Job 2 8

Job 2:8 kjv

And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.

Job 2:8 nkjv

And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself while he sat in the midst of the ashes.

Job 2:8 niv

Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.

Job 2:8 esv

And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes.

Job 2:8 nlt

Job scraped his skin with a piece of broken pottery as he sat among the ashes.

Job 2 verses

Job 2 8 Meaning

Job, having been struck by agonizing boils from head to foot, took a piece of broken pottery to scrape his sores in an attempt to alleviate the unbearable pain and itching. In an act symbolizing his profound grief, utter destitution, and absolute humility, he then sat down among the ashes. This image vividly portrays the extreme depth of his physical suffering and social degradation.

Job 2 8 Context

Job chapter 2 continues the narrative of Job's profound trials. Following Satan's second challenge to God regarding Job's integrity, God permits Satan to afflict Job physically, but his life must be spared (Job 2:4-6). Immediately after this divine permission, Job is struck with "sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head" (Job 2:7). This verse (2:8) then describes Job's practical response to this overwhelming physical anguish, demonstrating his descent into extreme destitution. It sets the stage for the arrival of his three friends, who will witness his pitiable state. Culturally, sitting in ashes and scraping one's body indicated the utmost despair, mourning, and abasement in ancient Near Eastern society, signaling Job's utter collapse from prosperity and honor to complete ruin and isolation.

Job 2 8 Word analysis

• And he took him: The verb "took" (wayyiqqaḥ - וַיִּקַּח) implies a deliberate, yet desperate, action by Job to find something, anything, to relieve his suffering. "Him" (lo - לוֹ) is reflexive, emphasizing Job's self-reliance in this extreme state; there is no one else to care for him.
• a potsherd: (ḥeres - חֶרֶשׂ). This Hebrew term refers to a piece of broken pottery. A potsherd is a worthless, discarded fragment of a once useful vessel. Its significance here is two-fold:
  • Destitution: Job has nothing left, not even a simple tool for comfort or hygiene. He is reduced to using refuse.
  • Cruelty of relief: The rough, jagged edge of a potsherd, while offering a primitive means to scratch or lance painful boils, would also inflict further pain and could exacerbate the infection. It speaks to the desperation of his need.
• to scrape himself withal: (lᵉhitgārēd bô - לְהִתְגָּרֵד בּוֹ). The verb "scrape" (garad - גָּרַד) is in the Hithpael stem, indicating a reflexive and intensive action. It's not a gentle scratch but a vigorous, desperate, almost violent self-scratching or scraping to try and remove dead tissue, relieve the maddening itch, or drain the pus from the painful boils. This highlights the excruciating physical torment Job endured.
• and he sat down: (wᵉhūʼ yôšēḇ - וְהוּא יֹשֵׁב). The Hebrew uses a participle, implying a state of being or an ongoing action: "and he was sitting." This posture is deliberate and speaks to his settled state of extreme grief and humility, rather than a transient action.
• among the ashes: (bᵉṯôḵ hāʼēfer - בְּתוֹךְ הָאֵפֶר). The term "ashes" (epher - אֵפֶר) often refers to the dust and remains from burnt materials, commonly found at a refuse heap outside a city. Sitting "among the ashes" is a universally recognized ancient Near Eastern symbol:
  • Mourning & Grief: A traditional sign of deep sorrow and lamentation (as seen in many biblical examples).
  • Humiliation & Abasement: It signifies complete stripping of status, comfort, and dignity, becoming an outcast or beggar.
  • Repentance & Contrition: Though Job is righteous, this posture, by societal custom, also conveys profound humility before God and recognition of one's absolute dependency. This suggests a silent acknowledgment of God's sovereignty over his suffering.
• Words-group: "he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal": This phrase paints a raw picture of Job's physical suffering and his attempts to cope with it. It emphasizes his isolation, having to administer to his own painful sores with a crude, inadequate instrument because no one else is there to help or comfort him.
• Words-group: "and he sat down among the ashes": This further reinforces his utterly destitute and debased condition. It highlights his social outcast status and his adoption of the universally understood posture of profound grief, humiliation, and mourning. He is no longer the respected man of the land but reduced to the lowest possible human state.

Job 2 8 Bonus section

The scene in Job 2:8 underscores the depth of Satan's assault, targeting Job's physical body and social standing directly. Yet, in this raw and agonizing posture, Job remains steadfast. The specific location, often interpreted as the ash-heap or dunghill outside the city gate, was a place for outcasts and beggars, solidifying his separation from society and any semblance of his former status. This profound self-abasement, undertaken in silence at this stage, can be seen as an act of humble submission to the divine will, however inexplicable and painful it was to him. It prepares the reader for the unfolding theological drama, where Job’s experience contradicts the simple retribution theology of his friends, affirming that deep suffering is not always a direct result of personal sin.

Job 2 8 Commentary

Job 2:8 presents a stark and harrowing image of the patriarch's profound degradation. Having been stripped of his wealth, children, and servants, he is now afflicted with a horrific disease. This verse focuses intensely on his personal experience of this suffering. His act of using a potsherd to scrape his body, while gruesome, is a poignant testament to the unbearable physical torment he endured and his complete lack of basic human comforts or medical care. He is utterly alone in his anguish. His chosen position, "among the ashes," is equally symbolic, communicating a deliberate act of embracing profound sorrow and humiliation. It marks his descent from the heights of societal respect and material prosperity to the very dust, signifying complete abasement before God. This scene sets the foundation for his later debates with his friends, demonstrating his initial integrity even under the most extreme, physically agonizing, and socially humiliating circumstances. It underlines that his integrity remained intact, despite his condition embodying all outward signs of a cursed or disfavored person according to common human theology.