Deep Dive

Job 2:2

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“Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.”

Commentaries

Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.

Keil-Delitzsch Old Testament Commentaryv. 2

2 And Jehovah said to Satan, Whence comest thou? And Satan answered Jehovah, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and wandering up and down in it. Instead of מאין, Job 1:7, we have here the similar expression מזּה אי (Ges. 150, extra). Such slight variations are also frequent in the repetitions in the Psalms, and we have had an example in Job 1 in the interchange of עוד and עד. After the general answer which Satan givers, Jehovah inquires more particularly.

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Matthew Henry Bible Commentaryv. 2

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.

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