Job 2:6 kjv
And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.
Job 2:6 nkjv
And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life."
Job 2:6 niv
The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life."
Job 2:6 esv
And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life."
Job 2:6 nlt
"All right, do with him as you please," the LORD said to Satan. "But spare his life."
Job 2 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 3:15 | I will put enmity between you and the woman... | God sets limits on evil, promising ultimate defeat of the serpent. |
| Exo 10:1-2 | ...I have hardened his heart... that I may show these signs... | God exercises sovereignty over hearts, even for demonstrating His power. |
| 1 Sam 16:14 | ...an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him. | God permits/sends adverse spirits for His sovereign purposes. |
| 1 Kgs 22:22-23 | ...I will go out and be a lying spirit... the LORD has put a lying spirit... | God uses even deception (through agency) to achieve His decreed will. |
| Psa 76:10 | Surely the wrath of man shall praise You; with the remainder of wrath You will restrain. | God limits human evil and makes even that serve His praise. |
| Psa 37:23 | The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD... | God directs and establishes the path of a righteous person's life. |
| Psa 105:14-15 | He permitted no one to do them wrong... | God protects His chosen, forbidding harm beyond His will. |
| Lam 3:37-38 | Who can speak and it happens, if the Lord has not commanded it? | No event, good or ill, occurs without God's ultimate permission or decree. |
| Isa 10:5-7 | Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger... Yet he does not mean so... | God uses wicked nations as His instruments, despite their evil intent. |
| Zech 3:1-2 | Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you...” | Shows Satan as the accuser and God's authority over him. |
| Rom 8:28 | And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good... | God brings good even out of painful circumstances, demonstrating His purpose. |
| 1 Cor 10:13 | God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able... | God limits the severity and duration of trials and temptations. |
| 2 Cor 12:7-10 | ...a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me... | God uses suffering allowed by Satan for spiritual growth and humility. |
| Luke 22:31-32 | Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you... but I have prayed for you... | Satan desires to attack, but Christ's intercession limits his power. |
| Jas 1:13 | Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. | Clarifies God is not the author of evil or temptation, but allows it for purposes. |
| 1 Pet 5:8 | Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. | Acknowledges Satan's malicious intent but implies seeking opportunity, not absolute power. |
| Jud 1:9 | Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil... did not dare utter a slanderous judgment... | Even high-ranking angels respect the established order and boundaries with Satan. |
| Rev 2:10 | Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison... | Satan is permitted to cause suffering for a set duration. |
| Rev 20:1-3 | Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven... He seized the dragon... and bound him for a thousand years... | God's ultimate sovereign control over Satan and his future limitation. |
| Col 2:15 | He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him. | Christ's victory over demonic powers limits their ultimate authority. |
Job 2 verses
Job 2 6 Meaning
Job 2:6 details the Lord's direct response to Satan, granting him permission to afflict Job further but establishing a clear boundary: Job's life itself was to be spared. This verse reveals God's absolute sovereignty, even over the actions of evil, demonstrating His protective care and setting specific limits on suffering. It signifies that Satan can only act within the confines of God's sovereign permission, emphasizing divine control in the midst of adversity.
Job 2 6 Context
Job chapter 2 continues the narrative established in Job 1. After Job endured the devastating loss of his children and possessions, remaining steadfast, Satan reappears before God. God points to Job's continued integrity despite the immense suffering. Satan, however, doubles down on his accusation, asserting that Job's loyalty would break if his own health were attacked, claiming "skin for skin." In response, God allows Satan further access to Job, granting permission to harm his physical body but explicitly commanding that his life (נפש, nefesh) must be preserved. This verse sets the stage for Job's terrible physical affliction, preparing for the dialogues between Job and his three friends. The historical context reflects a wisdom literature tradition in ancient Near East, exploring themes of righteous suffering and God's sovereignty over affliction, counteracting simplistic cause-and-effect beliefs common at the time regarding sin and suffering.
Job 2 6 Word analysis
- And (וַיֹּאמֶר - wa-yo'mer): A narrative conjunction, signifying immediate continuity from the preceding discussion and a direct speech by God. It emphasizes a deliberate divine response.
- the LORD (יְהוָה - Yahweh): The covenant name of God, highlighting His supreme authority and unique relationship with humanity, in stark contrast to Satan. This is the personal, active God of Israel.
- said (וַיֹּאמֶר - wa-yo'mer): Reiterates divine communication, establishing the authoritative nature of God's word to Satan.
- to Satan (אֶל־הַשָּׂטָן - el ha-satan): Direct address to the adversary. The definite article 'ha' (ה) signifies 'the' accuser/adversary, pointing to his defined role. This acknowledges his existence but subjugation to God's will.
- Behold (הִנֵּה - hinneh): An interjection used to draw immediate attention, an emphatic marker. It underscores the gravity and directness of God's declaration.
- he is in your hand (בְּיָדְךָ הוּא - b'yad'kha hu): Literal meaning "in your hand he is." This phrase signifies delegation of power or authority. It is not an abandonment of Job but a specific permission given within a predefined scope, under divine oversight. This highlights God's sovereignty over evil forces.
- only (אַךְ - akh): A strong restrictive or exclusionary particle. It signals a precise and absolute limitation on the permitted action, functioning as a vital qualifier for Satan's power. It emphatically sets the boundary.
- save (שְׁמֹר - shmor): From the root shamar, meaning 'to keep', 'to guard', 'to preserve'. In this imperative, it functions as a strict command to maintain or protect.
- his life (נַפְשׁוֹ - nafsho): From nefesh (נפש), referring to the entire being, the breath, the soul, or the life principle. In the Old Testament, nefesh often means the whole person, their very essence and vitality, rather than just an immaterial part. God forbids Job's very existence from being ended.
Words-group Analysis:
- "And the LORD said to Satan": This grouping firmly establishes the chain of command: God is the ultimate authority. Satan, despite his malicious intent and power, is answerable to God and must operate within God's boundaries. It highlights God's sovereignty over evil.
- "Behold, he is in your hand": This phrase communicates delegated authority and the testing nature of the trial. God gives Satan power over Job's physical state. However, it implicitly suggests that this 'hand' is itself held within God's larger hand, subject to divine command.
- "only save his life": This precise phrase reveals God's unyielding boundary. The 'only' (אַךְ) is paramount. It ensures that no matter how severe the physical affliction, Job's ultimate life force and existence are divinely protected. This signifies that the suffering is limited in scope and duration, serving a divine purpose without ultimate destruction.
Job 2 6 Bonus section
The concept of nefesh (life/soul) in this verse is crucial. In Old Testament thought, nefesh did not typically distinguish between an immortal soul and the physical body in the same way later philosophies might. Instead, it refers to the whole person, their very breath and vitality, making God's boundary all the more encompassing: "You cannot terminate his existence." This shows God preserving Job as a living, breathing human being. Furthermore, this passage implicitly counters any pagan notions of a dualistic struggle where a supreme evil force competes equally with a supreme good force; instead, Satan operates clearly under Yahweh's dominion, proving the unique monotheistic truth of the Bible. The severity of Job's subsequent suffering (from head to toe boils, leading to extreme despair and his wife's urge to curse God) underscores just how absolute this boundary was—nothing short of Job's physical extinction was permissible.
Job 2 6 Commentary
Job 2:6 is a pivotal verse, encapsulating the core theological message of Job: God's supreme sovereignty over all powers, including evil. Satan's malice is unleashed, yet it is under God's strict regulation. This command demonstrates that Satan, the great adversary, is not autonomous but is confined by divine decree. The suffering Job experiences is not arbitrary, nor is it beyond God's control. God's specific instruction, "only save his life," reveals that while God permits intense tribulation, He always retains ultimate prerogative over life and death. This distinction highlights that God is not the author of evil, but He can and does permit it, using even the malicious intentions of the adversary for His ultimate purposes – to refine faith, reveal true integrity, and display His glory. It assures that while trials may be severe, they will always be bound by divine wisdom and ultimate goodness, never truly overwhelming those under God's protective hand. For instance, believers facing severe illness or financial ruin can take solace that their "life" or essential being is preserved in God's care, and their trial, no matter how intense, is divinely limited.