Bible Glide

Job 2

Job 2 Summary, Context, and Full Chapter

Job 2 continues the test of Job's faith after the loss of his family and wealth. Satan receives permission to attack Job's body, and Job is left in severe pain. The chapter also introduces the friends who come to grieve with him and sit quietly beside him.

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What happens in Job 2?

The heavenly scene returns, and the LORD points out that Job still holds fast to his integrity. Satan argues that physical suffering will break Job's devotion, so Job is struck with painful boils from head to toe. Job sits in ashes, scraping his sores, while his wife urges him to abandon God. Job refuses, speaking of both blessing and hardship from God without sinning in what he says. Then three friends arrive, mourn over his condition, and sit with him in silence for seven days and nights.

This chapter follows the opening account of Job's losses and deepens the central question of the book: why do the righteous suffer? Job 2 moves the trial from possessions and family to Job's own body and relationships. It also introduces the friends whose later speeches will shape much of the book's dialogue.

Themes to notice

  • TestingJob's faith is examined under suffering that moves from loss to physical pain.
  • IntegrityJob refuses to abandon his trust in God even when his circumstances grow worse.
  • CompassionThe friends begin well by grieving with Job and sitting with him in silence.

Questions for Job 2

  • What does Job's response show about faith when suffering becomes personal and painful?
  • How does the chapter present the difference between human advice and faithful trust in God?
  • What do the friends do well in their first reaction to Job's suffering?

Read the full text of Job 2 below, then open it in the reader to highlight, take notes, or ask follow-up Bible questions. No account is required to read.

Job 2

Job Loses His Health

1On another day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before Him.2“Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.”

3Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil. He still retains his integrity, even though you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.”

4“Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give up all he owns in exchange for his life.5But stretch out Your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”

6“Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “He is in your hands, but you must spare his life.”

7So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and infected Job with terrible boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.8And Job took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself as he sat among the ashes.9Then Job’s wife said to him, “Do you still retain your integrity? Curse God and die!”

10“You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept from God only good and not adversity?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

Job’s Three Friends

11Now when Job’s three friends—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite—heard about all this adversity that had come upon him, each of them came from his home, and they met together to go and sympathize with Job and comfort him.12When they lifted up their eyes from afar, they could barely recognize Job. They began to weep aloud, and each man tore his robe and threw dust in the air over his head.13Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights, but no one spoke a word to him because they saw how intense his suffering was.

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