Job 1 10

Job 1:10 kjv

Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

Job 1:10 nkjv

Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.

Job 1:10 niv

"Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.

Job 1:10 esv

Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.

Job 1:10 nlt

You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is!

Job 1 verses

Job 1 10 Meaning

Job 1:10 records Satan's accusation against Job's piety before God. Satan contends that Job serves God not out of genuine devotion but due to the substantial material blessings and comprehensive divine protection God has bestowed upon him and his household. He implies that Job's righteousness is merely a calculated response to a life of ease and prosperity provided by God, suggesting it is not true, disinterested worship.

Job 1 10 Context

Job 1:10 occurs during a celestial dialogue between God and Satan, immediately following God's commendation of Job as "a blameless and upright man, who feared God and turned away from evil" (Job 1:8). Satan's response in verse 9, "Does Job fear God for no reason?" (a rhetorical question implying "no"), sets up the challenge of verse 10. Satan articulates his specific grounds for asserting Job's piety is conditional, citing God's abundant provision and protection as the sole motivation for Job's reverence. This verse functions as the critical accusation that God then permits to be tested, initiating the profound drama of the book of Job concerning undeserved suffering and the nature of true faith. Historically, the book of Job, a piece of wisdom literature from the ancient Near East, tackles the prevalent "retribution principle" which widely held that righteous living guarantees prosperity while wickedness inevitably leads to suffering. Satan's claim in this verse directly challenges this oversimplified understanding by implying Job’s piety is a transactional response to a secure, prosperous life, setting the stage for a dramatic theological interrogation of why the righteous suffer.

Job 1 10 Word analysis

• Have You not: This is a forceful rhetorical question, equivalent to "You have indeed..." It is Satan's direct accusation, not a genuine inquiry. It expresses certainty and implies that God’s actions are transparently self-serving on Job's part.
• put a hedge: (Hebrew: שׂוּךְ, suk, meaning a fence, enclosure, wall). This word signifies a divinely established, impenetrable barrier that protects and encircles. It implies total security and separation from external harm. The imagery evokes a garden or vineyard meticulously protected. In Isaiah 5:2, a similar "hedge" protecting a vineyard is removed as judgment, contrasting its use here for divine protection.
• around him: Refers to Job personally. God's protection covers his physical well-being and life.
• and his household: (Hebrew: בֵיתוֹ, beito, his house or family). This indicates the comprehensive nature of the protection, extending beyond Job to include his immediate family members—his children and wife—signifying a corporate blessing.
• and everything he has: (Hebrew: כֹּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ, kol asher lo, all that is to him). This phrase explicitly encompasses all Job’s material possessions, his vast wealth of livestock and servants as detailed in Job 1:3. It signifies that the divine safeguarding is complete and covers all aspects of his life and resources.
• You have blessed: (Hebrew: בָּרַךְ, barak, to bless, to prosper, to kneel). This term indicates active, divine favor bestowed upon someone, resulting in abundance and success. Satan attributes Job's prosperity directly to God's hand.
• the work of his hands: This phrase acknowledges Job's effort and diligence. It suggests that God's blessing enhanced and amplified the fruit of Job's labor, making his endeavors incredibly productive and profitable. It’s not simply passive reception but active participation met with divine favor.
• his possessions: (Hebrew: מִקְנֶה, miqneh, acquisition, property, cattle). Specifically refers to the material wealth, primarily his vast herds of livestock which were the standard measure of wealth in ancient patriarchal societies.
• have increased: (Hebrew: פָּרַץ, parats, to break forth, spread out, overflow, burst forth). This word describes explosive, overwhelming growth and expansion. It denotes an abundance that has multiplied beyond normal limits, reinforcing the extraordinary extent of Job’s prosperity described in Job 1:3.
• in the land: Refers to the physical geographical area where Job lived and operated. It signifies that Job's immense wealth was visible, tangible, and well-known in his locality, confirming the public perception of his favored status.

• Words-group analysis:
  • "Have You not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has?": This powerful group of words establishes the extent of God’s protective providence. Satan emphasizes the totality of God’s safeguarding, portraying Job’s life as virtually impenetrable to misfortune due to divine intervention. The "hedge" signifies a divinely erected boundary, impenetrable from evil, ensuring security for Job's entire existence and material well-being.
  • "You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.": This phrase focuses on the source and effect of God’s blessing. It acknowledges Job's diligence ("work of his hands") but unequivocally credits God as the active agent who supernaturally prospered him, resulting in visible, abundant, and widespread wealth ("possessions have increased in the land"). This wealth is presented by Satan as the prime motivator for Job's piety.

Job 1 10 Bonus section

This verse is pivotal because it shifts the entire premise of Job’s suffering from a common ANE retribution theology (suffering = sin) to a cosmic challenge concerning the nature of sincere faith. Satan functions as the "accuser" (a meaning of the Hebrew word Satan), operating within the divine court, but clearly subordinate to God's sovereignty. His ability to act is entirely dependent on God's permission. The accusation that "men serve God for what they get" is timeless, and Job's life stands as a profound biblical refutation of this cynical perspective. It also highlights the "boundary" God places on the adversary's power, signifying that Satan cannot simply act unchecked but is confined by divine decree. The "hedge" implies a boundary around Job that Satan himself recognized and was unable to breach without specific divine permission, demonstrating God’s ultimate control over all spiritual forces.

Job 1 10 Commentary

Job 1:10 is the core of Satan's challenge, revealing his cynical assessment of human piety. He posits that Job's renowned righteousness is not born of a pure heart's devotion to God, but rather is a transactional piety, a calculated response to the material and personal security God has unilaterally guaranteed him. The "hedge" represents God's absolute, encompassing protection, preventing any calamity from touching Job, his family, or his immense wealth. Satan argues that this protection, coupled with God's lavish blessing on all Job's endeavors—resulting in his unprecedented prosperity—removes any incentive for Job to not fear God. Essentially, Satan claims Job serves God out of self-interest and convenience, rather than genuine, selfless worship. This accusation sets the stage for the book's central theological inquiry: Is true faith possible when all benefits are removed? Job's subsequent suffering will serve as the profound, existential test of the integrity of human faith apart from its rewards, directly refuting Satan's mercenary interpretation of Job's devotion.