Job 2:1
in Job 2On another day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before Him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Again it came to pass on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah, that Satan came also among them to present himself before Jehovah.
KJV
Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord.
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This verse in Job 2
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Again there was a day ... - See the notes at Job 1:6. These seasons are represented as periodical, when the angels came, as it were, to make report to God of what they had observed and done. The Chaldee renders this, “And there was a day of the great judgment (רבא דינא יום yôm dı̂ynā' rābā'), a day of the remission of sins (שבוק יום סרחניא) and there came bands (כתי) of angels.” To present himself before the Lord - This does not occur in the former statement in Job 1:
This site's exposition
the sons of God came to present themselves
on Job 2:1-3
The second court scene repeats the formula of chapter 1. The added clause, "He still retains his integrity, even though you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause," is God's verdict. The words "without cause" settle in advance that none of it was deserved, whatever the friends claim.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Why does the author describe the angels in the act of presenting themselves daily before the Lord? He does so that we might learn no actual event is overlooked by God's providence, and that the angels report what happens every day. Every day they are sent to settle some question, even though we ignore all this. That is the reason why they were created; that is their task, as the blessed Paul says, "They are sent to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation." "And the devil," the text says, "also came among them." You know why the angels are present. But why is the devil present? The latter is present to tempt Job; the former, in order to regulate our matters. Why is the devil questioned again before the angels themselves? Because he had said before them, "He will curse you to your face." What a shameless nature! He has dared come back!
The Medieval Church2 voices
Since there are three goods of man: of soul, of body and exterior things, these goods are so ordered to each other that the body exists for the sake of the soul, but exterior things exist for the sake of both the body and the …
Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord. HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION. BLESSED Job, though aimed at for death in his temptation, gained growth unto life by the stroke.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
He is asked the same question as before, Whence comest thou? and answers as before, From going to and fro in the earth; as if he had been doing no harm, though he had been abusing that good man.
Again, there was a day, when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord,....
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Again there was a day - How long this was after the former trial, we know not: probably one whole year, when, as the Targum intimates, it was the time of the annual atonement; which, if so, must have been at least one whole year after the former; and during which period the patience and resignation of Job had sufficient scope to show themselves. This appearance of the sons of God and Satan is to be understood metaphorically - there could be nothing real in it - but it is intended to instruct us in the doctrine of the existence of good and evil spirits; that Satan pursues man with implacable enmity, and that he can do no man hurt, either in his person or property, but by the especial permission of God; and that God gives him permission only when he purposes to overrule it for the greater manifestation of his own glory, and the greater good of his tempted followers.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
“Where are you coming from?” Where is the place about which you may say, “From this place I come”?
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. 5 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
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִ֣י | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| הַיּ֔וֹם | haiyom | the day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ | vaiyavou | and they came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] sons of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים | haelohim | <the> God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| לְהִתְיַצֵּ֖ב | lehityatzev | to present themselves | H3320 → | 48 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וַיָּב֤וֹא | vaiyavo' | and he came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| גַֽם־ | gam- | also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| הַשָּׂטָן֙ | hasatan | the adversary | H7854 → | 27 times |
| בְּתֹכָ֔ם | betokham | in midst of them | H8432 → | 418 times |
| לְהִתְיַצֵּ֖ב | lehityatzev | to present himself | H3320 → | 48 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| יְהוָֽה׃ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
וַיְהִ֣יand it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
הַיּ֔וֹםthe day
haiyomH3117 →2304 times
וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙and they came
vaiyavouH935 →2568 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] sons of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים<the> God
haelohimH430 →2601 times
לְהִתְיַצֵּ֖בto present themselves
lehityatzevH3320 →48 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וַיָּב֤וֹאand he came
vaiyavo'H935 →2568 times
גַֽם־also
gam-H1571 →769 times
הַשָּׂטָן֙the adversary
hasatanH7854 →27 times
בְּתֹכָ֔םin midst of them
betokhamH8432 →418 times
לְהִתְיַצֵּ֖בto present himself
lehityatzevH3320 →48 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
יְהוָֽה׃Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 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
Hebrews 1:14Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
it leads to
- Matthew 18:10
See that you do not look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 34:7
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and he delivers them.
- Psalms 103:20–21
Bless the LORD, all His angels mighty in strength who carry out His word, who hearken to the voice of His command.
- Psalms 91:11–12
For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
- Daniel 6:22
My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, for I was found innocent in His sight, and I have done no wrong against you, O…
- Matthew 18:10
Through
Job 1:6One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.
it leads to
- Job 38:7
while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
- Zechariah 3:1
Then the angel showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, with Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.
- Revelation 12:9–10
And the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
- Job 38:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Job
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book III; John Chrysostom, COMMENTARY ON JOB 2:1; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.