You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.” But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.
Matthew 5:21–22 ESV
After killing Job’s children and destroying his wealth, Satan asks permission to destroy Job’s health as well. At least, that is the most obvious thing he seems to be asking to do. But his language is interesting:
Then Satan answered YHWH and said, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” And YHWH said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.”
Job 2:4–6
After Satan gets permission to “touch his bone and his flesh,” Job gets painful boils and his wife speaks the exact words that Satan used: “Then his wife said to him, ‘Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die’” (Job 2:9 ESV).
What follows is one of the most restrained rebukes in the Bible: “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?”
If there was ever a time a husband should call his wife a fool, this was it. But Job refused to go that far.
Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good,
Proverbs 16:20–24 ESV
and blessed is he who trusts in YHWH.
The wise of heart is called discerning,
and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.
Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it,
but the instruction of fools is folly.
The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious
and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
Gracious words are like a honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
Despite the many hours I spent translating and studying the Job narrative I just realized that there is a double meaning here. Bone and flesh could refer to both Job’s physical body and his wife who is his bone and flesh. Perhaps Satan was allowed to “touch”/”possess” Job’s wife and incite her to tempt Job to curse God. My duh moment of the day. Thanks!