Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
Sons of God - angels (Job 37:7; 1 Kings 22:19). Psalms 29:1, margin, "Sons of the mighty." Called also "saints" (Job 5:1): and "angels" or messengers (Job 4:18). "Sons of God" implies their birth from, and likeness to, God: whence man unfallen is similarly designated (Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 6:2). "Saints" implies their entire consecration, and relative, though not absolute (Job 4:18; Job 15:15), perfection. "Angels" implies their function, in which respect also God's human messengers resemble them, and therefore receive the same name (Malachi 2:7; Galatians 4:14). They present themselves to render account of their "ministry" (Hebrews 1:14) in other parts of the universe, and to receive God's commands: so their attitude is standing before Yahweh, who sits on His throne (Zechariah 6:5; cf. Proverbs 22:29).
The Lord - Hebrew, YAHWEH (H3068) (Jehovah) - the self-existing God, faithful to His premises. God says (Exodus 6:3) that He was not known to the patriarchs by this name. But, as the name occurs previously in Genesis 2:7-9, etc., what must be meant is, not until the time of delivering Israel by Moses was He known peculiarly and publicly in the character which the name means, namely, making things to be, fulfilling the promises made to their forefathers. This name, therefore, here is no objection against the antiquity of the Book of Job.
Satan. The tradition was widely spread that he had been the agent in Adam's temptation. Hence, his name is given without comment. The feeling with which he looks on Job is similar to that with which he looked on Adam in Paradise: emboldened by his success in the case of one not yet fallen, he is confident that the piety of Job, one of a fallen race, will not stand the test. He had fallen himself (Job 4:18; Job 15:15; Jude 1:6). In the book of Job first Satan is designated by name: Satan, in Hebrew х Saataan (H7854)], an adversary in a court of justice (1 Chronicles 21:1; Psalms 109:6; Zechariah 3:1). The accuser (Revelation 12:10). He has gotten the law of God on his side by man's sin, and against man. But Jesus Christ has fulfilled the law for us, so that justice is once more on man's side against Satan (Isaiah 42:21); and so Jesus Christ can plead as our advocate against the adversary (Romans 8:33). Devil the Greek name-the slanderer, or accuser. He is subject to God, who uses his ministry for chastising man. In Arabic Satan is often applied to a serpent (Genesis 3:1). He is called Prince of this world (John 12:31); the God of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4); Prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2). God here questions him in order to vindicate His own ways before angels.