1:1. 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.
Hus... The land of Hus was a part of Edom; as appears from Lam. 4.21.
Ibid. Simple... That is, innocent, sincere, and without guile.
1:2. And there were born to him seven sons and three daughters.
1:3. And his possession was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand
camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and a
family exceedingly great: and this man was great among all the people of
the east.
1:4. And his sons went, and made a feast by houses, every one in his
day. And sending, they called their three sisters, to eat and drink with
them.
And made a feast by houses... That is, each made a feast in his own
house and had his day, inviting the others, and their sisters.
1:5. And when the days of their feasting were gone about, Job sent to
them, and sanctified them: and rising up early, offered holocausts for
every one of them. For he said: Lest perhaps my sons have sinned, and
have blessed God in their hearts. So did Job all days.
Blessed... For greater horror of the very thought of blasphemy, the
scripture both here and ver. 11, and in the following chapter, ver. 5
and 9, uses the word bless to signify its contrary.
1:6. Now on a certain day, when the sons of God came to stand before the
Lord, Satan also was present among them.
The sons of God... The angels.-Ibid. Satan also, etc.. This passage
represents to us in a figure, accommodated to the ways and
understandings of men, 1. The restless endeavours of Satan against the
servants of God; 2. That he can do nothing without God's permission; 3.
That God doth not permit him to tempt them above their strength: but
assists them by his divine grace in such manner, that the vain efforts
of the enemy only serve to illustrate their virtue and increase their
merit.
1:7. And the Lord said to him: Whence comest thou? And he answered and
said: I have gone round about the earth, and walked through it.
1:8. And the Lord said to him: Hast thou considered my servant, Job,
that there is none like him in the earth, a simple and upright man, and
fearing God, and avoiding evil?
1:9. And Satan answering, said: Doth Job fear God in vain?
1:10. Hast thou not made a fence for him, and his house, and all his
substance round about, blessed the works of his hands, and his
possession hath increased on the earth?
1:11. But stretch forth thy hand a little, and touch all that he hath,
and see if he bless thee not to thy face.
1:12. Then the Lord said to Satan: Behold, all that he hath is in thy
hand: only put not forth thy hand upon his person. And Satan went forth
from the presence of the Lord.
1:13. Now upon a certain day, when his sons and daughters were eating
and drinking wine, in the house of their eldest brother,
1:14. There came a messenger to Job, and said: The oxen were ploughing,
and the asses feeding beside them,
1:15. And the Sabeans rushed in, and took all away, and slew the
servants with the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell thee.
1:16. And while he was yet speaking, another came, and said: The fire of
God fell from heaven, and striking the sheep and the servants, hath
consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell thee.
1:17. And while he also was yet speaking, there came another, and said:
The Chaldeans made three troops, and have fallen upon the camels, and
taken them; moreover, they have slain the servants with the sword: and I
alone have escaped to tell thee.
1:18. He was yet speaking, and behold another came in, and said: Thy
sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their
eldest brother,
1:19. A violent wind came on a sudden from the side of the desert, and
shook the four corners of the house, and it fell upon thy children, and
they are dead: and I alone have escaped to tell thee.
1:20. Then Job rose up, and rent his garments, and having shaven his
head, fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
1:21. And said: Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I
return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: as it hath
pleased the Lord, so is it done: blessed be the name of the Lord.
1:22. In all these things Job sinned not by his lips, nor spoke he any
foolish thing against God.