Job 2:4

_AND SATAN ANSWERED THE LORD, AND SAID, SKIN FOR SKIN, YEA, ALL THAT A MAN HATH WILL HE GIVE FOR HIS LIFE._ Skin for skin - a proverb. Supply "He will give". The skin is figurative for any outward good. Nothing outward is so dear that a man will not exchange it for some other outward good; but (not yea) life, the inward good, cannot be replaced-a man will sacrifice everything else for its sake. Satan sneers bitterly at man's egotism, and says, Job is willing to part with property and children, because these are mere outward and exchangeable goods, but he will give up all things, even his religion, in order to save his life, if you touch his hones and flesh. Skin and life are in antithesis (Umbreit). The martyrs prove Satan's sneer false. Rosenmuller explains it not so well, A man willingly gives up another's skin (life) for his own skin (life). So Job might bear the loss of his children...

Verse Job 2:4. _SKIN FOR SKIN_] That is, A man will part with all he has in the world to save his life; and he will part with all by piecemeal, till he has nothing left on earth, and even be thankful, provided his life be spared. Thou hast only destroyed his _property_; thou hast left him his _life_ and his health. Thou hast not touched his _flesh_ nor his _bone_; therefore he is patient and resigned. Man, through the love of life, will go much farther: he will give up one _member_ to save the _rest_; yea, _limb_ after _limb_ as long as there is hope that, by such sacrifices, life may be spared or _prolonged_. This is the meaning given to the passage by the _Targum_; and, I believe, the true one; hence, Job 2:6, the Lord says, _Save his life_....

SKIN FOR SKIN - This is a proverbial expression, whose origin is unknown, nor is its meaning as “a proverb” entirely clear. The general sense of the passage here is plain, for it is immediately explained that a man would give everything which he had to save his life; and the idea here is, that if Job was so afflicted in his body that he was likely to die, he would give up all his religion in order to purchase life. His religion, which had berne the comparatively trifling test before applied to it, would not bear the severer trial if his life was endangered. In regard to the proverb itself, a great variety of explanations has been given. The ancient versions throw no light on it. The Vulgate renders it, “Pellem pro pelle.” The Septuagint Δέρμα ὑπέρ δέρυατος _derma_ _huper_ _dermatos_ - skin for, or instead of, skin. The Chaldee renders it, “member for member,”...

EXPOSITION JOB 2:1 This chapter concludes the "Introductory section." It consists of three parts. Job 2:1 contain an account of Satan's second appearance in the courts of heaven, and of a second colloquy between him and the Almighty. Job 2:7 contain the sequel to this colloquy, viz. Satan's further affliction of Job, and his conduct under it. Verses 11-13 contain an account of the arrival of Job's three special friends to mourn with him and to comfort him; and of their behavior during the first seven days after their arrival JOB 2:1 Again there was a day when the sons of God same to present themselves

AND SATAN ANSWERED THE LORD, AND SAID,.... Satan would not as yet own that Job was the man the Lord had described; but still would suggest, that he was a selfish and mercenary man, and that what had been done to him was not a sufficient trial of his integrity; the thing had not been pushed far and close enough to discover him; he had lost indeed his substance, and most of his servants, and all his children, but still he had not only his own life, but his health and ease; and so long as he enjoyed these he would serve God, though only for the sake of them: and therefore, says he, as it is usually and proverbially said, SKIN FOR SKIN, YEA, ALL THAT A MAN HATH WILL HE GIVE FOR HIS LIFE; the Targum is, "member for member;'' which the Jewish commentators, many of them, explain thus, that if a man's head or his eyes are in danger, he will lift up his hand or his arm, and expose that in orde...

CHAPTER 2:1-10 _ 1. Jehovah's second challenge and Satan's answer (Job 2:1)_ 2. Job stricken (Job 2:7) 3. Job's wife, Job's answer and victory (Job 2:9) Job 2:1. Once more the sons of God, and Satan among them, present themselves before the Lord. It must have been immediately after Job's afflictions had come upon him. Probably the Lord called the assembly. The victory is on the Lord's side. Satan is defeated and his defeat is known to the heavenly hosts, who undoubtedly watched the tragedies which had been enacted on earth and who, with joy, had listened to Job's marvellous words. Triumphantly the Lord said to Satan, “And still he holdeth fast hi

THE NARRATIVE OF THE SECOND CONVERSATION BETWEEN YAHWEH AND THE SATAN AND ITS ISSUES. Again the heavenly council comes together, and Yahweh reproaches the Satan with instigating Him to bring undeserved affliction on Job. The terrible trial has been shown to be unnecessary. Job still holds fast his integrity. Satan's answer is ready. He speaks impudently, using a common proverb, the origin of which, however, we do not know. Perhaps, says Duhm, the Bedouin may have threatened the shepherd, that he should pay with his own skin, if the cattle he tended were lost. The meaning is, as the second part of the sentence shows: nothing is more precious than life. What the Satan would say then is: the wager is not lost yet, the trial did not touch Job near enough. His goods, his children indeed have been touched, but that is not enough. His life has been spared. Yahweh consequently permits the Satan...

SKIN. Figure of speech _Synecdoche_ (of Part), App-6, one part of the body put for the whole. LIFE. soul. Hebrew. _nephesh._ App-13....

The Satan's reply is that the trial was not sufficiently close, it left the man himself untouched. _Skin for skin, yea, all_ Rather, SKIN FOR SKIN, AND ALL THAT A MAN HATH WILL HE GIVE FOR HIMSELF. The second half of the sentence is an application to the subject in hand of the general truth expressed in the words, Skin for skin. These words seem proverbial, though the origin of the proverb is obscure. The meaning seems to be, Like for like, so all &c. Others take the expression in a less general sense. The Targum translates, Member for member, one member of the body in behalf of, or to cover another member, as the arm the head. The word _skin_is used in our Book once or twice for the body, Job 18:13; Job 19:26. If this sense could be adopted here the meaning would be, Skin or body of others for one'

SKIN FOR SKIN— A proverbial expression, to denote the great value in which life is held; insomuch that a man, to preserve it, would suffer even his skin to be torn off. It may signify also, that a man, in order to save his life, would willingly suffer himself to be stripped of all his fortunes. The words נפשׁו בעד _bead napsho,_ rendered _for his life,_ might be more properly rendered, _for his person._ The question here was not about his life; Satan had not the impudence to desire his life; but only to smite him in _his bone,_ and in _his flesh;_ and accordingly, the permission given him in the 6th verse implies this restriction, _beware thou touch not his life._ The rendering the word נפשׁ _nepesh,_ by _person,_ is not unusual, as may be seen by any one who will consult the Concordances. See Heath and Schultens....