^2:4But⁹ Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for¹⁰ skin!¹¹ Indeed, a man will give up¹² all that he has to save his life!¹³^2:5But extend your hand and strike his bone and his flesh,¹⁴ and he will no doubt¹⁵ curse you to your face!”

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Footnotes

9 The form is the simply preterite with the vav (ו) consecutive. However, the speech of Satan is in contrast to what God said, even though in narrative sequence.
10 The preposition בְּעַד (bé’ad) designates interest or advantage arising from the idea of protection for (“for the benefit of”); see §11.2.7a.
11 The meaning of the expression is obscure. It may come from the idea of sacrificing an animal or another person in order to go free, suggesting the expression that one type of skin that was worth less was surrendered to save the more important life. Satan would then be saying that Job was willing for others to die for him to go free, but not himself. “Skin” would be a synecdoche of the part for the whole (like the idiomatic use of skin today for a person in a narrow escape). The second clause indicates that God has not even scratched the surface because Job has been protected. His “skin” might have been scratched, but not his flesh and bone! But if his life had been put in danger, he would have responded differently.
12 The has “make full payment, pay a full price” ( ἐκτίνω).
13 Heb “Indeed, all that a man has he will give for his life.”
14 The “bones and flesh” are idiomatic for the whole person, his physical and his psychical/spiritual being (see further H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 26–28).
15 This is the same oath formula found in 1:11; see the note there.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Then Satan answered the Lord 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.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give all he has for his own life. But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

“Skin for skin!” Satan answered the Lord. “A man will give up everything he owns in exchange for his life. But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

NLTNew Living Translation

Satan replied to the Lord, “Skin for skin! A man will give up everything he has to save his life. But reach out and take away his health, and he will surely curse you to your face!”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Then Satan answered him and said, “Skin for skin! All that that man has he will give for his life. But stretch out your hand and touch his bones and his flesh, and see whether he will curse you to your face.”

KJV 1900King James Version

And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

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