Job 2:5 Meaning and Explanation
“But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The accuser demands that God strike Job's own body, predicting he will then curse God openly.
What Does Job 2:5 Mean?
The accuser presses for permission to reach Job's 'bone and his flesh' -- his very body -- and predicts that such pain will make Job curse God 'to thy face,' openly and without shame. Notice he asks God to 'put forth thine hand,' yet it is the accuser who will do the striking; evil ever seeks to lay its work at God's door.
The test now moves from what a man has to what a man is. Yet even here the accuser cannot act without leave, and that boundary is mercy. For the suffering believer this is quiet comfort: pain that reaches the body still reaches only as far as God permits, and the hand that finally bears our wounds is the pierced hand of the Savior, not the hand of the accuser.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 2:5
What does Job 2:5 mean?
The accuser demands that God strike Job's own body, predicting he will then curse God openly.