John Wesley

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And this man was blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil.

“Perfect - Not legally or exactly, but as to his sincere intentions, hearty affections, and diligent endeavours to perform all his duties to God and men. Upright - Hebrew. right, exact and regular in all his dealings, with men; one of an unblameable conversation.”

and he owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and a very large number of servants.

“Camels - Camels in these parts were very numerous, and very useful, both for carrying burdens in these hot and dry countries, as being able to endure thirst much better than other creatures, and for service in war.”

And when the days of feasting were over, Job would send for his children to purify them, rising early in the morning to offer burnt offerings for all of them.

“May be - His zeal for God's glory, and his true love to his children, made him jealous. Cursed - Not in a gross manner, which it is not probable either that they should do, or that Job should suspect it concerning them, but despised…”

One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.

“And it is likewise intimated, that the affairs of earth are much the subject of the counsels of the unseen world. That world is dark to us: but we lie open to it.”

Satan answered the LORD, “Does Job fear God for nothing?

“For nought - Out of pure love and respect to thee? It is policy, not piety, that makes him good; he doth not serve thee, but serveth himself of thee, serving thee for his own ends.”

While he was still speaking, another messenger came and reported: “The fire of God fell from heaven.

“The fire of God - As thunder is the voice of God, so lightning is his fire. How terrible then were the tidings of this destruction, which came immediately from the hand of God!”

Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped,

“Shaved - Caused his hair to be shaved or cut off, which was then an usual ceremony in mourning. Worshipped - Instead of cursing God, which Satan said he would do, he adored him, and gave him the glory of his sovereignty, of his justice…”

saying: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.”

“Return thither - I shall be as rich when I die as I was when I was born, and therefore have reason to be contented with my condition, which also is the common lot of all men.”

In all this, Job did not sin or charge God with wrongdoing.

“Charged - Hebrew. not imputed folly to God; so far was he from blaspheming God, that he did not entertain any dishonourable thought of God, as if he had done anything unworthy of his infinite wisdom, or justice, or goodness, but heartily acquiesced in his…”

Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job?

“Still - Notwithstanding all his afflictions, and thy suggestion to the contrary. Movedst - This, as the rest of this representation, is not to be understood literally: But the design is to signify both the devil's restless malice in promoting man's misery and God's permission…”

“Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “He is in your hands, but you must spare his life.”

“Job, in being thus maligned of Satan, was a type of Christ. He had permission to bruise his heel, to touch his bone and his flesh; yea, and his life also; because by dying he was to do what Job could not do, to destroy…”

So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and infected Job with terrible boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.

“Boils - Like those inflicted upon the Egyptians, which are expressed by the same word, and threatened to apostate Israelites, Deut.”

And Job took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself as he sat among the ashes.

“Nor with his own hands or fingers, which were also ulcerous, and so unfit for that use; but with potsherds, either because they were next at hand, and ready for his present use; or in token of his deep humiliation under God's hand, which made…”

“You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept from God only good and not adversity?”

“That is, some affliction, whereby we may be made partakers of his holiness? Let murmuring therefore, as well as boasting, be forever excluded. Sin with his lips - By any reflections upon God, by any impatient or unbecoming expression.”

Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights, but no one spoke a word to him because they saw how intense his suffering was.

“Seven days - Which was the usual time of mourning for the dead, and therefore proper both for Job's children, and for Job himself, who was in a manner dead, while he lived: not that they continued in this posture so long together, which the…”

After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.

“His curse was sinful, both because it was vain, being applied to a thing, which was not capable of blessing and cursing, and because it cast a blame upon God for bringing that day, and for giving him life on that day.”

If only that day had turned to darkness! May God above disregard it; may no light shine upon it.

“Darkness - I wish the sun had never risen upon that day, or, which is all one, that it had never been; and whensoever that day returns, I wish it may be black, and gloomy, and uncomfortable.”

For that night did not shut the doors of the womb to hide the sorrow from my eyes.

“It - The night or the day: to which those things are ascribed which were done by others in them, as is frequent in poetical writings. Womb - That it might never have brought me forth.”

with kings and counselors of the earth, who built for themselves cities now in ruins,

“Kings - I had then been as happy as the proudest monarchs, who after all their great achievements and enjoyments, go down into their graves.”

The captives enjoy their ease; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.

“The oppressor - Or, taskmaster, who urges and forces them to work by cruel threatenings and stripes. Job meddles not here with their eternal state after death, of which he speaks hereafter, but only their freedom from worldly troubles, which is the sole matter of…”

Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul,

“Light - The light of life. Bitter - Unto those to whom life itself is bitter and burdensome. Life is called light, because it is pleasant and serviceable for walking and working; and this light is said to be given us, because it would be…”

who long for death that does not come, and search for it like hidden treasure,

“Dig - Desire with as much earnestness as men dig for treasure: but it is observable, Job durst not do anything to hasten or procure his death: notwithstanding all his miseries, he was contented to wait all the days of his appointed time, 'till his…”

For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has befallen me.

“Feared - Even in the time of my prosperity, I was full of fears, considering the variety of God's providences, the changeableness of this vain world, God's justice, and the sinfulness of all mankind.”

I am not at ease or quiet; I have no rest, for trouble has come.”

“Quiet - I did not misbehave myself in prosperity, abusing it by presumption, and security, but I lived circumspectly, walking humbly with God, and working out my salvation with fear and trembling.”

Is your reverence not your confidence, and the uprightness of your ways your hope?

“Thy fear - We now plainly see what was the nature of thy fear of God, thy confidence in him, the uprightness of thy ways, and thy hope in God's mercy. Thy present carriage discovers that it was but mere talk and appearance.”