Job 1:11
in Job 1But stretch out Your hand and strike all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But put forth thy hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will renounce thee to thy face.
KJV
But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
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This verse in Job 1
Commentary
14 notes on this verseHISTORICAL INTERPRETATION When Satan has a desire to tempt the holy man, and yet tells the Lord that He must put forth His hand against him, it is very deserving of notice that even he, who is so especially lifted up against the Maker of all things, never claims to himself the power to strike; for the devil knows well that he is unable to do any thing of himself, for neither in that he is a spirit does he subsist by himself.
This site's exposition
placed a hedge on every side around him
on Job 1:10-12
The hedge is Satan's own word for the protection he wants removed. Job uses the same image for his prison at 3:23. The LORD grants power over "Everything he has" while drawing one line, "you must not lay a hand on the man himself," a bounded permission.
This site's exposition
he will surely curse You to Your face
Matthew Henry sees the faith of every servant of God staked on this one man. If Job curses God to His face, no upright man is left on the earth. Clarke hears the Hebrew as a man who blesses God only as long as God blesses all that he has.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"[God's] hand" must be understood in a variety of ways. It is either the power that punishes or serves punishment, usually referred to in the Scripture as "tools of wrath," or the protecting and guarding power in the Scripture, "No one can snatch them out …
[Satan] himself willed and desired to receive power over Job, but he did not dare to say so. "But you," he says, "stretch out your hand." Then, so that he may not say, "you indulgently struck him as though he was a household servant," God does not do that which the devil asked. Certainly God could, in doing that, justify himself by saying, "I did what you wanted; it is you who told me to touch him."
The Medieval Church3 voices
MORAL INTERPRETATION For when we yield plentifully the fruits of virtue, and when we are flourishing in uninterrupted prosperity, the mind is somewhat inclined to be lifted up, so as to imagine that all the excellency that she hath comes to her from herself. This same excellency, then, our old enemy with evil intent desires to lay hands on, whilst God no otherwise than in mercy allows it to be tried; that while the mind, under the force of temptation, is shaken in the good wherein it exulted, learning the powerlessness of its own frail condition, it may become the more strongly established in the hope of God's aid; and it is brought to pass by a marvellous dispensation of His Mercy, that from the same source, whence the enemy tempts the soul to destroy it, the merciful Creator gives it instruction that it may live.
Satan wants to show that Job had served God because of the earthly prosperity he had attained using an argument based on opposition. For if after earthly prosperity comes to an end Job ceased fearing God, it would become clear that he feared God because …
ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATION For He, Whom he thought in time of tranquillity to be under the keeping of God's grace, he imagined might be led to sin by means of suffering; as though he had plainly said, 'One, Who for the miracles which He works is accounted God, being put to the test by afflictions, is discovered to be a sinner, and nothing better.'
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
God declared Job the best man then living: now, if Satan can prove him a hypocrite, it will follow that God had not one faithful servant among men and that there was no such thing as true and sincere piety in the world, but religion was all a sham, and Satan was king de facto--in fact, over all mankind.
But put forth thine hand now,....
Job was upright and honest, and yet grew rich, nay, therefore grew rich; for honesty is the best policy, and piety and charity are ordinarily the surest ways of thriving. He had a great household and much business, and yet kept up the fear and worship of God; and he and his house served the Lord.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
But put forth thine hand now - That is, for the purpose of injuring him, and taking away his property. And touch all that he hath - Dr. Good renders this, “and smite.” The Vulgate and the Septuagint, “touch.” The Hebrew word used here נגע nâga‛ means properly to “touch;” then to touch anyone with violence Gen 26:11; Jos 9:19, and then to smite, to injure, to strike; see Gen 32:26, 33; 1Sa 6:9; Job 19:21; compare the notes at Isa 53:
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
curse thee to thy face--in antithesis to God's praise of him (Job 1:8), "one that feareth God." Satan's words are too true of many. Take away their prosperity and you take away their religion (Mal 3:14).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
But put forth thine hand - Shoot the dart of poverty and affliction against him. And he will curse thee to thy face - אם לא על פניך יברכך im lo al paneycha yebarechecca, “If he will not bless thee to thy appearances.” He will bless thee only in proportion to the temporal good thou bestowest upon him; to the providential and gracious appearances or displays of thy power in his behalf. If thou wilt be gracious, he will be pious. The exact maxim of a great statesman, Sir Robert Walpole: Every man has his price. “But you have not bought such a one?” “No, because I would not go up to his price. He valued himself at more than I thought him worth; and I could get others cheaper, who, in the general muster, would do as well.” No doubt Sir R. met with many such; and the devil many more. But still God has multitudes that will neither sell their souls, their consciences, nor their country, for any price; who, though God should slay them, will nevertheless trust in him; and be honest men, howsoever tempted by the devil and his vicegerents. So did Job; so have done thousands; so will all do, in whose hearts Christ dwells by faith.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
But were you to touch all that he has, would he not blaspheme You to Your face immediately? This is a question. And then, the Lord said to the Adversary, “Behold, all that he has is in your hands.”
3 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Haven’t You made a hedge around him Because he knows that You visit him frequently to perform miracles for him, and he is fruitful and multiplies; therefore he performs all these righteous deeds—but You have not tested him.
“Behold, all that he has etc. Another explanation: Now the day came about That day when they recommenced the cycle [and were] to eat at the house of their eldest brother.
Is it not Your Word that has sheltered on his account and on his house's account and on the account of all that is his around him? The works of his hands You have blessed, and his flock is strong in the land!
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 2 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאוּלָם֙ | veulam | and but | H199 → | 19 times |
| שְֽׁלַֽח־ | shelach- | stretch out | H7971 → | 845 times |
| נָ֣א | na' | please | H4994 → | 404 times |
| יָֽדְךָ֔ | yadekha | hand your | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| וְגַ֖ע | vega' | and touch | H5060 → | 150 times |
| בְּכָל־ | bekhol | <in> all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| ל֑וֹ | lo | [belongs] to him | ||
| אִם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| פָּנֶ֖יךָ | paneikha | face your | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יְבָרֲכֶֽךָּ׃ | yevarakheka | he will bless you | H1288 → | 330 times |
וְאוּלָם֙and but
veulamH199 →19 times
שְֽׁלַֽח־stretch out
shelach-H7971 →845 times
נָ֣אplease
na'H4994 →404 times
יָֽדְךָ֔hand your
yadekhaH3027 →1618 times
וְגַ֖עand touch
vega'H5060 →150 times
בְּכָל־<in> all
bekholH3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁר־that
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
ל֑וֹ[belongs] to him
lo
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
פָּנֶ֖יךָface your
paneikhaH6440 →2123 times
יְבָרֲכֶֽךָּ׃he will bless you
yevarakhekaH1288 →330 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Revelation 16:9And the people were scorched by intense heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had authority over these plagues; yet they did not repent and give Him glory.
it leads to
- Revelation 16:21
And great hailstones weighing almost a hundred pounds each rained down on them from above. And men cursed God for the plague of hail, because it was so horrendous.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Revelation 2:21
Even though I have given her time to repent of her immorality, she is unwilling.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 5:3
O LORD, do not Your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain. You finished them off, but they refused to accept discipline. They have made their faces harder than…
- Luke 13:5
No, I tell you. But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
- Revelation 16:10–11
And the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness, and men began to gnaw their tongues in anguish
- Revelation 16:21
Through
Revelation 16:11and curse the God of heaven for their pains and sores; yet they did not repent of their deeds.
it leads to
- Revelation 16:9
And the people were scorched by intense heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had authority over these plagues; yet they did not repent and give Him glory.
- Revelation 11:13
And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand were killed in the quake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God…
- Revelation 16:2
So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and loathsome, malignant sores broke out on those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
- Revelation 16:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies13
About Job
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Job; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Didymus the Blind, COMMENTARY ON JOB 1:11; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Job; Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book II; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, COMMENTARY ON JOB 1:11B; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.