The Meaning of Job 1:1 Explained

Job 1:1

KJV: There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

YLT: A man there hath been in the land of Uz -- Job his name -- and that man hath been perfect and upright -- both fearing God, and turning aside from evil.

Darby: There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and this man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God and abstained from evil.

ASV: There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and turned away from evil.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

There was a man  in the land  of Uz,  whose name  [was] Job;  and that man  was perfect  and upright,  and one that feared  God,  and eschewed  evil. 

What does Job 1:1 Mean?

Study Notes

Uz See Jeremiah 25:20 .
fear .
fear of the Lord
The "fear of the Lord," a phrase of the O.T. piety, meaning reverential trust, with hatred of evil.
land of Uz
A region at the south of Edom, and west of the Arabian desert, extending to Chaldea.
Uz See Jeremiah 25:20 .
fear .
fear of the Lord
The "fear of the Lord," a phrase of the O.T. piety, meaning reverential trust, with hatred of evil.

Context Summary

Job 1:1-12 - Satan Aims At A High Mark
Job is introduced as a man of large possessions, highly honored by all who knew him, and of unimpeachable integrity toward God. His piety was specially evinced in the anxiety he experienced for his children, lest any of them should renounce or say farewell to God. What an example this is for parents! We should pray for each child by name, and, like Job, we should do so continually.
Satan is well called the Adversary, r.v., margin, because he opposes God and goodness. Compare Zechariah 3:1; Revelation 12:10. He admits Job's goodness, but challenges its motive. He suggests that it is by no means disinterested. Satan still considers the saints, and finds out their weak places and secret sins. But he has no power over us save by the divine permission, and if we are tempted, there is always available the needed supply of grace, 2 Corinthians 12:9. [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 1

1  The holiness, riches, and reverent care of Job for his children
6  Satan, appearing before God, obtains leave to afflict Job
13  Understanding of the loss of his children and goods, in his mourning Job blesses God

What do the individual words in Job 1:1 mean?

A man there was in the land of Uz Job [was] his name and was man that blameless and upright and one who feared God and shunned evil
אִ֛ישׁ הָיָ֥ה בְאֶֽרֶץ־ ע֖וּץ אִיּ֣וֹב שְׁמ֑וֹ וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ הָאִ֣ישׁ הַה֗וּא תָּ֧ם וְיָשָׁ֛ר וִירֵ֥א אֱלֹהִ֖ים וְסָ֥ר מֵרָֽע

אִ֛ישׁ  A  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
הָיָ֥ה  there  was 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בְאֶֽרֶץ־  in  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
ע֖וּץ  of  Uz 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: עוּץ 
Sense: son of Aram and grandson of Seth.
אִיּ֣וֹב  Job 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִיּׄוב  
Sense: a patriarch, the subject of the book of Job.
שְׁמ֑וֹ  [was]  his  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
וְהָיָ֣ה ׀  and  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
הָאִ֣ישׁ  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
הַה֗וּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
תָּ֧ם  blameless 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: תָּם  
Sense: perfect, complete.
וְיָשָׁ֛ר  and  upright 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: יָשָׁר 
Sense: straight, upright, correct, right.
וִירֵ֥א  and  one  who  feared 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: יָרֵא  
Sense: fearing, reverent, afraid.
אֱלֹהִ֖ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וְסָ֥ר  and  shunned 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: סוּר 
Sense: to turn aside, depart.
מֵרָֽע  evil 
Parse: Preposition-m, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.