Job was a righteous man who feared G-d and shunned evil. The Satan said to G-d that Job is only that way because he is so wealthy and has everything good. So G-d told Satan he can do anything he wishes to Job, except to harm him, and he will find out if he is still righteous. Then one day, Job’s servants came in one after another saying how his animals and stuff were being destroyed. Job’s reaction was to acknowledge that G-d has given and then taken, despite all that happened, he did not sin.
G-d told Satan that Job was still righteous. Satan challenged G-d saying, if you harm Job himself then he will say bad against you. So G-d said to Satan that Job is in his hands, but not to kill him. Job was then afflicted with severe boils from head to toe. When his wife questioned his wholesomeness Job said “shall we accept the good from G-d and not accept the bad?”. Job did not sin with his lips.
Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zopher the Naamathite, came to mourn with Job. They sat with him for 7 days and 7 nights, they didn’t talk to him since they saw that his pain was great. After that Job cursed the day he was born. He questioned his birth and complained about his suffering.
The next chapters are filled with arguments back and forth between Job and his 3 friends. They are arguments about evil and suffering and G-d. Each time Job claims he’s innocent and that he just wants to speak to G-d so that he can claim his innocence and justice. The 3 men stopped answering back to Job since they realized that Job was righteous in his own eyes.
Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite was unhappy with what the 3 men had said, since he was young he waited his turn till he spoke. Elihu then asks Job to listen to what he has to say. He discusses the theme of pain and suffering, how sometimes suffering can save a man from worse plight. Elihu says that pray full repentance is the cure. Elihu then tells over how G-d’s way is just. That G-d has no reason to pervert justice and man is helpless against G-d. Elihu discusses how the fate of the wicked encourages the righteous to be just. Elihu show’s how G-d’s ways are known through nature, with the different types of rain’s and that G-d’s ways are beyond human comprehension.
G-d then speaks to Job and asks him if he was there by creation and if he realizes his limits of experience and knowledge. God speaks of all the creations he made and how he controls and cares for them. God rebukes Job and Job admits his mistake. Job then repents. Job admits that he knew God can do anything and Job admits he knows nothing. Now that Job has seen G-d he realizes he is nothing but dust and ashes and relents.
G-d then spoke to Eliphaz and said that he did not speak properly about G-d as Job had done. G-d commanded Eliphaz to take 7 bulls and 7 rams and to go to Job and bring them up as burnt offerings. Job will pray for Eliphaz and his 2 friends, and on Job’s account G-d will not do anything vile to them although they spoke improperly about G-d. The 3 men did as they were told and G-d showed them consideration.
Job’s wealth was then restored double of what he had before, after he prayed for the 3 men. G-d blessed Job’s end more than he had in the beginning. He had 7 sons and 3 daughters. Job’s daughters were the most beautiful woman in all of the land. The 3 daughters got an inheritance with their brothers. After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years, and was able to see his children and then children for 4 generations. Job then died, old and satisfied with years.
