Job 2:1-7

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 2:2

And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it (see the comment on Job 1:7 , of which this is an almost exact repetition). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 2:3

And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou conquered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Thus far is identical with Job 1:1 ( quod vide ). The rest of the verse is additional, having reference to the conduct of Job under his earlier trials ( Job 1:20-22 ). And still he holdeth fast his integrity. This has been justly called "the key-note of the whole book" (Cook). Satan had declared that Job's... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 2:4

And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin . No doubt a proverbial expression, resembling "Eye for eye, tooth for tooth; Tit for tat," and the like; but not expressive of retaliation. Satan means that, to keep his own "skin" intact, a man will sacrifice another's "skin;" even that of his nearest and dearest. Job, he insinuates, submitted to the loss of his children without a murmur, because he feared that otherwise God would stretch forth his hand against his person, and smite it... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 2:4

The value of life. I. MORE VALUABLE THAN MATERIAL POSSESSIONS . 1 . In origin ; being the breath of God's Spirit, while they are only the work of God's hand. 2 . In nature ; being conscious of its own existence, while they are only dead, insensate things. 3 . In capacities ; being possessed of intellect, reason, conscience, will, while they have only properties and qualities peculiar to matter. 4 . In design ; being intended for the conscious enjoyment... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 2:4

Satan's proverb. I. THE IMPORT OF IT . That a man will part with everything about him to save his life. II. THE FALSEHOOD OF IT . 1 . Men will part with all outward things to save life. 2 . Some men will even part with a good conscience to save life. 3 . But there are those who would rather die than renounce their integrity. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 2:4

Satan's old saw (Browning). Satan was defeated in the first trial, but not convinced. With persistent malignity he proceeded to suggest a more severe test. It was no fault of his that the first test, hard as it was, had not gone to the utmost extremity; for he had been expressly limited by the words, "Only upon himself put not forth thine hand" ( Job 2:12 ). He had gone to the full length of his tether, but that had not satisfied him; so he must apply for a larger privilege of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 2:5

But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh ; i.e. "his person"—any part of his body . And he will curse thee to thy face (see the comment on Job 11:11 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 2:6

And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold he is in thine hand ; i.e. "he is in thy power, to do with him as thou pleasest"—except in one respect. Again it is strongly marked that Satan's power is under God's control, and extends only so far as God shows. But save his life ; rather, only spare his life (Revised Version). The didactic purposes for which God was allowing his faithful servant to be tried in the furnace of affliction would have been frustrated by Job's removal from the earth.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 2:7

So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord (comp. Job 1:12 , ad fin. ) . Satan, we may be sure, is always anxious to quit the immediate presence of God; for "what communion hath light with darkness?" ( 2 Corinthians 6:14 ). But now he had a special motive for haste in his anxiety to put Job to the test. Doubtless he was confident that he would triumph. And smote Job with sore boils . "With a malignant inflammation" (Lee). It has been generally concluded, from the scattered... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 2:7-8

Job's leprosy. Satan has now obtained permission to go a step further, and lay his hand on the person of God's servant. He uses the new privilege with skilful ingenuity, selecting the most horrible and loathsome disease, and smiting Job with the worst form of leprosy—elephantiasis. I. THE MISERY OF THE INFLICTION . 1 . It touches the man himself. Hitherto the blows have fallen on his outer world, though, indeed, they have come very near to him in striking his children.... read more

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