God allows Satan to act against what Job has, saying, "Behold, all that he has is in your hand" (Job 1:12). But God sets a limit: "Only against him do not stretch out your hand" (Job 1:12).
In Job 1:8–12, Yahweh points to Job as an unmatched example of integrity and God-fearing life. Satan challenges the sincerity of Job’s devotion, arguing it is motivated by protection and prosperity. Satan proposes that if Job’s possessions are struck, Job will openly reject Yahweh. This unit sits inside the opening story that introduces Job’s character and circumstances before any disaster occurs. Just prior, the scene shifts from Job’s household on earth to a heavenly meeting where “the satan” appears among other beings (1:6–7).
Job 1:8–12 presents Job as a uniquely credible example of integrity: Yahweh says there is “none like him in the earth,” and describes him as blameless, upright, God-fearing, and consistently avoiding evil. That description is an explicit claim in the scene, not Job’s self-advertising. The tension is immediately framed as a dispute about motives.
A careful answer keeps the immediate passage, the book's argument, and the whole-Bible storyline together, so the question is answered in context instead of as a detached idea.
Start with Job 1:12, then read the surrounding section so the answer stays connected to the passage's flow.
12Yahweh said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only on himself don`t put forth your hand." So Satan went forth from the presence of Yahweh.