Job 2:10
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Job 2:10
10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
Chapter Context
Job 2 is a wisdom dialogue chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of sacrifice, prayer, holiness. Written during the patriarchal period (literary composition later), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Ancient wisdom traditions often wrestled with the problem of suffering and divine justice.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-13: Central message and teachings
This chapter is significant because it provides essential context for understanding God's covenant relationship with His people. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Job and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Job 2:10
10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
Analysis
Job's rebuke of his wife is theologically profound: 'shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?' The Hebrew 'ra'' (evil/calamity) acknowledges that both blessing and affliction come from God's sovereign hand. This is not dualism—God doesn't commit moral evil—but it affirms that God ordains all circumstances, including suffering (Isaiah 45:7). The narrator's verdict 'in all this did not Job sin with his lips' shows that accepting God's sovereignty over both prosperity and adversity is righteous, not fatalistic.
Historical Context
Job's response reflects a mature ancient Near Eastern wisdom tradition that acknowledged divine sovereignty over all of life, in contrast to the dualistic theologies of surrounding cultures that attributed evil to independent dark gods.
Reflection
- Do you truly accept both pleasant and painful circumstances as from God's hand?
- How does Job's theology of sovereignty differ from fatalism or stoicism?
Word Studies
- God: אֱלֹהִים (Elohim) H430 - God (plural of majesty)
Cross-References
- References God: Matthew 16:23
- Parallel theme: John 18:11, Romans 12:12, James 1:12