Job 1:9 kjv
Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
Job 1:9 nkjv
So Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing?
Job 1:9 niv
"Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied.
Job 1:9 esv
Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job fear God for no reason?
Job 1:9 nlt
Satan replied to the LORD, "Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God.
Job 1 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Zech 3:1-2 | "Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him." | Satan as accuser/adversary |
| Rev 12:10 | "And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, 'Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.'" | Satan's persistent role as accuser |
| Matt 4:3 | "And the tempter came and said to Him, 'If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.'" | Satan's role as tempter and challenger |
| Job 1:1 | "There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and shunned evil." | God's initial description of Job's character |
| Job 1:8 | "And the LORD said to Satan, 'Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?'" | God's commendation of Job |
| Prov 1:7 | "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." | Fear of God as foundational wisdom |
| Ecc 12:13 | "The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." | Fear of God as human's complete duty |
| Dt 6:13 | "You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him and swear by His name." | Commanded to fear and serve the LORD |
| Dt 8:2 | "And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that He might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not." | God tests motives and hearts |
| Psa 66:10-12 | "For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs..." | God uses testing for refining |
| Jas 1:2-4 | "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." | Trials prove the genuineness of faith |
| 1 Pet 1:6-7 | "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." | Trials validate true faith |
| Gen 22:12 | "He said, 'Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.'" | Abraham's fear of God proven by sacrifice |
| 1 Jn 4:18 | "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." | Distinguishing servile fear from loving fear |
| Heb 11:6 | "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him." | God as a rewarder, but reward is of faith |
| 1 Tim 6:5-6 | "constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain." | Warning against transactional godliness |
| Phil 3:7-8 | "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." | Serving Christ out of value, not gain |
| 1 Sam 12:24 | "Only fear the LORD and serve Him faithfully with all your heart, for consider what great things He has done for you." | Fear and faithful service without motives |
| Lk 6:35 | "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High..." | Serving without expectation of return |
| Psa 73:13 | "All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence." | Doubting piety when rewards aren't visible |
Job 1 verses
Job 1 9 Meaning
Job chapter 1, verse 9 presents the pivotal challenge from Satan to the LORD concerning Job's genuine devotion. Satan questions Job's piety, alleging that Job's fear of God is not selfless but is instead motivated by the material blessings and divine protection he receives. This accusation suggests that if these blessings were removed, Job's faithfulness would cease, thereby challenging the very nature of Job's, and implicitly all human, righteous living and relationship with God.
Job 1 9 Context
Job chapter 1 establishes the setting and characters. Job is introduced as a man of exemplary righteousness and prosperity. God highlights Job's unique blamelessness to Satan during a heavenly assembly. Verse 9 then marks Satan's direct retort and the launching point of the theological conflict within the book of Job. This initial dialogue immediately introduces the central theme of disinterested piety and the question of why righteous people suffer, as it sets up a test of Job's faith apart from the accompanying blessings. It directly challenges a prevalent ancient Near Eastern (and potentially contemporary Israelite) belief that prosperity was always a direct sign of divine favor and righteousness, and suffering was always a sign of divine displeasure or sin.
Job 1 9 Word analysis
- Then: Signifies a direct response or sequential action. It connects Satan's speech immediately after God's commendation of Job.
- Satan: Hebrew: śāṭān (שָׂטָן). This term, without the definite article ("the"), means "adversary" or "accuser." Here, it functions as a title for a distinct spiritual being who serves as the adversary in the divine court, challenging God's assessments. It points to his fundamental role: to accuse God's people.
- answered: Hebrew: ʿānāh (עָנָה). To respond or testify. This implies a formal retort within the divine council, a direct challenge to God's affirmation of Job.
- the LORD: Hebrew: YHWH (יְהוָה). The covenant name of God, indicating His personal, revealed character. Satan directly addresses God, challenging His judgment.
- and said: Continues the formal exchange.
- 'Does Job: The question focuses sharply on Job as the exemplary case. It's a rhetorical question posed to provoke a test.
- fear: Hebrew: yārēʾ (יָרֵא). To reverence, to hold in awe, to honor, to be devout. This "fear" is not merely terror but profound respect and obedience born of recognition of God's majesty. Satan uses this term precisely because Job is characterized by it (Job 1:1, 1:8).
- God: Hebrew: ʾĕlōhîm (אֱלֹהִים). A more generic term for deity, often translated "God." Satan's choice of ʾĕlōhîm rather than YHWH might subtly imply a more impersonal, transactional view of the divine, fitting his accusation that Job's fear is not for God Himself but for the benefits God gives.
- for nothing?': Hebrew: ḥinnām (חִנָּם). Crucial to the verse's meaning. It implies "gratuitously," "without cause," "without benefit," or "for naught." Satan suggests Job's piety is not intrinsically motivated but extrinsic; Job fears God because of the material benefits received, not out of true devotion or love. It questions the purity of Job's motivation, framing his relationship with God as a quid pro quo.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Then Satan answered the LORD and said": Establishes a formal, confrontational dialogue in the heavenly court. Satan's direct response challenges God's statement and authority. This shows a direct line of questioning and accusation.
- "Does Job fear God for nothing?": This question is the central thrust. It isolates Job's motivation and the purity of his devotion. Satan proposes a challenge to the very foundation of Job's righteousness. The underlying implication is that if one is truly pious "for nothing," then one serves God out of sheer love or obedience, rather than for personal gain or protection. This challenges the transactional understanding of faith common in various religious systems, whether in the ancient world or today, where blessings are seen as automatic rewards for good behavior.
Job 1 9 Bonus section
The divine council scene, while unique in its directness here, has parallels in other biblical texts (e.g., Zech 3, 1 Kgs 22:19-23) where celestial beings, including an adversary, participate in divine deliberation. This reinforces the biblical concept of God's sovereign administration which can involve allowing or permitting certain actions from spiritual adversaries within His ultimate control. The specific challenge of "fearing God for nothing" or "for a gain" can be seen as a polemic not only against superficial faith but also against simplistic theological understandings that equate material blessings solely with piety and suffering solely with sin, which was a dominant worldview in the ancient Near East and a challenge Job's story explicitly counters. The verse is pivotal because it shifts the focus from Job's observable righteousness to the unseen purity of his motives, laying bare the profound question of authentic worship that the entire book will unpack.
Job 1 9 Commentary
Job 1:9 presents the antagonist's core argument: true, selfless devotion is non-existent; all piety is fundamentally self-serving. Satan, acting as the accuser, impugns Job's integrity by suggesting his "fear of God" is mercenary, a mere means to gain protection and prosperity. The Hebrew word ḥinnām (for nothing) is key, implying Job serves God "for gain," or "as a business transaction," not out of genuine reverence. This direct challenge against Job's character, validated moments earlier by God Himself (Job 1:8), immediately sets up the profound theological dilemma explored in the book: Does righteousness only exist when it brings tangible rewards? Can a person love God without expectation of return? This verse establishes the fundamental test for Job and for understanding the nature of authentic faith and suffering. It highlights Satan's strategy: questioning God's wisdom, impugning humanity's integrity, and aiming to separate God's servant from Him through tribulation.