hold fast thine integrity? renounce God, and die.
10But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
1And the day is, that sons of God come in to station themselves by Jehovah, and there doth come also the Adversary in their midst to station himself by Jehovah.
2And Jehovah saith unto the Adversary, `Whence camest thou?' And the Adversary answereth Jehovah and saith, `From going to and fro in the land, and from walking up and down in it.'
3And Jehovah saith unto the Adversary, `Hast thou set thy heart unto My servant Job because there is none like him in the land, a man perfect and upright, fearing God and turning aside from evil? and still he is keeping hold on his integrity, and thou dost move Me against him to swallow him up for nought!'
4And the Adversary answereth Jehovah and saith, `A skin for a skin, and all that a man hath he doth give for his life.
5Yet, put forth, I pray Thee, Thy hand, and strike unto his bone and unto his flesh--if not: unto Thy face he doth bless Thee!'
6And Jehovah saith unto the Adversary, `Lo, he is in thy hand; only his life take care of.'
7And the Adversary goeth forth from the presence of Jehovah, and smiteth Job with a sore ulcer from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
8And he taketh to him a potsherd to scrape himself with it, and he is sitting in the midst of the ashes.
9And his wife saith to him, `Still thou art keeping hold on thine integrity: bless God and die.'
10And he saith unto her, `As one of the foolish women speaketh, thou speakest; yea, the good we receive from God, and the evil we do not receive.' In all this Job hath not sinned with his lips.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
1And there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah, and Satan also came among them to present himself before Jehovah.
2And Jehovah said to Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered Jehovah and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
3And Jehovah said to Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and abstaineth from evil? and still he remaineth firm in his integrity, though thou movedst me against him, to swallow him up without cause.
4And Satan answered Jehovah and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life;
5but put forth thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, [and see] if he will not curse thee to thy face!
6And Jehovah said to Satan, Behold, he is in thy hand; only spare his life.
7And Satan went forth from the presence of Jehovah; and he smote Job with a grievous botch from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
8And he took a potsherd to scrape himself with; and he sat among the ashes.
9And his wife said to him, Dost thou still remain firm in thine integrity? curse God and die.
10But he said to her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. We have also received good from God, and should we not receive evil? In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
1And it came to pass, when on a certain day the sons of God came, and stood before the Lord, and Satan came amongst them, and stood in his sight,
2That the Lord said to Satan: Whence comest thou? And he answered, and said: I have gone round about the earth, and walked through it.
3And the Lord said to Satan: Hast thou considered my servant, Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a man simple and upright, and fearing God, and avoiding evil, and still keeping his innocence? But thou hast moved me against him, that I should afflict him without cause.
4And Satan answered, and said: Skin for skin; and all that a man hath, he will give for his life:
5But put forth thy hand, and touch his bone and his flesh, and then thou shalt see that he will bless thee to thy face.
6And the Lord said to Satan: Behold, he is in thy hand, but yet save his life.
7So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord, and struck Job with a very grievous ulcer, from the sole of the foot even to the top of his head:
8And he took a potsherd and scraped the corrupt matter, sitting on a dunghill.
9And his wife said to him: Dost thou still continue in thy simplicity? bless God and die.
10And he said to her: Thou hast spoken like one of the foolish women: If we have received good things at the hand of God, why should we not receive evil? In all these things Job did not sin with his lips.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Job 2:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the repeated heavenly council in Job 2:1 shows the trial is not over. Keil and Delitzsch note that Satan appears again “among them, to present himself before Jehovah,” mirroring his first appearance (1:6). God’s opening statement in 2:3, “He still holds fast his integrity”, is taken by Barnes as a direct refutation of Satan’s earlier accusation that Job would curse God if his possessions were taken. Now Satan pushes further: “Skin for skin” (2:4). Adam Clarke interprets this proverb to mean that a man will give up everything on the outside to save his own life, so the accuser asks for permission to strike Job’s body directly (2:5). God grants permission but limits it: “Only spare his life” (2:6). After Job is struck with “sore boils” (2:7, likely a form of leprosy, suggests the Cambridge Bible), his wife joins the assault (2:9). Matthew Henry sees her as “a troubler and tempter,” echoing the devil’s own words. But Job’s reply in 2:10, “Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?”, is held up by all commentators as the climax. The narrator’s final verdict, “In all this Job didn’t sin with his lips,” is the proof that Satan’s accusation fails.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Proverb of self-preservation: Clarke and Barnes argue that 'skin for skin' means a person will sacrifice anything external, including other people's well-being, to protect their own life. This view emphasizes self-interest.
- Proverb of exchange: Keil & Delitzsch and the Cambridge Bible interpret it more generally: one thing given for another. The focus is on the idea of bartering, not necessarily selfish sacrifice. Satan asserts that Job will give up his integrity to preserve his life.
What is clear: The core narrative is clear: Job’s suffering intensifies; he does not curse God; his wife’s advice is rejected; and God’s sovereignty over Satan’s actions is asserted.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The meaning of 'skin for skin' | All commentators agree it is a proverbial expression, but its origin and precise application are uncertain. | Some (Clarke, Barnes) interpret it as a man willing to give any outward good to save his own life. Others (Cambridge, Keil & Delitzsch) emphasize the trade of one thing for another, implying that even the skin of a loved one can be exchanged for one's own skin. The debate centers on whether Satan is accusing Job of self-interest or of being willing to sacrifice others for his own benefit. |
| The role of Job's wife | All see her as an instrument of temptation, echoing the satan's original challenge. | Some (Augustine, Chrysostom, Calvin via Lange) view her as directly diabolical. Others (Gill, Matthew Henry) see her as a despondent, misguided partner rather than a full agent of evil. The Targum names her Dinah, linking her to a specific patriarchal tradition, while the Septuagint expands her speech into a longer lament. |
| The nature of the heavenly council | The scene depicts a divine court with angelic beings presenting reports to God. | Some commentators (Barnes, Cambridge) treat it as a literal description of the spiritual world. Others (Keil & Delitzsch) interpret it as a figurative or literary framework to explain God’s sovereignty over suffering. The question is whether this should be read as straightforward history or as a symbolic setting for the theological drama. |
| Did Job sin with his lips (v.10)? | The narrator asserts that Job did not sin with his lips in this response, meaning no blasphemy or cursing of God occurred. | Some (Poole, Ellicott margin) suggest this applies only to this specific moment, not to Job’s entire life or later speeches. Others take it as a blanket statement of Job’s righteous behavior during these trials. The term 'sin' (Hebrew chāṭāʾ) implies missing the mark; the question is whether Job’s later laments in chapter 3 constitute a different kind of speech. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The opening scene of Job 2:1 transports us into the heavenly council, a familiar motif in ancient Near Eastern literature. The “sons of God” are angelic beings who serve as God’s court attendants (cf. 1 Kings 22:19, 22). The figure called “the Satan” (Hebrew haśśāṭān, “the adversary”) appears here as a prosecuting attorney who patrols the earth (2:2). Barnes notes that Satan’s roaming shows his restlessness and hostility toward humanity.
God’s question to Job’s wife in 2:9 uses the euphemism “bless God” (Hebrew bāraḵ ʾelōhîm) for “curse God,” a polite substitution to avoid blasphemy on the page. This same euphemism occurs in 1:5, 1:11, and 2:5. Job’s disease is described as “sore boils” (šəḥîn raʿ). The Cambridge Bible follows many scholars in identifying this as elephantiasis, a severe form of leprosy that blackens the skin, swells the limbs, and covers the body from “sole of his foot to his crown.” Sitting among ashes was a sign of deep mourning and humility, like Jonah sitting in ashes after Nineveh’s repentance (Jonah 3:6). The potsherd (ḥeres) was a broken piece of pottery; Job used it to scrape his infected skin, since no one would come near him to help (Matthew Henry). The Septuagint adds that his wife asked him, “How long will you hold out?” (as recorded in some manuscripts, noted by Adam Clarke). The Targum names her Dinah, a tradition that links Job to the patriarchal period. Together, these details paint a picture of total desolation, physical, social, and emotional, that tests Job to his limits.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note two significant textual variations. First, the Septuagint (LXX) inserts a longer speech for Job’s wife in verse 9, in which she says: “How long will you hold out? Behold, your memory is blotted out from the earth…” (as cited by Adam Clarke). This addition is not found in the Hebrew Masoretic Text. Second, the Targum (Aramaic paraphrase) refers to Job’s wife as Dinah (Barnes). Some manuscripts of the Septuagint also render the “ashes” of verse 8 as “dunghill” (κοπρίας), a translation that the Cambridge Bible notes changes the setting from mourning to a refuse heap. Apart from these, no other significant textual variants are noted for this passage.
Reception History
Early Christian interpreters saw Job as the prototype of the suffering righteous one, and his wife as the instrument of the tempter. Augustine called her “adjutrix diaboli”, a helper of the devil (Lange). Chrysostom described her as a “μάστιξ τοῦ διαβόλου,” a scourge of the devil. Calvin echoed this with “Proserpina et Furia infernalis” (Lange). The Targum names her Dinah, linking the book of Job to the patriarchal story. In the medieval and Reformation periods, Job 2:10 became a classic proof text for the doctrine of God’s sovereignty over both good and evil events. The phrase “the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away” (1:21) was often paired with this saying. Job’s refusal to sin with his lips was held up as the supreme example of patient endurance. The passage also shaped liturgy: in some traditions, the verse “Shall we receive good from God and not evil?” is used in funeral and visitation services.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The heavenly conversation resumes (vv.1, 6). God boasts of Job’s integrity; Satan argues that physical suffering will break him.
- Job’s body is broken (vv.7, 8). Satan strikes Job with painful boils. Alone among the ashes, Job remains silent.
- The voice of the tempter through the wife (vv.9, 10). “Curse God and die.” Job rebukes her and declares his allegiance to the God who gives both good and evil.
Five-point outline
- The return of the accuser (vv.1, 3), God opens the dialogue with a testimony to Job’s continued faithfulness.
- The deeper accusation (vv.4, 5), “Skin for skin”: Satan insists that Job is merely protecting his own life.
- The divine permission with limits (v.6), God says, “He is in your hand; only spare his life.” Sovereignty and mercy meet.
- The physical blow and Job’s lament in silence (vv.7, 8), Job scrapes his sores and sits in ash, embodying total grief.
- The test of the nearest voice (vv.9, 10), Job’s wife becomes the final instrument of the tempter. Job’s answer becomes the thesis of the book: we receive both good and evil from God’s hand.
Illustration hooks
- The chronic illness that no one sees. When a friend or family member endures long-term pain, how do we speak to them? Job’s wife offers a model of what not to say.
- The moment the school bus doesn’t come home. Sudden, crushing news can make us question everything. Job’s refusal to curse God is not blind denial but a stubborn trust.
- The spouse who says, “Just give up.” Sometimes the people we love most can become agents of despair. Learning how to answer with wisdom is a skill of faith.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it a sin to feel like giving up? Job doesn’t sin with his lips, but he asks hard questions later. Feelings are not sin; the response of the will is what matters.
- Did God really let the devil do this to a good man? The passage raises the mystery of divine permission and the reality of a fallen spiritual world.
- How can I tell the difference between a faithful friend and a negative voice? Job’s wife sounds practical, but her advice leads to death, not life.
Leading a Discussion
Job 2:1, 10 drives deeper into the question that chapter 1 raised: Will Job love God for God’s own sake, even when everything, including his own body, is taken? This passage shows that God trusts Job enough to let him be tested further, and that Satan has limits he cannot cross.
Discussion questions
- What does the repeated heavenly council scene tell us about God’s sovereignty and the role of spiritual beings?
- Why does God point out Job’s integrity to Satan again (v.3)? What does this reveal about God’s view of Job?
- The proverb “Skin for skin” is mysterious. How do you understand it, and what does it say about Satan’s accusation?
- Compare Job’s first response in 1:20, 21 with his response to his wife in 2:10. Is there a shift in his tone or theology?
- Job says we should receive both good and evil from God. How does this challenge our culture’s view of suffering?
- How did Job’s wife become a tool of the tempter? When has a loved one given you bad advice that sounded reasonable?
- The narrator says Job did not sin with his lips. What does this suggest about the relationship between words, thoughts, and faith?
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)
| Job 1:6 | Now on the day when God’s sons came to present themselves before Yahweh, Satan also came among them. |
| Isaiah 6:1 | In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. |
| Isaiah 6:2 | Above him stood the seraphim. Each one had six wings. With two he covered his face. With two he covered his feet. With two he flew. |
| Luke 1:19 | The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. |
| Hebrews 1:14 | Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? |
| Genesis 16:8 | He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where did you come from? Where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.” |
| Job 1:7 | Yahweh said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.” |
| John 14:30 | I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world comes, and he has nothing in me. |
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
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes finds the proverb "skin for skin" deeply perplexing. After reviewing many interpretations from other scholars, he concludes that none are fully satisfactory. He suspects the exact meaning
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that in his second trial Job faces not just loss but personal suffering, and his faith rises higher. He now accepts that God sends evil as well as good, a stance that reaches the peak of Old Testament piety. His wife urges him to curse God and die, but Job refuses, sinning neither in word nor thought.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva Bible Notes notes that Satan argues Job will refuse to give up his possessions even if forced to. The Lord allows Satan to harm Job but commands him to spare the man’s life.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Satan claims Job will give up his faith to save his life since skin which represents outward goods can be exchanged but life cannot. Some read this passage as a literal historical account while others understand it as pointing to deeper spiritual realities.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry notes that Satan, having been defeated once, returns with a two-pronged attack: physical torment then temptation through Job's wife, aiming to make him curse God. He sees this as the same serpentine strategy used in Eden, with malice that refuses to give up.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that Job’s apparent patience is actually self interest aimed at avoiding further harm. He also explains that Satan uses loved ones to test people and that humans should not try to give rules to God.