Bible Commentaries

Job 2:1-8. Satan further tempts Job.

a day — appointed for the angels giving an account of their ministry to God. The words “to present himself before the Lord” occur here, though not in Job 1:6, as Satan has now a special report to make as to Job.

integrity — literally, “completeness”; so “perfect,” another form of the same Hebrew word, Job 11:7.

movedst … against — So 1 Samuel 26:19; compare 1 Chronicles 21:1 with 2 Samuel 24:1.

Skin for skin — a proverb. Supply, “He will give.” The “skin” is figurative for any outward good. Nothing outward is so dear that a man will not exchange it for some other outward good; “but” (not “yea”) “life,” the inward good, cannot be replaced; a man will sacrifice everything else for its sake. Satan sneers bitterly at man‘s egotism and says that Job bears the loss of property and children because these are mere outward and exchangeable goods, but he will give up all things, even his religion, in order to save his life, if you touch his bones and flesh. “Skin” and “life” are in antithesis [Umbreit]. The martyrs prove Satan‘s sneer false. Rosenmuller explains it not so well. A man willingly gives up another‘s skin (life) for his own skin (life). So Job might bear the loss of his children, etc., with equanimity, so long as he remained unhurt himself; but when touched in his own person, he would renounce God. Thus the first “skin” means the other‘s skin, that is, body; the second “skin,” one‘s own, as in Exodus 21:28.

but save — rather, “only spare his life.” Satan shows his ingenuity in inflicting pain, and also his knowledge of what man‘s body can bear without vital injury.

sore boils — malignant boils; rather, as it is singular in the Hebrew, a “burning sore.” Job was covered with one universal inflammation. The use of the potsherd [Job 2:8 ] agrees with this view. It was that form of leprosy called black (to distinguish it from the white), or elephantiasis, because the feet swell like those of the elephant. The Arabic judham (Deuteronomy 28:35), where “sore botch” is rather the black burning boil (Isaiah 1:6).

a potsherd — not a piece of a broken earthen vessel, but an instrument made for scratching (the root of the Hebrew word is “scratch”); the sore was too disgusting to touch. “To sit in the ashes” marks the deepest mourning (Jonah 3:6); also humility, as if the mourner were nothing but dust and ashes; so Abraham (Genesis 18:27).

Job 2:9-13. Job reproves his wife.

curse God — rather, “renounce” God. (See on Job 1:5) [Umbreit]. However, it was usual among the heathens, when disappointed in their prayers accompanied with offerings to their gods, to reproach and curse them.

and die — that is, take thy farewell of God and so die. For no good is to be got out of religion, either here or hereafter; or, at least, not in this life [Gill]; Nothing makes the ungodly so angry as to see the godly under trial not angry.

the foolish women — Sin and folly are allied in Scripture (1 Samuel 25:25; 2 Samuel 13:13; Psalm 14:1).

receive evil — bear willingly (Lamentations 3:39).

Eliphaz — The view of Rawlinson that “the names of Job‘s three friends represent the Chaldean times, about 700 b.c.,” cannot be accepted. Eliphaz is an Idumean name, Esau‘s oldest son (Genesis 36:4); and Teman, son of Eliphaz (Genesis 36:15), called “duke.” Eusebius places Teman in Arabia-Petraea (but see on Job 6:19). Teman means “at the right hand”; and then the south, namely, part of Idumea; capital of Edom (Amos 1:12). Hebrew geographers faced the east, not the north as we do; hence with them “the right hand” was the south. Temanites were famed for wisdom (Jeremiah 49:7). Baruch mentions them as “authors of fables” (namely, proverbs embodying the results of observation), and “searchers out of understanding.”

Bildad the Shuhite — Shuah (“a pit”), son of Abraham and Keturah (Genesis 25:2). Ptolemy mentions the region Syccea, in Arabia-Deserta, east of Batanea.

Zophar the Naamathite — not of the Naamans in Judah (Joshua 15:41), which was too distant; but some region in Arabia-Deserta. Fretelius says there was a Naamath in Uz.

toward heaven — They threw ashes violently upwards, that they might fall on their heads and cover them - the deepest mourning (Joshua 7:6; Acts 22:23).

nights — They did not remain in the same posture and without food, etc., all this time, but for most of this period daily and nightly. Sitting on the earth marked mourning (Lamentations 2:10). Seven days was the usual length of it (Genesis 50:10; 1 Samuel 31:13). This silence may have been due to a rising suspicion of evil in Job; but chiefly because it is only ordinary griefs that find vent in language; extraordinary griefs are too great for utterance.