job 1 and 2

Read Job 1 and 2 at Bible Gateway.

The Hebrew paragraph divisions:

Job 1:1-5 {p} Job, the greatest man of the East
Job 1:6-22 {p} Job loses his possessions and children, but does not curse God
Job 2:1-10 {p} Job loses his health, but does not curse God
Job 2:11-3:1 {p} The coming of Job’s three friends

The reverse parallelism:

1a) Job 1:1-5 {p} Job, the greatest man in the East/ atonement for his sons lest they cursed God in their hearts;

1b) Job 1:6-22 {p} Job loses possessions and children, but does not curse God;

1) Job 1:6-7, The day when the sons of God presented themselves before the LORD, Satan also coming among them;
2) Job 1:8, The LORD: Have you considered My servant Job, blameless and upright;
3) Job 1:9-11, Satan’s answer: Strike his possessions and he will curse You to Your face;
4) Job 1:12, The LORD granted Satan permission to afflict his possessions, but not his person;
5) Job 1:13-19, Disaster befalls Job’s possessions and children;
6) Job 1:20, Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped;
7) Job 1:21-22 {p} Job blessed the name of the LORD and did not sin or charge God with wrong;

2b) Job 2:1-10 {p} Job loses his health, but does not curse God;

1) Job 2:1-2, The day when the sons of God presented themselves before the LORD, Satan also coming among them;
2) Job 2:3, The LORD: Have you considered My servant Job, who still holds fast his integrity despite the destruction against him;
3) Job 2:4-5, Satan’s answer: Strike his health and he will curse You to Your face;
4) Job 2:-7a, The LORD granted Satan permission to afflict his health, but not his life;
5) Job 2:7b, Job struck with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head;
6) Job 2:8, Job took a potsherd to scrape himself while he sat in the midst of the ashes;
7) Job 2:9-10 {p} Job answered his wife, Shall we accept good from God and not adversity? + he did not sin;

2a) Job 2:11-3:1 {p} Job’s losses mourned by his three friends/ Job cursed the day of his birth.

There is one out of place verse which does not have a corresponding verse in its matching pair, and that is Job 2:9:

Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!”

This break in pattern is a teaching tool of Scripture. Her counsel might be considered normal, considering the losses she has also suffered. But notice whose counsel she is repeating? The adversary’s, and not that of the Holy Spirit. As a wife, I am doubly mindful of whose voice I am listening to, taking care to repeat the word of God and not the bitter words of the adversary!

For further reading:
job 1 and 2, his place in history (2015)
John Gill’s introduction to the book of Job