Satan obtains leave from the Lord to afflict Job physically—He is smitten with boils—Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar come to comfort him.

1 - Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the L ORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the L ORD.

2 - And the L ORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the L ORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

3 - And the L ORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

4 - And Satan answered the L ORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

5 - But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

6 - And the L ORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand ; but save his life.

7 - ¶ So went Satan forth from the presence of the L ORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

8 - And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.

9 - ¶ Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity ? curse God, and die.

10 - But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil ? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

11 - ¶ Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

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 sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.

13 - So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.