Job 2:2
in Job 2“Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Jehovah said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered Jehovah, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
KJV
And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
⋯
This verse in Job 2
Commentary
8 notes on this verseHe 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.
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.
This site's exposition
From roaming through the earth
The LORD puts the same question to Satan as at Job 1:7, and Gill notes Satan gives the same answer about roaming through the earth. Thomas Aquinas reads the reply with the same meaning as before. The second test opens exactly like the first.
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
Thereupon what Satan answered under interrogation is shown when the text says, "From prowling and going about the earth." This has the same meaning as before. [1:7]
And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION. Because we have discussed these particulars very fully above, we the rather pass them over in silence, lest, whilst we often repeat points once gone into, we delay too long in coming to such as are untouched; although what is said to Satan by the Lord's voice, Whence comest thou?
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And the Lord said unto Satan, whence camest thou?.... The same question is put to him, and the same answer is returned by him; See Gill on Job 1:7.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And the Lord said unto Satan ... - See the notes at Job 1:7.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
“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
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַשָּׂטָ֔ן | hasatan | the adversary | H7854 → | 27 times |
| אֵ֥י | ʾei | where? | H335 → | 39 times |
| מִזֶּ֖ה | mizeh | from this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| תָּבֹ֑א | tavo' | are you coming | H935 → | 2568 times |
| וַיַּ֨עַן | vaiyaan | and he answered | H6030 → | 331 times |
| הַשָּׂטָ֤ן | hasatan | the adversary | H7854 → | 27 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וַיֹּאמַ֔ר | vaiyomar | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| מִשֻּׁ֣ט | mishut | from roving about | H7751 → | |
| בָּאָ֔רֶץ | baaretz | on the earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
| וּמֵהִתְהַלֵּ֖ךְ | umehithalekh | and from going about | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| בָּֽהּ׃ | bah | on it |
וַיֹּ֤אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הַשָּׂטָ֔ןthe adversary
hasatanH7854 →27 times
אֵ֥יwhere?
ʾeiH335 →39 times
מִזֶּ֖הfrom this
mizehH2088 →1180 times
תָּבֹ֑אare you coming
tavo'H935 →2568 times
וַיַּ֨עַןand he answered
vaiyaanH6030 →331 times
הַשָּׂטָ֤ןthe adversary
hasatanH7854 →27 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וַיֹּאמַ֔רand he said
vaiyomarH559 →5305 times
מִשֻּׁ֣טfrom roving about
mishutH7751 →
בָּאָ֔רֶץon the earth
baaretzH776 →2504 times
וּמֵהִתְהַלֵּ֖ךְand from going about
umehithalekhH1980 →1546 times
בָּֽהּ׃on it
bah
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
1 Peter 5:8Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
it leads to
- Ephesians 6:11
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes.
- James 4:7
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
- Ephesians 4:27
and do not give the devil a foothold.
- 1 Peter 1:13
Therefore prepare your minds for action. Be sober-minded. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
- 1 Peter 4:7
The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear-minded and sober, so that you can pray.
- Ephesians 6:11
Through
2 Corinthians 4:4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
it leads to
- John 12:40
“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they cannot see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.”
- 1 John 5:19
We know that we are of God, and that the whole world is under the power of the evil one.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Corinthians 3:14
But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant. It has not been lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed.
- John 12:40
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Job
This page draws on 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.