Job 1:7

1:7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” 1  And Satan answered the Lord, 2  “From roving about 3  on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.” 4 

Job 1:12

1:12 So the Lord said to Satan, “All right then, 5  everything he has is 6  in your power. 7  Only do not extend your hand against the man himself!” 8  So Satan went out 9  from the presence of the Lord. 10 

Job 2:2

2:2 And the Lord said to Satan, “Where do you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, 11  “From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.” 12 

Job 42:9

42:9 So they went, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, and did just as the Lord had told them; and the Lord had respect for Job. 13 

1 tn The imperfect may be classified as progressive imperfect; it indicates action that although just completed is regarded as still lasting into the present (GKC 316 §107.h).

2 tn Heb “answered the Lord and said” (also in v. 9). The words “and said” here and in v. 9 have not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

3 tn The verb שׁוּט (shut) means “to go or rove about” (BDB 1001-2 s.v.). Here the infinitive construct serves as the object of the preposition.

4 tn The Hitpael (here also an infinitive construct after the preposition) of the verb הָלַךְ (halakh) means “to walk to and fro, back and forth, with the sense of investigating or reconnoitering (see e.g. Gen 13:17).

sn As the words are spoken by Satan, there is no self-condemnation in them. What they signify is the swiftness and thoroughness of his investigation of humans. The good angels are said to go to and fro in the earth on behalf of the suffering righteous (Zech 1:10, 11; 6:7), but Satan goes seeking whom he may devour (1 Pet 5:8).

5 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “behold”) introduces a foundational clause upon which the following volitional clause is based.

6 tn The versions add a verb here: “delivered to” or “abandoned to” the hand of Satan.

7 tn Heb “in your hand.” The idiom means that it is now Satan’s to do with as he pleases.

8 tn The Hebrew word order emphatically holds out Job’s person as the exception: “only upon him do not stretch forth your hand.”

9 tn The Targum to Job adds “with permission” to show that he was granted leave from God’s presence.

10 sn So Satan, having received his permission to test Job’s sincerity, goes out from the Lord’s presence. But Satan is bound by the will of the Most High not to touch Job himself. The sentence gives the impression that Satan’s departure is with a certain eagerness and confidence.

11 tn Heb “answered the Lord and said” (also in v. 4). The words “and said” here and in v. 9 have not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

12 tn See the note on this phrase in 1:7.

13 tn The expression “had respect for Job” means God answered his prayer.