Satan appears before God:

CHAP. I. He obtains leave to tempt Job.

their times appointed, according as Mor- 2 And all the acts of his power and of decai the Jew and Esther the queen had his might, and the declaration of the greatenjoined them, and as they had decreed ness of Mordecai, whereunto the king adfor themselves and for their seed, the mat-vanced him, are they not written in the ters of the fastings and their cry. book of the Chronicles of the kings of Me

32 And the decree of Esther confirmed dia and Persia? these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book.

CHAP. X.

3 For Mordecai the Jew was next unto_king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude

AND the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his upon the land, and upon the isles people, and speaking peace to all his of the sea.

CHAP. I.

seed.

1 The Book of JOB.

12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Be

HERE was a man in the land of Uz, hold, all that he hath is in thy power; only

was perfect and upright, and one that Satan went forth from the presence of the feared God, and eschewed evil.

2 And there were born unto him seven

sons and three daughters.

LORD.

13 ¶ And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and 3 His substance also was seven thou-drinking wine in their eldest brother's sand sheep, and three thousand camels, house:

and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five 14 And there came a messenger unto hundred she-asses, and a very great Job, and said, The oxen were ploughing, household; so that this man was the great-and the asses feeding beside them: est of all the men of the east.

15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and

4 And his sons went and feasted in their took them away; yea, they have slain the houses, every one his day; and sent and servants with the edge of the sword; and called for their three sisters to eat and to I only am escaped alone to tell thee. drink with them. 16 While he was yet speaking, there

5 And it was so, when the days of their came also another, and said, The fire of feasting were gone about, that Job sent God is fallen from heaven, and hath burnand sanctified them, and rose up early in ed up the sheep and the servants, and conthe morning, and offered burnt-offerings sumed them; and I only am escaped alone according to the number of them all for to tell thee.

Job said, It may be that my sons have 17 While he was yet speaking, there sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. came also another, and said, The ChalThus did Job continually.

6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

deans 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.

7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence 18 While he was yet speaking, there comest thou? Then Satan answered the came also another, and said, Thy LORD, and said, From going to and fro in sons and thy daughters were eating and the earth, and from walking up and down drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:

in it.

8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast 19 And behold, there came a great wind thou considered my servant Job, that there from the wilderness, and smote the four is none like him in the earth, a perfect corners of the house, and it fell upon the and an upright man, one that feareth God, young men, and they are dead; and I onand escheweth evil? ly am escaped alone to tell thee.

9 Then Satan answered the LORD and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

10 Hast not thou made a 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.

20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,

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; blessed be the name of

11 But put forth thy hand now, and the LORD. touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charg ed God foolishly.

He curses the day of his birth. 4 Let that day be darkness; let not God

AGAIN there was a day when the sons regard it from above, neither let the light

of God came to present themselves shine upon it.

before the LORD, and Satan came also 5 Let darkness and the shadow of death among them to present himself before the stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the LORD. blackness of the day terrify it.

2 And the LORD said unto Satan, From 6 As for that night, let darkness seize whence comest thou? And Satan answer-upon it; let it not be joined unto the days ed the LORD, and said, From going to and of the year; let it not come into the numfro in the earth, and from walking up and ber of the months.

down in it.

7 Lo, let that night be solitary; let no

3 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast joyful voice come therein. thou considered my servant Job, that there 8 Let them curse it that curse the day, is none like him in the earth, a perfect and who are ready to raise up their mourning. an upright man, one that feareth God, and 9 Let the stars of the twilight thereof be escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast dark; let it look for light, but have none; his integrity, although thou movedst me neither let it see the dawning of the day. against him, to destroy him without cause. 10 Because it shut not up the doors of 4 And Satan answered the LORD, and my mother's womb, nor hid sorrow from said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath mine eyes. will he give for his life. died I not from the womb? 5 But put forth thy hand now, and why did I not give up the ghost when I touch his bone and his flesh, and he will came out of the belly? 12 Why did the knees prevent me? or

curse thee to thy face.

11

Why

6 And the LORD said unto Satan, Be-why the breasts that I should suck? hold, he is in thy hand; but save his life. 13 For now should I have lain still and 7 T So went Satan forth from the pre-been quiet, I should have slept: then had sence of the LORD, and smote Job with I been at rest

sore biles from the sole of his foot unto his 14 With kings and counsellors of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves;

crown.

8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.

9 ¶ Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

10 But 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.

15 Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:

16 Or as a hidden untunely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light. 17 There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.

18 There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor. 19 The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.

11 Now when Job's three friends 20 Wherefore is light given to him that heard of all this evil that was come upon is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul; him, they came every one from his ow 21 Which long for death, but it cometh place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad not; and dig for it more than for hid treathe Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite:

sures;

for they had made an appointment together 22 Which rejoice exceedingly, and are to come to mourn with him, and to com- glad, when they can find the grave? 23 Why is light given to a man whose

fort him.

12 And when they lifted up their eyes way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in? afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up 24 For my sighing cometh before I eat, their voice, and wept; and they rent every and my roarings are poured out like the one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon waters. their heads toward heaven.

13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great. CHAP. III.

25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.

26 I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came. CHAP. IV.

AFTER this opened Job his mouth,HEN Eliphaz the Temanite answered

and cursed his day.

2 And Job spake, and said,

3 Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.

and said,

2 If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?

3 Behold, thou hast instructed many,