1En mand ved navn Job boede i området Utz.[1] Han var en retskaffen og gudfrygtig mand, der gjorde sit bedste for ikke at synde imod Gud.2-3Han havde syv sønner og tre døtre, og han var meget rig. Han ejede 7000 får, 3000 kameler, 500 par okser, 500 hunæsler samt et stort antal tjenestefolk, så han var den rigeste mand i området øst for Israel.4Jobs sønner elskede at holde fest på omgang hos hinanden. De inviterede altid deres tre søstre med, og der blev spist og drukket i flere dage.5Hver gang en sådan fest var forbi, sendte Job bud efter dem, for at de kunne gennemgå en renselsesceremoni. Han stod op tidligt om morgenen og bragte et brændoffer for hver af dem for at bede Gud om tilgivelse, hvis de i festens kådhed var kommet til at synde mod Gud og i tankerne havde forbandet ham.
Gud tillader Satan at sætte Job på prøve
6En dag, da englene[2] trådte frem for Herren, var også Satan[3] iblandt dem. (Job 2,1)7„Hvad har du bedrevet, Satan?” spurgte Herren. „Jeg har gennemtravet jorden på kryds og tværs!” svarede Satan.8„Nå, det har du,” fortsatte Herren. „Lagde du mærke til min tjener Job? Han er enestående blandt mennesker, en retskaffen og gudfrygtig mand, der gør sit bedste for ikke at begå nogen synd.”9„Det er da klart,” indvendte Satan.10„Du har jo altid holdt hånden over ham og hans familie og alt, hvad han ejer. Du har velsignet ham på alle måder. Se bare, hvor rig han er blevet!11Men prøv engang at tage hans rigdom fra ham, så skal jeg love dig for, at han vil forbande dig lige op i dit åbne ansigt!”12Da svarede Herren: „Gør, hvad du vil, med hans rigdom, Satan, men du må ikke gøre ham selv fortræd.” Så gik Satan bort fra Herren.13Ulykken ramte Job en dag, hvor hans sønner og døtre holdt fest hjemme hos den ældste bror.14-15Først kom en mand løbende hen til Job og råbte: „Da vi var ved at pløje med okserne, og æslerne gik og græssede i nærheden, overfaldt sabæerne[4] os pludselig! De stjal alle dyrene og dræbte dine arbejdere. Jeg var den eneste, der undslap.”16Mens han endnu talte, kom en anden mand løbende med følgende besked: „Der brød et uvejr løs, og lynene slog ned og dræbte både fårene og hyrderne. Jeg var den eneste, der undslap.”17Mens han endnu talte, kom en tredje mand løbende med flere dårlige nyheder: „Vi blev pludselig overfaldet af tre kaldæiske røverbander, som stjal alle kamelerne og dræbte dine arbejdere. Jeg var den eneste, der undslap.”18Mens han endnu talte, kom en fjerde mand løbende med den værste besked af alle: „Dine sønner og døtre var samlet til fest i din ældste søns hus.19Men pludselig kom en kraftig ørkenstorm og rystede huset så voldsomt, at det styrtede sammen og begravede dine børn. De omkom alle, og jeg var den eneste, der undslap.”20Da rejste Job sig og rev sin kappe itu som udtryk for sin dybe sorg og fortvivlelse. Derefter barberede han alt sit hår af og kastede sig til jorden for Guds ansigt.21„Nøgen kom jeg til verden, og nøgen skal jeg herfra!” sagde han. „Herren gav, og Herren tog. Al ære tilkommer ham!”22På trods af denne tragedie syndede Job ikke. Han anklagede ikke Gud for det, der var sket.
1There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. (1.Mos 6,9; 1.Mos 17,1; Job 1,8; Job 2,3; Job 4,6; Job 9,20; Job 28,28; Salm 34,14; Ord 16,6; Jer 25,20; Klag 4,21; Ez 14,14; Ez 14,20; Jak 5,11)2There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. (Job 42,13)3He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. (Dom 6,3)4His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.5And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed[1] God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually. (1.Mos 8,20; 1.Sam 16,5; Job 2,5; Job 42,8; Salm 10,3)
Satan Allowed to Test Job
6Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan[2] also came among them. (1.Mos 6,2; 1.Mos 6,4; 1.Krøn 21,1; Job 2,1; Job 38,7; Zak 3,1; Åb 12,9)7The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” (Job 2,2; 1.Pet 5,8)8And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” (4.Mos 12,7; 2.Sam 7,5; Job 1,1; Job 2,3; Es 20,3)9Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason?10Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. (Salm 3,3; Salm 34,7; Salm 128,1)11But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” (Job 1,5; Job 2,5; Job 19,21; Es 53,4; Es 65,3)12And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
Satan Takes Job’s Property and Children
13Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,14and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,15and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants[3] with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” (1.Kong 10,1; Job 6,19)16While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” (2.Kong 1,12)17While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” (1.Mos 11,28; Dom 7,16; 1.Sam 11,11; 2.Kong 24,2)18While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, (Job 1,4; Job 1,13)19and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” (Es 21,1; Jer 4,11; Hos 13,15)20Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. (1.Mos 37,29; Ez 9,3; Jer 7,29; 1.Pet 5,6)21And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (1.Mos 3,19; Salm 49,17; Salm 90,3; Salm 113,2; Præd 5,15; Præd 5,19; Præd 12,7; Dan 2,20; Ef 5,20; 1.Thess 5,18; 1.Tim 6,7; Jak 1,17)22In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. (Job 2,10; Job 24,12)