Job 1:1-12 - Job's Character And Greatness
1 A man named Job lived in Uz. He was a man of integrity! He was decent, he respected God, and he stayed away from evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters. 3 He owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, one thousand head of cattle, and five hundred donkeys. He also had a large number of servants. In fact he was the greatest (richest) of all the Orientals in the East!
4 Job's sons used to take turns giving a feast. They invited many others to come, and they always invited their three sisters to join them. 5 The morning after each feast, Job would get up early to offer sacrifices for each of his children in order to purify them. He always did this because he thought that one of them might have sinned by insulting God unintentionally.
6 The day came when heavenly beings appeared before Jehovah (YHWH). Satan was there among them. 7 Jehovah asked him: What have you been doing? Satan answered: I have been walking here and there and roaming around the earth.
8 Did you notice my servant Job? Jehovah asked. There is no one on earth as faithful and good as he is. He respects me and is careful not to do anything evil.
9 Satan replied: Would Job respect you if he got nothing out of it? 10 You have always protected him and his family and everything he owns. You bless everything he does. You have given him enough cattle to fill the whole country. 11 Now suppose you take away everything he has. He will curse you to your face!
12 All right, Jehovah said to Satan, everything he has is in your power, but you must not hurt Job! So Satan left.