Chapter Outline
Satan obtains leave to try Job. (1–6)
Job's sufferings. (7–10)
His friends come to comfort him. (11–13)Verses 1–6
How well is it for us, that neither men nor devils are to be our judges! but all our judgment
comes from the Lord, who never errs. Job holds fast his integrity still, as his weapon. God speaks
with pleasure of the power of his own grace. Self-love and self-preservation are powerful in the
hearts of men. But Satan accuses Job, representing him as wholly selfish, and minding nothing but
his own ease and safety. Thus are the ways and people of God often falsely blamed by the devil
and his agents. Permission is granted to Satan to make trial, but with a limit. If God did not chain
up the roaring lion, how soon would he devour us! Job, thus slandered by Satan, was a type of
Christ, the first prophecy of whom was, that Satan should bruise his heel, and be foiled.
Verses 7–10
The devil tempts his own children, and draws them to sin, and afterwards torments, when he
has brought them to ruin; but this child of God he tormented with affliction, and then tempted to
make a bad use of his affliction. He provoked Job to curse God. The disease was very grievous. If
at any time we are tried with sore and grievous distempers, let us not think ourselves dealt with
otherwise than as God sometimes deals with the best of his saints and servants. Job humbled himself
under the mighty hand of God, and brought his mind to his condition. His wife was spared to him,
to be a troubler and tempter to him. Satan still endeavours to draw men from God, as he did our
first parents, by suggesting hard thoughts of Him, than which nothing is more false. But Job resisted
and overcame the temptation. Shall we, guilty, polluted, worthless creatures, receive so many
unmerited blessings from a just and holy God, and shall we refuse to accept the punishment of our
sins, when we suffer so much less than we deserve? Let murmuring, as well as boasting, be for
ever done away. Thus far Job stood the trial, and appeared brightest in the furnace of affliction.
There might be risings of corruption in his heart, but grace had the upper hand.
Verses 11–13
The friends of Job seem noted for their rank, as well as for wisdom and piety. Much of the
comfort of this life lies in friendship with the prudent and virtuous. Coming to mourn with him,
they vented grief which they really felt. Coming to comfort him, they sat down with him. It would
appear that they suspected his unexampled troubles were judgments for some crimes, which he had
vailed under his professions of godliness. Many look upon it only as a compliment to visit their
friends in sorrow; we must look life. And if the example of Job's friends is not enough to lead us
to pity the afflicted, let us seek the mind that was in Christ.