Job 1:7 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The LORD questions the accuser, who answers that he has been roaming throughout the earth.
What Does Job 1:7 Mean?
The LORD opens the exchange with a question, asking the adversary where he has come from. The answer is restless and roving: from going to and fro in the earth, walking up and down in it. The accuser describes a ceaseless patrol of the world below.
That the LORD questions and the adversary must answer shows clearly who holds authority in this scene. The accuser ranges through the earth, but he does not rule it. This restless roaming is the very image the New Testament later takes up, warning that the adversary prowls about, which makes the watchful, settled peace of those who trust God all the more precious.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 1:7
What does Job 1:7 mean?
The LORD questions the accuser, who answers that he has been roaming throughout the earth.