"From Going To And Fro In The Earth, And From Walking Up And Down In It"

Last Updated on May 24, 2015, by eNotes Editorial. Word Count: 172

Context: In the land of Uz, Job, a "perfect and upright" man and "one that feared God, and eschewed evil," is the father of seven sons and three daughters and the owner of seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred asses. Fearful of possible secret sins of his children, Job offers up burnt offerings as atonement. Once, when the sons of God present themselves before the Lord, Satan is among them. Ensues then a dialogue between the Lord and Satan, in which the Lord praises Job and in which Satan points out that Job has always been protected and blessed. Satan challenges God to test Job and predicts that, once tested, Job will curse Him. God accepts the challenge and even permits Satan to try Job. The dialogue between God and Satan begins:

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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.