Job 2

Job 2:1

SOns of God] See the notes on chap. 1. 6.

Satan came also among them] Look chap. 1. 6.

Job 2:2

And Satan answered the Lord] Chap. 1. 7.

Job 2:3

a perfect and an upright man] Chap. 1. 1, 8.

although thou movedst me against him] He proveth Jobs integrity by this, that he ceased not to fear God, when his plagues were grievously upon him.

to destroy him] In Hebrew it is, to swallow him up. A metaphor from wilde beasts.

without cause] Not, but that Job was a sinner, but not a wilfull sinner, that he should be cut off.

Job 2:4

Skin for skin] A proverbiall speech. Hereby he meant, that a mans own skin is dearer unto him, then an other mans and therefore Job could be content, his children should die, so he might escape: or, be content to expose any other part of his body, to save the vitall parts.

Job 2:5

touch his bone and his flesh] Meaning his own person, Eph. 5. 30.

and he will curse thee] See notes on chap. 1. 11.

Job 2:6

he is in thine hand] That is, in thy power. See cha. 1. 12. but] Or, onely.

save his life] Thus Satan can go no further in punishing, then God hath limited him.

Job 2:7

with sore boyls] This sore was most vehement, wherewith also God plagued the Egyptians, Exodus 9:9. and threatneth to punish the rebellious people, Deuteronomy 28:27. So that this tentation was most grievous: for if Job had measured Gods favour by the vehemency of his disease, he might hav thought that God had cast him off.

from the sole of his foot unto his crown] Isai 1. 6.

Job 2:8

he took him a potsherd] As destitute of all other help and means, and wonderfully afflicted with the sorrow of his disease, so that he could not scrape with his hands, they were so sore.

he sat down among the ashes] In Hebrew it is, in the midst of the ashes. To wit, in sign of humilitie, and mortification, as chap. 42. 6. And also of grievous sorrow, Esther 4:1; Esther 4:3.

Job 2:9

his wife] Satan useth the same instrument against Job, as he did against Adam.

Dost thou still retain thine integrity] Meaning, what gainest thou by serving God, seeing he thus plagueth thee, as though he were thine enemy? This is the most grievous tentation of the faithfull when their faith is assailed, and when Satan goeth about to perswade them, that they trust in God in vain, chap. 21. 15. Malachi 3:14. Or, Dost thou continue still in maintaining thine integrity, when God hath discovered thine hypocrisie? See chap 6. 9. Psalms 69:10.

curse God, and die] See notes on chap. 1. 5, 11. Heb. blesse. That is, give glory to God by confessing thy fault before thou diest: or, that thou mayest be cased by death, Joshua 7:19.

Job 2:10

shall we receive good] That is, be patient in adversity, as we rejoyce when he sendeth prosperity, and so to acknowledge him to be both mercifull and just.

with his lips] He so bridled his affections, that his tongue through impatience did not murmure against God, Psalms 39:1. James 3:2.

Job 2:11

when Jobs three friends heard] Which were men of authority, and came to comfort him; but when they saw how he was visited, they conceived an evill opinion of him, as though he had been but an hypocrite, and so justly plagued of God for his sins.

the Temanite] Of Teman the Edomite, Genesis 36:11.

the Shubite] Of Shuah Abrahams son by Keturah, Genesis 25:2.

Job 2:12

and knew him not] Because he was so much altered, as if he were not the same man.

they lifted up their voice] Rth 1:14.

and sprinkled dust upon their heads] This was a ceremony, which they used in those Countreys in sign of sorrow. See Joshua 7:6. Nehe. 9. 1.

toward heaven] Casting it toward heaven, it fell on their heads.

Job 2:13

none spake a word unto him] Out of astonishment or commiseration.

for they saw that his grief was very great] And therefore they thought that he would not have hearkned to their counsell, Exodus 6:9.