Job 2 · Verse 9

Job 2:9

Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
Job 2:9, King James Version

Job 2:9 in other translations

BSBThen Job’s wife said to him, “Do you still retain your integrity? Curse God and die!”
WEBThen his wife said to him, “Do you still maintain your integrity? Renounce God, and die.”
ASVThen said his wife unto him, Dost thou still hold fast thine integrity? renounce God, and die.
YLTAnd his wife saith to him, ‘Still thou art keeping hold on thine integrity: bless God and die.'
DARBYAnd his wife said to him, Dost thou still remain firm in thine integrity? curse God and die.
BBEAnd his wife said to him, Are you still keeping your righteousness? Say a curse against God, and put an end to yourself.
WebsterThen said his wife to him, Dost thou still retain thy integrity? curse God, and die.

What does Job 2:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Job 2:9-13. Job Reproves His Wife.

9. curse God--rather, "renounce" God. (See on Job 1:5) [Umbreit]. However, it was usual among the heathens, when disappointed in their prayers accompanied with offerings to their gods, to reproach and curse them. and die--that is, take thy farewell of God and so die. For no good is to be got out of religion, either here or hereafter; or, at least, not in this life [Gill]; Nothing makes the ungodly so angry as to see the godly under trial not angry.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 Then said his wife - To this verse the Septuagint adds the following words: "Much time having elapsed, his wife said unto him, How long dost thou stand steadfast, saying, 'Behold, I wait yet a little longer looking for the hope of my Salvation?' Behold thy memorial is already blotted out from the earth, together with thy sons and thy daughters, the fruits of my pains and labors, for whom with anxiety I have labored in vain. Thyself also sittest in the rottenness of worms night and day, while I am a wanderer from place to place, and from house to house, waiting for the setting of the sun, that I may rest from my labors, and from the griefs which oppress me. Speak therefore some word against God, and die." We translate ברך אלהים ומת barech Elohim vamuth, Curse God, and die. The verb ברך barach is supposed to include in it the ideas of cursing and blessing; but it is not clear that it has the former meaning in any part of the sacred writings, though we sometimes translate it so. Here it seems to be a strong irony. Job was exceedingly afflicted, and apparently dying through sore disease; yet his soul was filled with gratitude to God. His wife, destitute of the salvation which her husband possessed, gave him this ironical reproof. Bless God, and die - What! bless him for his goodness, while he is destroying all that thou hast! bless him for his support, while he is casting thee down and destroying thee! Bless on, and die. The Targum says that Job's wife's name was Dinah, and that the words which she spake to him on this occasion were בריך מימרא דיי ומית berich meymera dayai umith. Bless the word of the Lord, and die. \\ Ovid has such an irony as I suppose this to have been: - Quid vos sacra juvant? quid nunc Aegyptia prosuntSistra? - Cum rapiant mala fata bonos, ignoscite fasso,Sollicitor nullos esse putare deos. Vive plus, moriere pius; cole sacra, colentemMors gravis a templis in cava busta trahet. Amor. lib. iii., Eleg. ix. ver. 33. "In vain to gods (if gods there are) we pray, And needless victims prodigally pay; Worship their sleeping deities: yet death Scorns votaries, and stops the praying breath. To hallow'd shrines intruding fate will come, And drag you from the altar to the tomb." Stepney.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 2:7-10

The devil tempts his own children, and draws them to sin, and afterwards torments, when he has brought them to ruin; but this child of God he tormented with affliction, and then tempted to make a bad use of his affliction. He provoked Job to curse God. The disease was very grievous. If at any time we are tried with sore and grievous distempers, let us not think ourselves dealt with otherwise than as God sometimes…

Read the full comment on Job 2:7-10 →

Job 2:9 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַתֹּ֤אמֶרva.To.merand she saidH559
לוֹ֙loto him
אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ'ish.Towife hisH802
עֹדְךָ֖'o.de.Kha[are] still? youH5750
מַחֲזִ֣יקma.cha.Zikkeeping holdH2388
בְּתֻמָּתֶ֑ךָbe.tu.ma.Te.khaon integrity yourH8538
בָּרֵ֥ךְba.RekhblessH1288
אֱלֹהִ֖ים'E.lo.HimGodH430
וָמֻֽת\׃va.Mutand dieH4191

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Job 2:9

  • Job 2:5

    But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

  • Job 2:3

    And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

  • 2 Kings 6:33

    And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the Lord; what should I wait for the Lord any longer?

  • Malachi 3:14

    Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?

  • 1 Kings 11:4

    For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.

  • Genesis 3:6

    And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

  • Job 21:14-15

    Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

  • Job 1:11

    But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

  • Genesis 3:12

    And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
his wife.
Ge 3:6,12; 1Ki 11:4
retain.
3; 21:14,15; 2Ki 6:33; Mal 3:14
curse God.
5; 1:11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 2:8

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

  • Job 2:9

    Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

  • Job 2:10

    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 all of Job 2

Job 2:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Díjole entonces su mujer: ¿Aun retienes tú tu simplicidad? Bendice á Dios, y muérete.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et sa femme lui dit: Restes-tu encore ferme dans ta perfection? Maudis Dieu et meurs.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da sprach sein Weib zu ihm: Hältst du noch fest an deiner Vollkommenheit? Sage dich los von Gott und stirb!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dixit autem illi uxor sua: Adhuc tu permanes in simplicitate tua? Benedic Deo, et morere.