BibleWord.ai› Bible› Job› Chapter 1› Verse 8

Job 1:8

Old Testament Wisdom/Poetry ASV (1901)

What does Job 1:8 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And Jehovah said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And Jehovah said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil.
Job 1:8 — American Standard Version

Context — Job 1

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
5And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
6Now it came to pass on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah, that Satan also came among them.
7And Jehovah said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered Jehovah, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
8And Jehovah said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil.
9Then Satan answered Jehovah, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
10Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath, on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
11But put forth thy hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will renounce thee to thy face.
← Job 1:7Job 1:9 →
← Full Chapter 1 Job Overview

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And the Lord said unto Satan, hast thou considered my servant Job, etc.] Or, “hast thou put thine heart on my servant” f39; not in a way of love and affection to him, to do him any good or service, there being an original and implacable enmity in this old serpent to the seed of the woman; but rather his heart was set upon him in a way of desire to have him in his hands, to do him all the mischief he could, as the desire of his heart was toward Peter, (<422231>Luke 22:31) but the sense of the question is, since thou sayest thou hast been walking up and down in the earth, hast thou not taken notice of Job, and cast an eye upon him, and wished in thine heart to have him in thine hands to do him…”
Read attributed excerpt →
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“considered--Margin, "set thine heart on"; that is, considered attentively. No true servant of God escapes the eye of the adversary of God.”
Read attributed excerpt →
Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Hast thou considered my servant Job? - Margin, “Set thine heart on.” The margin is a literal translation of the Hebrew. Schultens remarks on this, that it means more than merely to observe or to look at - since it is abundantly manifest from the following verses that Satan “had” attentively considered Job, and had been desirous of injuring him. It means, according to him, to set himself against Job, to fix the heart on him with an intention to injure him, and yahweh means to ask whether Satan had done this. But it seems more probable that the phrase means to consider “attentively,” and that God means to ask him whether he had carefully observed him. Satan is represented as having no…”
Read attributed excerpt →
Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“1:8 my servant: This title was used for the patriarchs (Gen 26:24; Exod 32:13), the prophets (2 Kgs 17:13; Jer 7:25; Zech 1:6), and David (e.g., 2 Sam 7:1-29; Pss 18:1; 36:1).”
Read attributed excerpt →
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“considered: Heb. set thy heart on, Job 2:3, Job 34:14; Eze 40:4 my servant: Num 12:7, Num 12:8; Psa 89:20; Isa 42:1 none: Num 12:3; Kg1 4:30, Kg1 4:31; Kg2 23:25 a perfect: Job 1:1, Job 8:20, Job 9:22, Job 9:23; Psa 18:23; Joh 1:47 upright: Job 12:4, Job 17:8, Job 17:9, Job 23:11, Job 23:12; Psa 84:11 one: Neh 5:15; Psa 36:1; Pro 8:13; Luk 23:39, Luk 23:40 escheweth: Psa 34:14, Psa 37:27; Isa 1:16 Job 1:9”
Read attributed excerpt →
Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“8 Then said Jehovah to Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil. By כּי Jehovah gives the reason of His inquiry. Had Satan been observant of Job, even he must have confessed that there was on the earth real genuine piety. לב שׂים, animum advertere (for לב is animus, נפשׁ anima), is construed with על, of the object on which the attention falls, and on which it fixes itself, or אל, of the object towards which it is directed ( Job 2:3). The repetition of the four predicates used of Job ( Job 1:1) in the mouth of Jehovah (though without the waw combining both pairs there) is a…”
Read attributed excerpt →

Related study paths

Read Job 1 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification