Job 1:6

Now there was a day when lit. now it fell on a day that the sons of God presented themselves … and Satan came. The meaning is not that there was a set time for the sons of God presenting themselves, but that they did on a certain day convene and Satan came among them. He came because one of them not, although not one of them. The phrase is the same in Job 1:13; Job 2:1; 2 Kings 4:18.

the sons of God Rather perhaps, sons of the Elohîm, i. e. angels. The word Elohîmusually means God, but this is scarcely its meaning here. The angels are not called "sons of God" as if they had actually derived their nature from Him as a child from its father; nor in a less exact way, because though created they have received a nature similar to God's, being spirits; nor yet as if on account of their stedfast holiness they had been adopted by grace into the family of God. These ideas are not found here. The name Elohimor sons(i. e. members of the race) of the Elohimis a name given directly to angels in contrast with men. The word means probably "powers," "mights," and the name is given to God and angels in common; He is the Elohim preeminently, they are Elohim in an inferior sense. The name describes their nature or standing in contrast to what is human; the name angels, that is, messengers, is descriptive of the duties which they fulfil. The same Beings are called "sons of Elîm," Psalms 89:6 ("sons of the mighty"), and Psalms 29:1 ("ye mighty"), and there as here they stand in the temple or palace of the Lord, Psalms 29:9; Psalms 89:6-8. Angels are referred to several times in the Book of Job. In Job 5:1 the supposition is put that men might appeal to them for sympathy or a hearing amidst sufferings judged to be undeserved. In Job 33:23 they fulfil the office of interpreter between God and men. They form the Council of God, Job 15:8. They are not said to have been created, but were present when the earth was formed, Job 38:7. They are called the "holy ones," Job 5:1; Job 15:15, where, however, "holy" is not a moral term, but means attending on God. Though pure like the heavens and all contained in its sphere, in contrast with God they are impure and unwise, Job 4:18; Job 15:15; Job 25:5.

For a scene in heaven similar to that presented in this verse see 1 Kings 22:19 seq.; Comp. Isaiah 6; Psalms 89:6 seq., also Zechariah 3.

and Satan came also Or, and the Adversary, or Opposer, as in the margin. The Heb. is the Satan, where the presence of the article shews that the word has not yet become a proper name. The word Satan means one who opposes another in his purpose, Numbers 22:22; Numbers 22:32, or pretensions and claims, Zec 3:1; 1 Kings 11:14; 1 Kings 11:23; 1 Kings 11:25, or generally. The Satan is that one of God's ministers whose part it is to oppose men in their pretensions to a right standing before God, Zechariah 3:1, and here; that is, who represents God's trying, sifting providence. He is one of God's messengers and presents himself before God to report, or to receive commissions, parts of God's will which he is to execute.

God's providence is over all; He doeth whatsoever is done in heaven or on earth. But He makes use of agents in His operations. Hence the same act, such as instigating David to number the people, may be in one place ascribed to God directly, 2 Samuel 24:1, and in another to Satan, 1 Chronicles 21:1. God's purposes are usually beneficent and gracious, hence the angels are comprehensively designated as "ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for the sake of them who shall be heirs of salvation," Hebrews 1:14. But He has also purposes of judgment and chastisement, which are executed by those called the "destroyers," Job 33:22; Exodus 12:23. In all these operations, whether of mercy or of judgment, the angels are simply servants. They do God's behests. Their own moral character does not come into question. They are neither good nor bad angels. The spirit from the Lord that troubled Saul is called "evil," 1 Samuel 16:14 seq., not in reference to its own character, but to the effect produced on Saul's mind. In like manner the spirit that came forth and undertook to delude Ahab to his destruction, was not a false spirit in himself, he merely became a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahab's prophets, 1 Kings 22:19 seq. In all such cases the spirit is characterized according to the influence which he exerts. Neither is the Satan represented here as a fallen or evil spirit. Yet undoubtedly a step towards this is taken. He shews an assiduity slightly too keen in the exercise of his somewhat invidious function. He rather usurps the initiative in marking out Job for trial, even though he might feel sheltered under his general commission. The Author lets us know that this is his view of him when he puts into God's mouth the words: Thou didst set me on against him, Job 2:3. And in the parallel passage Zechariah 3 his cold-blooded cruelty in the exercise of his office against the miserable and in a moral sense the somewhat ragged Church of the Restoration stands rebuked before the spirit of Divine compassion: "The Lord rebuke thee Satan, is not this a brand plucked from the burning?" Subsequent revelation made advances on the doctrine of Satan, the discussion of which, however, does not belong here.