Job 1:12

“Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “Everything he has is in your hands, but you must not lay a hand on the man himself.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — The LORD addresses Satan immediately after the adversary’s challenge in Job 1:11, granting permission to test Job’s possessions while explicitly forbidding physical harm to Job. Satan then departs from the divine presence.

The words — The Hebrew הִנֵּ֤ה (hi.Neh) operates as a divine declarative marker introducing the concession, while כָל־אֲשֶׁר־בְּיָדֶֽךָ (khol-'asher-be./ya.De.kha) literally renders “all that [is] in your hand.”

The thread — Delegated authority and bounded permission appear in John 3:35 where the Father places all things in the Son’s hands, and in Luke 22:31 where Satan is allowed to sift the disciples. The enforced limit on destructive power echoes the restraint noted in 2 Corinthians 12:7 regarding a given affliction.

Why it lands — The passage defines suffering as occurring only within divinely established boundaries, requiring the reader to recognize that human limitation is governed by sovereign permission rather than autonomous chaos.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיֹּ֨אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he said יְהוָ֜הYah.wehYahweh אֶל־'el-to הַשָּׂטָ֗ןha./sa.Tanthe/ adversary הִנֵּ֤הhi.Nehthere!כָל־khol-all אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-thatלוֹ֙l/o[belongs] to/ himבְּיָדֶ֔ךָbe./ya.De./kha[is] in/ hand/ your רַ֣קrakonly אֵלָ֔יו'e.La/vagainst/ him אַל־'al-may not תִּשְׁלַ֖חtish.Lachyou stretch out יָדֶ֑ךָya.De./khahand/ your וַיֵּצֵא֙va/i.ye.Tze'and/ he went out הַשָּׂטָ֔ןha./sa.Tanthe/ adversary מֵעִ֖םme./'Imfrom/ with פְּנֵ֥יpe.Nei[the] presence of יְהוָֽה׃Yah.wehYahweh

King James Version

And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.

Cross-references

Luke 22:31 Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you like wheat.
2 Corinthians 12:7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. So to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
John 3:35 The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in His hands.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.
John 19:11 Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed Me over to you is guilty of greater sin.”
Job 2:4 “Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give up all he owns in exchange for his life.
Isaiah 27:8 By warfare and exile You contended with her and removed her with a fierce wind, as on the day the east wind blows.
Luke 8:32 There on the hillside a large herd of pigs was feeding. So the demons begged Jesus to let them enter the pigs, and He gave them permission.
Genesis 16:6 “Here,” said Abram, “your servant is in your hands. Do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she fled from her.
1 Kings 22:23 So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has pronounced disaster against you.”