John Gill Commentary Job 1:11

"But put forth thy hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will renounce thee to thy face." — Job 1:11 (ASV)

But put forth your hand now
Withdraw your hand of providence, power, and protection, with which you have covered and screened him; and, instead of that, "send" ^F21 forth your afflicting hand, not barely in a way of chastisement and correction, but in wrath and vengeance, consuming and destroying all he had; and this he desires might be done now, immediately, without delay, while Job was in the midst of his prosperity; for Satan was in haste to have mischief done to him, being an object of his great hatred and enmity. Some, instead of "now", render it, "I pray you" ^F23 , as being an entreaty of Satan, and an importunate one, which he was eagerly desirous of obtaining; well knowing that no hurt could be done to Job without leave from God, or God doing it himself. The Vulgate Latin version is, "put forth your hand a little", as if its being exerted but a little, or a small touch of it, would be sufficient to discover Job's hypocrisy; but Satan doubtless knew Job better than this suggests, and that such was his integrity, a small trial would not affect him; and besides, he immediately adds:

and touch all that he has ;
which was not a slight touch, but an heavy one, reaching to all his family and substance, and to his person too, and the health of it at least; as appears by the proviso or saving clause put in by the Lord afterwards, when he gave leave to smite him:

and he will curse you to your face ;
or, if he does not curse you to your face ^F24 ; then, let it be so and so with me, worse than it now is; let me have my full damnation; for the words are an imprecation of the devil, wishing the worst of evils to himself, if Job, in such circumstances, did not "curse" God to his "face"; that is, not only openly and publicly, but impudently. Signifying that he would fly in his face, like a man passionate, furious, and enraged, and like those wicked persons, hungry and hardly bestead, who would fret and curse their king and their God (Isaiah 8:21), or like those men who, under their pains and sores, blasphemed him who had power over them (Revelation 16:10Revelation 16:11), or like those carnal professors whose words were stout against God (Malachi 3:13–15). In suchlike passionate expressions Satan insinuates Job would break out against God, murmuring at and complaining of his providence, arraigning his wisdom, righteousness, and holiness in his dealings with him.

Or, if "he does not bless you to your face" ^F25 , as it may be rendered; that is, either he "will bid you farewell" ^F26 , and apostatize from you (See Gill on Job 1:5), as sometimes nominal professors do; when affliction and tribulation come upon them, they are offended and drop their profession (Matthew 13:21). Or, as others, "if he has not blessed you to your face" ^F1 ; then let it be thus with me; that is, it will be then a clear case that Job in times past had only blessed God to his face, or outwardly; he had only honoured him with his lips, but his heart was far from him, and his fear towards him taught by the precept of men, as is the character of hypocrites (Isaiah 29:13). This Satan wickedly insinuates.

One of the Targums is: ``if he does not provoke you to the face of your Word;'' Ben Melech interprets (wynp le) "by your life", and takes it to be the form of an oath.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F21: (xlv) "mitte", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Schmidt.
• F23: (an) "quaeso", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Bolducius.
• F24: (al Ma) "si non", Schultens.
• F25: "Nisi in faciem tuam benedicet tibi", Piscator, Schmidt.
• F26: "Si non in faciem tuam valere te jussurus sit", Schultens.
• F1: "Si non super facies tuas benedixerit tibi", Montanus.