HEBREW WORD STUDY – SKIN FOR SKIN – ‘OR BOD ‘OR   עור בור עור  

Job 2:4 “And the accuser answered the Lord and said Skin for skin, yea all a man has will he give for his life.” 

I was pondering Job 2:4.  Why does the enemy use the word ‘or for skin in verse 4 yet in verse five he talks of afflicting Job’s flesh which is the word basar.  I believe this is a hint that there is a playoff the word ‘or spelled with an Ayin and the word that sounds identical ‘or but is spelled with an Aleph and means light.

Could the enemy have been mocking God with this wordplay by saying: skin for light? In other words, would Job deny the revelation or light of God to save his own skin or life? Words were spoken long before they were written and when spoken you could not tell the difference between these two words except in the context they were used. With the ambiguous nature of the Hebrew language and the way ancient the sages played around with the esoteric nature of the language, I will not discount that there is the possibility that the enemy was making a play on the two words as a subtle insult to God, that even His light is not enough for a man to sacrifice his own skin (life). When his own skin or life is on the line he will resort to his own insight (Ayin) rather than the light or revelation of God’s (Aleph).   

We learn in the Book of John that Jesus is the light and if indeed the enemy was making a play on words, what a great insult to say that the light of God, Jesus Christ, is not enough for a man to be willing to lay down his life. Well, Old Job was the first in a long line of saints throughout history who has proven the enemy to be woefully wrong.  History is filled with stories of Christian martyrs who have willingly given up their flesh or skin rather than deny their love for Jesus and His light.

Jewish tradition has an interesting take on this skin for skin business. You see the word for skin ’or, not only means skin, but the word is also used for blindness, watching and could also mean a limb like your arm. The expression then has the idea of putting up your arm up to protect your face and eyes. It is built into our nature to give priority to our sight over one of our limbs and by instinct, we would be willing to sacrifice one of our limbs to protect ourselves from blindness. The accusation of the enemy is not only will Job deny God to protect his life but to protect himself from any permanent physical harm or disability.

It is interesting in the Aramaic the word ’or is also used to express the idea of chaff.  Perhaps there is the suggestion in this skin for skin idiom that the enemy is implying skin for chaff in other words if you really want to separate the wheat from the chaff or to know his true motives, just beat him up and put him in a hospital bed and watch how he will start cursing. It is very easy to shout praise-alleluia when you are in good health, have a secure job and everything is going fine, but the enemy is convinced that if he can upset your apple cart, he will have you shaking your fist at God.

The crazy thing is he is still playing the same game today as he did with Job, and sad to say he is sometimes right. History is littered with the dry, sun-baked bones of Christians who faithfully served God until they ran up against some real trials and then turned against God and it wasn’t even skin for skin.

History is also littered with the dry, sun-baked bones of those who were and are today ready to take one for the Kingdom of God.  We tend to honor those who have parleyed their Christian faith into wealth, fame, and honor. I for one will put my money on those unknowns who have sacrificed all for the Kingdom. These are the ones who are not skin for skin. These are God’s secret service agents.

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