Between the gathering in heaven mentioned at Job 1: 6 and the one described at Job 2: 1, an unspecified period of time passed, during which Job was cruelly put to the test.
وَهكَذَا يُظْهِرُ سِفْرُ أَيُّوبَ أَنَّ ٱلشَّيْطَانَ هُوَ عَدُوُّ ٱلْجِنْسِ ٱلْبَشَرِيِّ ٱلَّذِي لَا يَعْرِفُ ٱلرَّحْمَةَ .‏