Dual Panel1Once again the day came when the members of the court of heaven took their places in the presence of the LORD, and the Adversary was there among them.
2The LORD enquired where he had been. “Ranging over the earth”, said the Adversary, “from end to end.”
3The LORD asked, “Have you considered my servant Job? You will find no one like him on earth, a man of blameless and upright life, who fears God and sets his face against wrongdoing. You incited me to ruin him without cause, but he still holds fast to his integrity.”
4The Adversary replied, “Skin for skin! To save himself there is nothing a man will withhold.
5But just reach out your hand and touch his bones and his flesh, and see if he will not curse you to your face.”
6The LORD said to the Adversary, “So be it. He is in your power; only spare his life.”
7When the Adversary left the LORD's presence, he afflicted Job with running sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head,
8and Job took a piece of a broken pot to scratch himself as he sat among the ashes.
9His wife said to him, “Why do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God, and die!”
10He answered, “You talk as any impious woman might talk. If we accept good from God, shall we not accept evil?” Throughout all this, Job did not utter one sinful word.
11When Job's three friends, Eliphaz of Teman, Bildad of Shuah, and Zophar of Naamah, heard of all these calamities which had overtaken him, they set out from their homes, arranging to go and condole with him and comfort him.
12But when they first saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him; they wept aloud, tore their cloaks, and tossed dust into the air over their heads.
13For seven days and seven nights they sat beside him on the ground, and none of them spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.