Job 2:12

Their Arrival: 12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and threw dust upon their heads toward heaven. They saw a form which seemed to be Job, but in which they were not able to recognise him. Then they weep and rend their outer garments, and catch up dust to throw up towards heaven (Sa1 4:12), that it may fall again upon their heads. The casting up of dust on high is the outwards sign of intense suffering, and, as von Gerlach rightly remarks, of that which causes him to cry to heaven.

We left Job honourably acquitted upon a fair trial between God and Satan concerning him. Satan had leave to touch, to touch and take, all he had, and was confident that he would then curse God to his face; but, on the contrary, he blessed him, and so he was proved an honest man and Satan a false accuser. Now, one would have thought, this would be conclusive, and that Job would never have his reputation called in question again; but Job is known to be armour of proof, and therefore is here set up for a mark, and brought upon his trial, a second time. I. Satan moves for another trial, which should touch his bone and his flesh (Job 2:1-5). II. God, for holy ends, permits it (Job 2:6). III. Satan smites him with a very painful and loathsome disease (Job 2:7, Job 2:8). IV. His wife tempts him to curse God, but he resists the temptation (Job 2:9, Job 2:10). V. His friends come to condole with him and to comfort him (Job 2:11-13). And in this that good man is set forth for an example of suffering affliction and of patience.

2:12 they scarcely recognized him: This expression indicates the extreme suffering Job had experienced (cp. Isa 52:14; 53:3). • Job’s friends mourned by wailing loudly, just as they would have done for a dead man. • Throwing dust sometimes expressed anger or disdain (see 2 Sam 16:13; Acts 22:23), but here it signaled mourning (see Josh 7:6; 1 Sam 4:12; Neh 9:1; Lam 2:10).