I find it interesting that satan and Job’s wife didn’t use the usual Hebrew word for curse when they referred to Job cursing God. Instead, they used a word that is usually used to bless God and man. The word they used is barak (H1288). It primarily means to kneel and is derived from the root berak (H1289; to kneel). Only in the Book of Job is this word used to mean curse (God). Nevertheless, it is used in 1Kings 21:10, 13 to mean blaspheme. Otherwise, it is used in nearly 200 verses to bless God and men. In fact, it is used in Job to bless four times! It is used by satan to say God blessed (H1288) the work of Job’s hands (Job 1:10), and later in the book to say the Lord blessed (H1288) Job twice as much as he did in the beginning (Job 42:12). It is also used of the poor who blessed (H1288) Job for attending to their needs (Job 31:20), and, finally, it is used by Job, himself, in worship as he blessed (H1288) the name of the Lord (Job 1:21). So, why use this particular word to indicate that Job would fail the test and curse (H1288) God to his face (Job 1:11; 2:5)? Why use it to advise Job to curse God and die (Job 2:9)?
I believe the answer lay in the word’s meaning to kneel, or submit. In a sense, the end result is to give up or surrender. Such a thing is pleasing to God, when one gives up and surrenders to his will. We are blessing him, when we do that. However, what satan had in mind was, that Job would give up or surrender his integrity, blame God for the tragedies in his life and separate himself from the Lord. In other words, take away the blessings and Job would rebel against God, just as satan has, just as most other people have. Put another way and according to satan, deep down, Job was no better than anyone else in the world. He would give up on God, a friend who betrayed him. Satan’s root point is, Job would give up on God. He would no longer cling to him as One to be revered, and he would show his true self by walking out of his presence (cp. Job 1:12; 2:7) and rebel against him.
What about Job’s wife? Certainly, she wasn’t influenced by Job’s evil enemy. She loved her husband, and together with him lost ten children. She, too, mourned their loss. She equally bore the loss of their security, their wealth, their business. So, one might say she was living the same trauma Job lived. However, once Job’s health depleted, she also lost her companion, and any romance that was there was gone. Her lifelong friend was suffering, and visibly so, and in great misery. All we are told in chapter two is that Job had malignant ulcers (NET translation) and scraped himself with pieces of broken pottery (Job 2:7-8), and the disease had a deforming effect upon him, because his friends were astonished, in that they didn’t recognize him (Job 2:12). Are we able to derive more from the text? What else might Job’s wife have seen in her husband’s condition?
Job was greatly depressed and the sight of food simply made him sigh in disgust (Job 3:24-25). He had no strength to continue, and he despaired of life (Job 6:11-14). He was stricken with insomnia (Job 7:3-4), he endured hardened but running, open sores, containing worms (Job 7:5) and had no more hope for life’s blessings (Job 7:6-7). His pain multiplied, and before he was used to one, another came, and he despised his life (Job 9:17-21; cp. 30:17). Job wept continually and his eye sockets had blackened (Job 16:16-20). His breath was abhorrent to his wife (Job 19:17), and he had lost a lot of weight (Job 19:20; cp. 33:21). His skin had darkened, and peeled off his body, while at the same time he suffered with fever (Job 30:30).
This is what his wife witnessed every day, and how could she not sympathize with her husband? His own friends didn’t recognize the sight of him (Job 2:12). How could Job’s wife not witness this and not be moved. “Curse God and die!” but what does that really mean in light of the word she used (H1288; barak)? I believe she is saying to give up, surrender to your fate. Life is no longer worth living! There is no hope in God for the return of your health or your former life. Give up on God and die, vis-à-vis commit suicide. Save yourself from this endless agony. Please!
Of course, we have Job’s testimony, telling her to stop acting like a foolish woman. She knows better. The good, only, shall we accept from the Lord, and the adversity do we reject? In other words, If I’ve willingly enjoyed the blessings of God, it is incumbent upon me to endure adversity and bless his name, while doing so.
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