The Man Who Would Not Sin

Once there was a man named Job who loved God very much. He had seven sons and three daughters, and was looked up to by all the people. He was also very rich and owned thousands of sheep and of camels and of oxen.

One day God said before His angels that there was no one in the whole world like Job. And the devil hearing this, answered that it was very easy for Job to bless God because he had everything he wanted; but just let him lose his children and his servants and his wealth, and then he would not bless God. And God told the devil that he might do as he pleased with all that Job owned so long as he did not hurt Job himself.

So one day, when his sons and daughters had gone to visit their eldest brother, and were eating and drinking with him in his house, a messenger came to Job and told him that whilst his oxen were plowing in the fields, the enemy had fallen upon them and carried them off, after slaying the servants, and that he alone had escaped.

And whilst he was speaking, another servant ran in and said that fire had destroyed all the sheep as well as the men who were tending them, and that he was the only one who had escaped.

And whilst he was telling these things, another servant came in and said that an enemy had carried off all the camels and killed their keepers, and that he was the only one that had escaped.

The last man was still speaking when a fourth servant rushed in and said that a terrible wind had risen from the desert and blown down the house where his sons and daughters were eating and drinking, and they were all dead, whilst he alone had escaped.

Then Job arose and tore his clothes in grief and fell upon the ground and adored God, saying: “‘The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away: as it hath pleased the Lord so is it done: blessed be the name of the Lord.’” (Job 1:21.)

And Job did not say a single word against God.

And again God said before His angels that there was no one in the whole world like Job. And the devil hearing this, answered that if only he could hurt Job’s body, Job would no longer bless God. And the Lord told him he might do as he pleased with Job, but to save his life.

Then the devil struck Job with a terrible sore that covered him from the sole of his foot to the top of his head.

And Job sat on a dunghill and scraped his sores. And his wife came and asked him whether he would bless God now. But Job told her that she spoke like a foolish woman, and he said: “‘If we have received good things at the hand of God, why should we not receive evil?’” (2:10.)

And Job did not say a single sinful word.

Now when Job’s three friends heard of his troubles, they came to visit him and comfort him. And when they saw him in the distance, they did not know him. And weeping they sat with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights and did not speak, for they saw that he was suffering very much.

At last Job broke the silence, and then his friends, each in turn, talked to his heart’s content, but gave poor Job very little comfort. They told him that he must have committed some awful sins for God to punish him in so terrible a way, and that bad people always suffered, and that if only he would be sorry for his sins, God would let him be happy once more.

Poor Job got very tired of their long-winded talks, and asked them whether they would ever stop. He declared that he had not sinned, but had ever obeyed God, and that he would always love and obey Him, no matter what happened, and he said: “‘Although He should kill me, I will trust in Him.’” (13:15.)

And he showed his friends that God very often lets bad men enjoy themselves and have everything they want, for they will be punished after they die.

After this the devil kept quiet and did not say anything more, for he saw that there was nothing he could do to make Job turn against the Lord.

And God was pleased with Job because he blessed Him in his suffering. And Job got well and had more sheep and oxen and camels than he had lost. And God gave him seven more sons and three more daughters, and he lived after these things one hundred and forty years.