Old Testament Commentary - Job 1

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 1 Job, a just and perfect man, is blessed with great riches—Satan obtains leave from the Lord to tempt and try Job—His property and children are destroyed, and yet he praises and blesses the Lord.
1 THERE was a man in the land of ^aUz^a, whose name was ^bJob; and that man was ^cperfect and ^dupright, and one that ^efeared God, and eschewed evil. 2 And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. 3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.	1^a Uz Uz is the 'land east' also associated with Edom (Lamentations 4:21). In earlier times the lands of Edom and today of Jordon were much more fertile as indicated by the fact that Lot chose such land over the eventual lands of Israel and Abraham. Thus Job was a the most fameously wealthy man of that land east and story suggests that he not only was a man of God, a God fearing man, a servant of the Lord; but a well known such man to the people of Israel to the extent that his 'story' has scriptural place in the writings of the prophets of the Old Testament. That the tribe of Manasseh in part took possesion of that land east of the river Jordon might even suggest that Job was such a descendant of the eldest son of Joseph of Egypt.	1^a Gen. 10:23 (21-23); Lam. 4:21 ^b Ezek. 14:14; James 5:11 ^c TG Perfection ^d Job 4:6 ^e Deut. 5:29; Prov. 16:6; D&C 10:55-56; D&C 45:39
4 And his ^asons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and ^aoffered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my ^bsons have sinned, and ^ccursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.		4^a Job 1:18 5^a Job 42:8; 1 Ne. 5:8-9; 3 Ne. 9:19 ^b 1 Ne. 1:1; Mosiah 1:2-3; Mosiah 27:14; 3 Ne. 18:20-21; D&C 68:25 (25, 28) ^c TG Curse
6 ¶ Now there was a day when the ^asons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and ^bSatan came also among them. 7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going ^ato and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. 8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my ^aservant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?		6^a JST Job 1:6 ... children ...; TG Son & Daughters of God ^b TG Devil 7^a D&C 10:27 8^a TG Servants
9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? 10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. 11 But put forth thine ^ahand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will ^bcurse thee to thy face. 12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy ^apower; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.		11^a Job 19:21 ^b TG Curse 12^a TG Probation
13 ¶ And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: 14 And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: 15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 17 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The ^aChaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 18 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy ^asons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:		17^a Gen. 11:28; 2 Kgs. 24:2; Abr. 1:30 (29-30) 18^a Job 1:4
19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 20 Then Job arose, and ^arent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, 21 And said, ^aNaked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath ^btaken away; ^cblessed be the name of the LORD. 22 In all this Job ^asinned not, nor charged God foolishly.		20^a Gen. 44:13; Ezra 9:3 (1-4) 21^a Eccl. 5:15; 1 Tim. 6:7 ^b TG Patience; TG Suffering ^c Gen. 14:20; D&C 36:3 22^a Job 2:10