And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
What does Job 1:7 mean?
Job's afflictions began from the malice of Satan, by the Lord's permission, for wise and holy purposes.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Job 1:6-9 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Job 1:7
And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? - This inquiry does not appear to have been made as if it was improper that Satan should have appeared there, for no blame seems to have been attached to him for this. He came as a spirit that was subject to the control of yahweh; he came with others, not to mingle in their society, and partake of their happiness, but to give an account of what he had done, and of what he had observed.
Key words
- in a circuit
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in a circuit.
- Satan
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And the Lord said unto Satan, whence comest thou?.
- Whence
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And the Lord said unto Satan, whence comest thou?.
Context in Job 1
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Job 1 belongs to the opening movement of the book, especially the section often described as prologue in heaven and on earth. Job probes innocent suffering, failed consolation, contested theology, the limits of human explanation, and the mystery of divine wisdom. Read this chapter with the wider themes of suffering, wisdom, and justice in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
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Bible verses about suffering and trials
Key passages on grief, endurance, lament, divine mystery, and the Christian claim that suffering is neither final nor meaningless.
Verses on the fear of the Lord, wise speech, practical judgment, teachability, and the difference between biblical wisdom and mere cleverness.
Bible verses about justice and mercy
Key texts on public righteousness, neighbor-love, social ethics, compassion, and the prophetic refusal to separate worship from justice.