1 In the land named Uz, there was a man named Job. He was a very godly/righteous [DOU] man, who greatly respected/revered God and always avoided doing evil things. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters. 3 He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 1,000 oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was the richest man in all the area east of the Jordan River.

4 Each year, Job’s sons made feasts in their houses to celebrate their birthdays. Whenever each one made a feast, he would invite all his brothers and his three sisters to come and eat together. 5 When each celebration ended, Job would summon them. He would get up early in the morning and kill animals and burn them on the altar as sacrifices, one for each of his children. He said to himself, “Perhaps one of my sons has sinned and said something evil about God in his heart.”

6 One day, the angels came and gathered together in front of Yahweh, and Satan came too. 7 Yahweh asked Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan replied, “I have come from the earth, where I been traveling back and forth, seeing what is happening.”

8 Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you ◄noticed/thought about► my faithful servant Job? He is very godly/righteous [DOU], he greatly respects/reveres me, and he always avoids doing evil things. There is no one else on the earth like him.” 9 Satan replied to Yahweh, “What you say is true, but Job greatly respects you only because of what you have done for him [RHQ]. 10 You have always [RHQ] protected [MET] him and his family and everything that he owns. You have made him very prosperous/rich. He has livestock all over this land. 11 But if you take away [MTY] everything that he has, he will curse you openly. [IDM]”

12 Yahweh replied to Satan, “◄All right/Okay►, I will permit you to take away everything that he has. But do not harm him.”

Then Satan left, and he prepared to cause many disastrous things to happen to Job.

13 One day after that, Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the home of their oldest brother. 14 While they were doing that, a messenger arrived at Job’s home and said to him, “While your oxen were plowing the fields and the donkeys were grazing nearby, 15 a group of men from the Sheba area came and attacked us. They killed all your servants who were working in the fields and took away all the oxen and donkeys! I am the only one who escaped to come and tell you what happened.”

16 While he was still talking to Job, another messenger arrived. He said to Job, “Lightning from the sky [MTY] struck and killed all the sheep and all the men who were taking care of the sheep! I am the only one who escaped to come and tell you what happened.”

17 While he was still talking to Job, another messenger arrived. He said to Job, “Three groups of robbers/bandits from Chaldea land came and attacked us. They stole all the camels and killed all the men who were taking care of them. I am the only one who escaped to come and tell you what happened.”

18 While he was still talking to Job, another messenger arrived and reported this to Job: “Your sons and daughters were feasting in the home of their oldest brother. 19 Suddenly a ◄very strong wind/tornado► came from the desert and struck the house. The house collapsed on your sons and daughters and killed them all! I am the only one who escaped to come and tell you what happened.”

20 Job stood up, and tore his robe and shaved his head because he was very sad/grieved. Then he prostrated himself on the ground to worship God. 21 He said,

22 In spite of all these things that happened to Job, he did not sin by saying that what God had done was wrong.