Job lived in the land of Uz, feared God, and turned away from evil. The book introduces him as upright and blameless. He had seven sons and three daughters, many animals, and a large household. His sons held birthday feasts and invited their sisters. After the feasts, Job rose early to offer burnt offerings for his children, concerned that they might have renounced God in their hearts.
The account describes Satan appearing before God and arguing that Job feared God because his possessions were protected. God gave Satan power over those possessions but forbade him to harm Job himself. One day reports came of a Sabean raid, fire from the sky, and a Chaldean attack. Job lost animals and servants. Then he heard that a great wind had collapsed his oldest son’s house and killed the children gathered there.
Job tore his robe, shaved his head, fell to the ground, and worshiped. He said he had come naked into the world and would return naked, and that God had given and taken away. The book says that he did not sin or accuse God of wrongdoing in this response. Satan then argued that Job would renounce God if his body were struck. God required that his life be spared. Satan afflicted him with painful sores from his feet to his head. Job sat among ashes and scraped himself with a piece of broken pottery.
Job’s wife asked whether he still held to his integrity and told him to renounce God and die. He said she was speaking foolishly and asked whether they should receive good from God but not trouble. The book again says he did not sin with his lips. His friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar came to comfort him. Hardly recognizing him from a distance, they wept and tore their robes. Seeing his great suffering, they sat with him for seven days and nights without speaking.
After the silence, Job cursed the day of his birth. He said he would have rested in peace if he had died at birth and asked why people in misery were given life. What he feared had overtaken him, leaving him without peace or rest.
Job and his three friends answered one another in turn. Eliphaz asked who had ever perished while innocent, and Bildad said God did not reject the blameless. The friends urged Job to seek God and turn from wrongdoing. Later Eliphaz accused him of withholding food from the poor and harming widows and orphans, claiming these were the causes of his disaster. These are the friend’s accusations; the book’s opening introduces Job as upright and blameless.
Eliphaz appealed to his experience and a night vision. Bildad urged Job to learn from past generations. Zophar claimed that Job was being punished less than his guilt deserved. Job called their words miserable comfort and asked them to identify his wrongdoing. If they taught him where he had erred, he said, he would be silent.
Job lamented that there was no arbiter between God and himself. He described relatives, friends, and servants turning away from him and children mocking him. He wished that his words could be recorded. He also said that his Redeemer, the one who would deliver him, lived and would finally stand on the earth.
Job said God was wise and mighty and that a person could not easily establish a case before him. Still, he wanted an answer. He challenged his friends by describing wicked people who lived long and prospered with their families and possessions. He also spoke about the violence suffered by poor people who were robbed and left hungry.
A poem within the dialogue asks where wisdom can be found. People dig deep into the earth for silver, gold, iron, and copper, yet cannot discover wisdom’s home. It cannot be bought with gold or jewels. God knows its way and place. The poem ends by identifying the fear of the Lord as wisdom and turning from evil as understanding.
Job recalled his life before the disasters. When he took his place at the city gate, young and old respected him and leaders listened. He said he had helped poor people and orphans, brought joy to widows, and supported people who could not see or walk. He had investigated strangers’ cases. Now people mocked and spat at him, and his bodily pain continued through the night.
In his final defense, Job reviewed his conduct. He denied pursuing lust, deceit, or adultery and said he had not ignored the claims of male or female servants. He had not neglected poor people, widows, or orphans or made gold his security. He had not rejoiced at an enemy’s disaster or wished for an enemy’s death, and he had opened his door to travelers.
Job attached penalties to his claims if they were false. If his heart had followed his eyes and his hands were defiled, another person could eat his harvest. If he had raised his hand against an orphan, his own arm could be broken. If he had wrongfully taken his land’s produce, thorns and weeds could grow instead of wheat and barley. He said he had not concealed his offenses for fear of public contempt and called for God to answer.
Elihu, who had been listening, then spoke. He said he had waited because he was younger than the others. He was angry that Job justified himself rather than God and that the friends condemned Job without finding an answer. Elihu argued that God warned people through dreams and suffering. He also spoke of God’s justice and power over rain, lightning, and storms. The book records no reply from Job to Elihu.
At last God spoke to Job from a whirlwind. He asked where Job was when the earth’s foundations were laid and who had set the sea’s boundaries. Questions about snow, hail, constellations, and rain followed. God also asked about food for lions and ravens, the birth of mountain goats, and the lives of wild donkeys, wild oxen, ostriches, horses, hawks, and eagles.
When God called for an answer, Job said he was of small account and would put his hand over his mouth and say no more. God asked whether Job would reject divine judgment to justify himself. He then described the strength of two creatures that people could not readily subdue. These speeches do not explain the exchange with Satan in the first two chapters or give the particular reasons for Job’s disasters.
Job answered that God could do all things and that no purpose of his could be stopped. He admitted speaking about things he did not know or understand. He said he had heard of God before but now saw him with his own eyes. He said he abhorred himself and repented in dust and ashes.
God rebuked Eliphaz and his two friends because they had not spoken rightly about him as Job had. They were to bring seven bulls and seven rams and offer a burnt offering for themselves. God would accept Job’s prayer for them. The friends obeyed, and Job prayed for them. God restored Job’s prosperity and gave him twice his former possessions. His siblings and former acquaintances also came to eat with him, comfort him, and bring gifts.
Job again had seven sons and three daughters. The daughters were named Jemimah, Keziah, and Keren Happuch. He gave them an inheritance alongside their brothers. Job lived another one hundred forty years, saw four generations of descendants, and died old and full of days.