Job 1:7

“Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.”

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — The LORD addresses Satan during the heavenly assembly convened when the sons of God present themselves before Yahweh. This dialogue occurs immediately after Satan joins the council and before the LORD shifts focus to Job.

The words — The phrase מֵ/אַ֣יִן תָּבֹ֑א (me./'A.yin ta.Vo') literally means "from where are you coming?" and frames the divine inquiry. הַ/שָּׂטָ֖ן (ha./sa.Tan) translates to "the adversary," identifying the respondent.

The thread — The LORD's identical question and Satan's reply recur in Job 2:2, establishing a pattern of divine interrogation. The adversarial movement motif connects to the devil's prowling in 1 Peter 5:8 and the unclean spirit's search for rest in Matthew 12:43.

Why it lands — The text states that the adversary actively surveys the earth before any heavenly challenge to Job's righteousness. It requires the reader to acknowledge that earthly trials are preceded by divine questioning of the adversary's movements.

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

וַיֹּ֧אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he said יְהוָ֛הYah.wehYahweh אֶל־'el-to הַשָּׂטָ֖ןha./sa.Tanthe/ adversary מֵאַ֣יִןme./'A.yinfrom/ where?תָּבֹ֑אta.Vo'are you coming וַיַּ֨עַןva/i.Ya.'anand/ he answered הַשָּׂטָ֤ןha./sa.Tanthe/ adversary אֶת־'et-<obj.>יְהוָה֙Yah.wehYahweh וַיֹּאמַ֔רva/i.yo.Marand/ he said מִשּׁ֣וּטmi./Shutfrom/ roving about בָּאָ֔רֶץba./'A.retzon the/ earth וּמֵֽהִתְהַלֵּ֖ךְu./me./hit.ha.Lekhand/ from/ going aboutבָּֽהּ׃Ba/hon/ it

King James Version

And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

Cross-references

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Job 2:2 “Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.”
Matthew 12:43 When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.
Revelation 12:12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea; with great fury the devil has come down to you, knowing he has only a short time.”
Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
Revelation 20:8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to assemble them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the seashore.
2 Kings 5:25 When Gehazi went in and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Gehazi, where have you been?” “Your servant did not go anywhere,” he replied.
Zechariah 1:10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the LORD has sent to patrol the earth.”
Zechariah 6:7 As the strong horses went out, they were eager to go and patrol the earth; and the LORD said, “Go and patrol the earth.” So they patrolled the earth.