Job 2:10

Old Testament Wisdom/Poetry ASV (1901)

What does Job 2:10 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
Job 2:10 — American Standard Version

Context — Job 2

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
10But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“But he said unto her, thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh, etc.] The wicked and profane women of that age; he does not say she was one of them, but spake like them; which intimates that she was a good woman, and had always been thought to be so; but now spake not like herself, and one of her profession, but like carnal persons: Sanctius thinks Job refers to the Idumean women, who, like other Heathens, when their god did not please them, or they could not obtain of them what they desired, would reproach them, and cast them away from there, throw them into the fire, or into the water, as the Persians are said to do; and so Job’s wife, because of the present afflictive…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“the foolish women--Sin and folly are allied in Scripture (Sa1 25:25; Sa2 13:13; Psa 14:1). receive evil--bear willingly (Lam 3:39).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“As one of the foolish women speaketh - The word here rendered “foolish” נבל nâbâl from נבל nâbêl, means properly stupid or foolish, and then wicked, abandoned, impious - the idea of “sin” and “folly” being closely connected in the Scriptures, or sin being regarded as supreme folly; 1 Samuel 25:25; 2 Samuel 3:33; Psalms 14:1; Psalms 53:2. The Arabs still use the word with the same compass of signification. “Gesenius.” The word is used here in the sense of “wicked;” and the idea is, that the sentiment which she uttered was impious, or was such as were on the lips of the wicked. Sanctius supposes that there is a reference here to Idumean females, who, like other women, reproached and cast…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Shall we - Shall we poor worms give laws to our supreme Lord, and oblige him never to afflict us? And shall not those great and manifold mercies, which from time to time God hath given us, compensate these short afflictions? Ought we not to bless God for those mercies which we did not deserve; and contentedly bear those corrections which we do deserve. And if we receive so much good for the body, shall we not receive some good for our souls? That is, some affliction, whereby we may be made partakers of his holiness? Let murmuring therefore, as well as boasting, be forever excluded. Sin with his lips - By any reflections upon God, by any impatient or unbecoming expression. Job 2:11”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“2:10 Job’s acceptance of bad as well as good things from God’s hand demonstrates his righteousness and faith (cp. 1:21; 2 Sam 12:16-20; Luke 22:42). • By saying nothing wrong, Job controlled his tongue (Prov 13:3; 21:23; see Jas 3:2).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Thou speakest: Gen 3:17; Sa2 19:22; Mat 16:23 as one: Sa2 6:20, Sa2 6:21, Sa2 13:13, Sa2 24:10; Ch2 16:9; Pro 9:6, Pro 9:13; Mat 25:2 shall we receive: Job 1:1-3, Job 1:10, Job 1:21; Sa2 19:28; Lam 3:38-41; Joh 18:11; Rom 12:12; Heb 12:9-11; Jam 5:10 In all this: Job 1:22; Psa 39:1, Psa 59:12; Mat 12:34-37; Jam 3:2 Job 2:11”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“10 But he said to her, As one of the ungodly would speak, thou speakest. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not also receive evil? The answer of Job is strong but not harsh, for the אחת (comp. Sa2 13:13) is somewhat soothing. The translation "as one of the foolish women" does not correspond to the Hebrew; נבל is one wxo thinks madly and acts impiously. What follows is a double question, גּם for הגם. The גּם stands at the beginning of the sentence, but logically belongs to the second part, towards which pronunciation and reading must hurry over the first, - a frequent occurrence after interrogative particles, e.g., Num 16:22; Isa 5:4; after causal particles, e.g., Isa 12:1; Pro…”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification