So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to his crown.
So went.
1 Kings 22:22 And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.
sore boils.
Job 30:17-19,30 My bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take no rest…
Exodus 9:9-11 And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt…
Deuteronomy 28:27,35 The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed…
from the sole.
Isaiah 1:6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.
Isaiah 3:17 Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover their secret parts.
and infected Job with terrible boils
The affliction of boils is a physical manifestation of suffering, often associated with divine judgment or severe testing in the ancient Near East. Boils are mentioned in other biblical contexts, such as the plagues of Egypt (Exodus 9:9-11), highlighting their severity and the intense suffering they cause. This physical ailment serves as a tangible expression of Job's trial, testing his integrity and faith. The Hebrew term used here suggests a painful and debilitating condition, emphasizing the extremity of Job's suffering.
from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head
This phrase indicates the totality of Job's affliction, affecting his entire body. It symbolizes the comprehensive nature of his suffering, leaving no part of him untouched. This imagery is used elsewhere in Scripture to describe complete devastation or judgment (Deuteronomy 28:35, Isaiah 1:6). The extent of Job's suffering foreshadows the complete and redemptive suffering of Christ, who bore the sins of humanity in totality. This comprehensive affliction serves to highlight Job's endurance and the depth of his faith amidst overwhelming adversity.
Satan does not act on his own timetable; he moves only after divine permission is granted (Job 1:12). His “going out” shows intent and urgency, echoing 1 Peter 5:8 where he “prowls around like a roaring lion.” The adversary’s departure reminds us that spiritual warfare is real, but also that God remains firmly in control (Luke 22:31–32).
Satan was compelled to leave the heavenly court (Zechariah 3:1–2). He cannot linger where God reigns in holiness, and he cannot harm God’s people without explicit allowance (Lamentations 3:37). Even in suffering, the believer rests in the truth that nothing slips past the Lord’s sovereign oversight (Romans 8:28).
The attack is personal and physical. Scripture is clear that the devil can afflict the body (Acts 10:38; 2 Corinthians 12:7). Job’s illness is neither random nor a result of secret sin (Job 1:1). It is a calculated assault meant to break his faith, yet it ultimately serves God’s greater purposes (James 5:11).
“Boils” draw a picture of excruciating pain and constant irritation, much like the plague on Egypt (Exodus 9:9–11) or the curse warned about in Deuteronomy 28:35. The term signals an incurable, disfiguring condition. Job’s misery is so severe that later he sits among ashes, scraping himself with broken pottery (Job 2:8).
Suffering starts at the very place he would stand or walk, leaving him immobilized. Isaiah 1:6 laments a similar condition: “From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness.” Job cannot flee his pain; it greets him with every step—or inability to take one.
The boils cover him entirely, sparing no inch of skin. Psalm 38:3–8 describes how such total agony crushes the spirit and drains the life. Job’s whole identity—public, private, physical, and emotional—is engulfed in affliction, underscoring the comprehensive nature of the test (Job 2:9–10).
• Satan acts only by God’s permission, highlighting divine sovereignty even in hardship.
• Job’s suffering is literal, physical, and comprehensive, yet never outside God’s righteous boundaries.
• Scripture consistently presents Satan as a real adversary who can afflict the body, but whose power is limited (1 John 4:4).
• Job’s boils illustrate how trials can touch every area of life, inviting trust in God’s purposes beyond immediate understanding.
(7) Sore boils.--Supposed to be Elephantiasis, an extreme form of leprosy, in which the skin becomes clotted and hard like an elephant's, with painful cracks and sores underneath.Verse 7.- So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord (comp. Job 1:12, ad fin.). Satan, we may be sure, is always anxious to quit the immediate presence o