King James Bible
"But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face."
Satan challenges God to directly afflict Job, escalating from the previous test where only Job's possessions and children were destroyed. The phrase reveals Satan's belief that God's protective hedge is the only reason for Job's faithfulness. This refers to physical suffering affecting Job's very body—his bones and flesh representing the totality of his physical being. In ancient thought, such affliction was considered the ultimate test since it strikes at one's core existence and daily experience. Satan predicts Job will abandon his integrity and directly blaspheme God when personally afflicted. This bold claim sets up the central question of the book: whether human devotion to God can be genuine apart from material blessing and physical comfort.