job

Background

Authorship and Date of Composition. The surest thing that can be said on this question is that “No one knows who wrote the Book of Job, when it was written, when its events occurred, or where Job lived.”[1] One of the most logical proposals of authorship, however, is that one of the principal characters, perhaps Job or Elihu, recorded from personal recollection the many speeches in the book. On the other hand, there is no consensus on the subject, and proposals range widely, including Moses, Solomon, Jeremiah, Ezra, and others. In favor of Solomonic authorship is his important role in the advancement of Israel’s school of wisdom. As for the prose sections that open and close the work, direct divine revelation was obviously required for much of the information. This God could have supplied to anyone.

Many indicators in the book argue for a patriarchal setting: the lack of Mosaic religion; Job’s longevity (see 42:16); the existence of similar literary works in Egypt and Mesopotamia from the patriarchal era; numerous place and personal names and other words;[2] and the fact that Job’s wealth was reckoned by livestock.

Its Israelite wisdom flavor (“The fear of Adonai is wisdom,” 28:28) would argue for the period of Solomon or after. Arguments for a late-monarchic date or later commonly point to the style of the poetry.[3] It is certainly possible that the work was composed in its present form during the monarchy or later, while the events described are from the patriarchal era in which it seems to have been set.

Argument

The book of Job looks at the world as a place of undeserved and unexplained suffering. Its answer is that in that kind of world, God does all things well; he is still to be praised and reverenced, not cursed nor accused of unrighteousness. Perhaps a still more positive message should also be deduced; namely, that if suffering is (often) undeserved, then so also is blessing, originating in the grace of God rather than in any supposed merits of men. Thus the book takes to task and refutes the notion that the moral order of the universe is impersonal and mechanistic (as Job’s friends and Job himself all believed). It affirms to the contrary that there are spiritual personalities directly involved in the outworking of suffering and blessing in human life, and that they are not bound by rules (of fairness) larger than themselves. Happily, God is the ultimate Sovereign and is good, and for this reason alone the righteous can confidently expect that their end will be blessed.

The form of the book is a clear and simple A–B–A: the prose prologue (1–2) and epilogue (42:7–17) enclose the poetic body (3:1—42:6). That poetic body is also clear in its structure: the dialogue between Job and his three friends (3–27) is separated from Job’s challenge and God’s response (29:1—42:6) by Job’s hymn in praise of wisdom (28).

The prologue (1–2) establishes the setting of the speeches which comprise the body. Job is first presented as a righteous man enjoying the benefit of prosperity (1:1–5). To this one comes calamity which arises out of unseen personal workings (1:6–19), which however fails to shake his faith (1:20–22); not once but twice (2:1–10). The setting is completed by the coming of the three friends (2:11–13).

The silence is broken by Job (3): whereas he previously refused to curse God at his wife’s insistence, he did not now hesitate to curse his own dreadful condition. The real conflict is not established though until the first ‘friend speech’ by Eliphaz (4–5). His (and his friends’) contention is that there is a direct and necessary connection between suffering and sin on the one hand, and blessing and righteousness on the other. It is important to observe how that the length and strength of the friends’ speeches decline significantly through the course of the dialogue (although they increase in insistence and hysteria); while those of Job increase inversely proportionately. In his response (6–7) Job does not dispute the general validity of the principle of retribution theology, but merely contends that his case does not fit the principle: his friend had made an invalid inference of his guilt. As a result he had failed to show the sympathy expected of a friend. His prayer (7) is offered in the light of the frailty of man, and amounts to a complaint of his excessively burdensome lot.

In his turn Bildad merely rehearses orthodox retribution theology: everyone knows life deals out justice (8). Job’s response (9–10) is an expression of exasperation that because of his immensity God seems to be beyond the rules of fairness by which man is judged. Where Bildad implied life runs on impersonal rules which are invariably fair, Job asserted that to the contrary, life is governed by the personal God, who seems to act from caprice, though he is beyond being challenged.

Zophar’s first opportunity to speak continued the conviction that life deals out just retribution (11). He also challenged Job’s complaint against God (providing good theology, though irrelevant to the situation, coupled with bad counsel), as well as his assertion of innocence. At this conclusion of the first round of ‘advice,’ Job answered with the longest speech so far (12–14). First, he took to task his friends for their conclusion of his guilt (12:1—13:19). His essential point was that they had blindly misapplied good theology—retribution, which he also espoused—for his pain was not his due for some personal sin. Unable to explain why, he maintained that he was somehow an exception to the law, and that a fair trial would bear out the same. Then he took his case directly to God, pleading for a hearing and justice (13:20—14:22). His only explanation of the breach of justice in his case was that God must have been unaware of the facts of the case.

Round two opens with no new light, only more heat. Eliphaz continued to insist that retribution theology is airtight, leaving only one explanation for Job’s suffering: namely, his own personal sin (15). The advance in the argument is that Job’s sin must be bigger than anyone had suspected. Almost evangelistically he then offered Job an invitation to repent or be cut off. Job’s reply is true to the form established by this time (16–17): he continued to reject his friends’ accusations; to assert his innocence; and to call on God to reverse his misfortunes.

Bildad can add nothing new. By implication he warned Job that unless he repented he would be destroyed along with all the wicked (18). His theological base of retribution was absolutely unaltered. Job also prolonged the monotony, asserting his innocence (19). But more significantly his reiterated challenge to God to try his case increases the suspenseful anticipation of his eventual direct encounter with God (19:23–29).

Zophar manifested complete despair of reasoning with Job, resorting to harsh accusations, implicating Job in the sins of the wicked who rob the poor (20). The breakdown of his theological base is evident in Job’s reply (21), as he presented the contradicting fact that the wicked in fact do prosper.

Job’s pleas continued to fall on increasingly deaf ears. The attitudes of Job and his friends crystallized at their lowest levels: the friends in their devotion to retribution or perfect and immediate justice in life; and Job in his insistence on his innocence, and his challenge that God meet him to show his sin, or rather discover his righteousness. In his third and last speech Eliphaz sought to elicit a sense of conviction of sin in Job, and to bring him to a place of repentance so that he might be restored (22). Still committed to his theological system and his innocence, Job once again puzzled over the discrepancy, and concluded that God was failing to keep his end of the ‘bargain’ (23–24).

Seemingly frustrated by Job’s intransigence, his friends speak only six more verses, and the third friend not at all in round three. Bildad sought to humiliate Job for his challenges that God meet with him by extolling the majesty of God (25), a theme Job had himself already freely introduced (9:1–12; 12:13–25). (Inasmuch as chapter 28 is of a completely different flavor—a hymn to wisdom—it seems best to see Job’s final response in this section of dialogue with his three friends to extend only through chapters 26–27). Job concluded by demonstrating that he did not need the ‘counsel’ of his friends, that he was every bit their match in piety and wisdom. He had absolute confidence in God’s ultimate vindication of him, as also in his ultimate retribution on the wicked.

When approaching the 28th chapter it must be remembered the book as a whole is a literary work, not a mere chronicle. This chapter then serves to divide Job’s words in answer to his friends (3–27) from the climax of the book, his dialogue with God (29:1—42:6). This structural proposal is supported by the phrase with which chapter 29 opens: “And Job again took up his discourse and said …” But beyond its structural function the hymn reinforces the fundamental truth of biblical wisdom literature, that wisdom is found in God and is obtained by reverence for him (28:28).

The second half of the body of the work begins with Job’s challenge to God to hear his case (29–31), as he rehearses his honored past (29), his shamed present (30), and his blamelessness before God (31). It is as if he is saying that life was working just fine for most of his life, and then suddenly and without provocation the ‘rules’ were no longer being followed: despite his uninterrupted blamelessness his (just) honor was interrupted and replaced with shame. His challenge to God then is that he has violated the rules of the game, or has at least allowed them to be violated, and that he is in a sense obligated to rectify the situation.

The suspenseful anticipation of God’s response is sustained and drawn out still longer by the intrusion of Elihu’s speeches (32–37). First Elihu is introduced to the reader (32:1–5), and then introduces himself and his message to Job and the three (32:6–22), intending to show up all four. The first three of Elihu’s four speeches seem directly to address statements made by Job. In his first speech (33) Elihu refutes Job’s charge that God is silent (33:13; cf. 13:22), affirming that God does indeed speak to men in a variety of ways. His second speech (34) refutes Job’s charge that God is unjust (34:5–6; cf. 19:6–7; 27:2), defending God’s justice, and accusing Job of rebellion. His third speech (35) refutes Job’s charge that God is indifferent to wickedness and righteousness in men (35:3; cf. 10:7), insisting God would be lowering himself to answer such an accusation.

In his final speech (36–37) Elihu concludes by exalting God in his greatness. The first part of the speech (36:1–23) is very much within the train of his previous speeches, emphasizing God’s justice and affirming to some extent retribution theology. The second part of the speech (36:24—37:24) is entirely new and distinct, anticipating the direction of the God speeches to follow, by focusing on God’s unique power over creation.

The reader had to know it was coming: from the midst of a tornado and then a storm God himself spoke (38:1—42:6). In two magnificent speeches answered by a greatly humbled Job the poetic conflict reaches its resolution. The design of God’s addresses was to demonstrate the impropriety of Job’s challenges, by proving his ignorance and impotence relative to God’s omniscience and omnipotence. Both dealt with man’s inability to explain or control natural creation. The movement through the two speeches is from inanimate creation to animate. There is also movement from floods of questions about more common occurrences (which he was unable to answer) to descriptions of more exotic and terrifying power. The result is that he who entered the ‘contest’ proud and defiant emerged penitent and humble, with at last a proper recognition of God and thus of himself.

The epilogue (42:7–17) shows God acting in grace (not bound by some impersonal law of retribution) on behalf both of the three friends, granting them forgiveness, and of Job, freely pouring out on him the riches of his kindness, totally apart from merit.

Outline

Prologue (1–2): Prose
Body (3:1—42:6): Poetry
Epilogue (42:7–17): Prose

I. Prologue: Job’s double calamity 1–2

A. Portrait of Job: righteous 1:1–5

1. Summary statement of Job’s righteousness 1:1

2. His prosperity as proof of righteousness 1:2–3

3. His piety as proof of righteousness 1:4–5

B. Calamity, round one 1:6–22

1. Satan’s first interview with God 1:6–12

2. Job’s loss of wealth and family 1:13–19

3. Job’s response of faith 1:20–22

C. Calamity, round two 2:1–13

1. Satan’s second interview with God 2:1–6

2. Job’s loss of health 2:7–8

3. Job’s response of faith 2:9–10

4. Job’s friends’ arrival to share his grief 2:11–13

II. Body: Reflections on Job’s situation 3:1—42:6

A. Dialogue between Job and his three friends 3–27

1. Job’s opening lament: “I wish I could die.” 3

a) He curses the day of his birth 3:1–10

b) He wishes he had been miscarried 3:11–19

c) He thinks death would be better than his present pain 3:20–26

2. Dialogue round one 4–14

a) Eliphaz’ first speech: Pain is always the fruit of sin. 4–5

(1) Eliphaz rebukes Job for his impatience. 4:1–6

(2) Pain is the judgment of God for sin. 4:7–11

(3) Eliphaz recounts his dream: Man is unrighteous and thus frail before God. 4:12–21

(4) Trouble is the universal lot of men. 5:1–7

(5) Man’s best hope is the mercy of God. 5:8–16

(6) Pain is the chastening of God, and leads to blessing when accepted patiently. 5:17–27

(a) God delivers the humble. 5:17–20

(b) The chastened man will be blessed in life and death. 5:21–27

b) Job’s response: I have a legitimate complaint. 6–7

(1) He insists his pain is worse than he deserves. 6:1–7

(2) Though I do not deserve it, I think I should be allowed to die. 6:8–13

(3) He thinks his friends should be more sympathetic. 6:14–23

(4) He asks his friends simply to be fair. 6:24–30

(5) He complains of man’s lot: life is brief and filled with grief. 7:1–6

(6) He prays that God will consider his frailty. 7:7–21

(a) His life will soon end and be forgotten. 7:7–10

(b) He will continue to complain. 7:11–16

c) Bildad’s first speech: insists Job’s complaint is unfounded. 8

(1) God only does right. 8:1–4

(2) God defends the righteous. 8:5–7

(3) This is ageless wisdom. 8:8–10

(4) The unrighteous will not endure, but will suffer divine judgment. 8:11–19

(5) God will also bless the righteous. 8:20–22

d) Job’s response 9–10

(1) God is so great, none can challenge his ways. 9:1–12

(2) Even if man were right and God wrong, man could still not challenge God. 9:13–24

(a) God is so great, Job could not even frame a complaint to him. 9:13–16

(b) He charges God with caprice in afflicting him. 9:17–19

(3) He complains that God’s unfairness makes his efforts toward righteousness vain. 9:25–35

(4) He asks God why he afflicts him unfairly. 10:1–7

(5) He protests that God remembers his slightest sin, while forgetting his frail constitution. 10:8–17

(6) He complains that God should either not have made him, or should leave him alone. 10:18–22

e) Zophar’s first speech: rebukes Job’s attitude toward God. 11

(1) Zophar rebukes Job for accusing God of unfairness, and defends God’s mercy in not exacting punishment for some sins. 11:1–6

(2) God is too great to suffer accusations from men. 11:7–12

(3) If Job would forsake his sin, God would bless him. 11:13–20

f) Job’s response 12–14

(1) He challenges his friends’ conclusion of his guilt, and their view of God. 12:1—13:19

(a) He knows wisdom as well as his friends. 12:1–3

(b) He is suffering in spite of his innocence. 12:4–6

(d) God is far greater than the greatest of men. 12:13–25

(e) He reasserts his equal knowledge of wisdom. 13:1–2

(f) He charges his friends with not recognizing the justice of his cause, but blindly defending God. 13:3–12

(g) He is confident his cause is just and would be vindicated by a fair hearing. 13:13–19

(2) He dares God to finish him off. 13:20—14:22

(a) He pleads for God to answer him, confident there is no just cause for his suffering. 13:20–28

(b) He begs God to give him rest, since life is tough anyway. 14:1–6

(d) He longs for the time when God will deal with him apart from sin. 14:13–17

(e) Man is mortal. 14:18–22

3. Dialogue round two 15–21

a) Eliphaz’ second speech: The wisdom that condemns Job is ancient, irrefutable. 15

(1) He challenges Job’s attitude. 15:1–16

(a) He asserts that Job’s foolish answers are all the condemnation that is needed. 15:1–6

(b) He accuses Job of the arrogant attitude that he alone knows wisdom. 15:7–11

(d) He suggests Job “drinks iniquity like water.” 15:14–16

(2) He declares the ancient wisdom that the wicked suffer divine retribution. 15:17–35

(a) He urges Job to heed words of proven wisdom. 15:17–19

(b) He asserts the wicked suffer because of their opposition against God. 15:20–28

b) Job’s response: His friends still have taught him nothing; God has mauled him, and he is pitiable. 16–17

(1) He is not helped by his friends’ words. 16:1–5

(2) He insists God has viciously attacked him. 16:6–17

(a) No amount of talk eases his pain. 16:6

(b) Whether directly or by created agency, God has roughed him up. 16:7–14

(3) He yearns for some way to gain God’s sympathy. 16:18—17:2

(4) He calls on God to stand up for him. 17:3–5

(5) He insists his friends are wrong in accusing him of sin. 17:6–16

(a) Common people assume his guilt. 17:6–7

(b) The innocent sympathize with his plight. 17:8–9

(d) He mourns his terminal status. 17:11–16

c) Bildad’s second speech: Warns Job that the wicked suffer destruction. 18

(1) He calls on Job to admit the wisdom of their words. 18:1–4

(2) He describes the end of the wicked. 18:5–21

(a) The wicked is destroyed in traps of his own making. 18:5–8

(b) The wicked experiences constant terror in this life. 18:9–14

(d) The fate of the wicked serves as a warning to others. 18:20–21

d) Job’s response: Continues to assert his innocence and pitiableness, while expecting ultimate vindication. 19

(1) He insists that until his sin is proven, both his friends and God have wronged him. 19:1–6

(2) He claims that God has prevented him from knowing justice. 19:7–12

(3) He insists that no one shows him the sympathy he deserves. 19:13–22

(4) He believes he will ultimately be vindicated. 19:23–29

(a) He wishes his words were permanently recorded. 19:23–24

(b) He believes that God will ultimately vindicate him. 19:25–27

e) Zophar’s second speech: The wicked die young without having prospered. 20

(1) He reminds Job that the wicked lose all, including their lives. 20:1–11

(a) He must answer Job’s insults. 20:1–3

(b) The flourishing of the wicked is brief. 20:4–8

(2) The wicked cannot enjoy the profit of their wickedness. 20:12–19

(3) God will personally destroy the wicked. 20:20–29

f) Job’s response: Au contraire; the wicked do prosper. 21

(1) He urges his friends to sympathize with his plight. 21:1–6

(2) He notes that the wicked often die old and content. 21:7–16

(3) If God would render justice in this life, people would take proper warning; but he doesn’t, and they don’t. 21:17–26

(4) Often the wicked escape justice in this life; therefore the friends’ counsel is invalid. 21:27–34

4. Dialogue round three 22–27

a) Eliphaz’ third speech: Insists Job needs to repent. 22

(1) He accuses Job of being a great sinner. 22:1–11

(a) He accuses Job of being wicked generally. 22:1–5

(b) He accuses Job of specific sins. 22:6–11

(2) He suggests Job thought he could sin with impunity. 22:12–20

(a) He suggests Job thought he could hide his sin from God. 22:12–16

(b) He says Job thought he could avoid divine judgment for his sin. 22:17–20

(3) He counsels Job to repent in order to regain God’s favor. 22:21–30

(a) He counsels Job to return to God and righteousness. 22:21–23

(b) He counsels Job to trust in God. 22:24–27

b) Job’s response: The reasons for this pain are God’s secrets; people are getting away with sin all over. 23–24

(1) He insists that if he could get a fair hearing with God, he would be vindicated. 23:1–7

(2) He still insists he is innocent, and will not keep silent. 23:8–17

(a) He claims he is innocent. 23:8–12

(b) He asserts his fear of God. 23:13–16

(3) He observes inequity all around. 24:1–17

(a) People oppress others without God’s (apparent) notice. 24:1–12

(b) People defy God’s righteous standards without God’s opposition. 24:13–17

(4) He observes that the wicked go unpunished. 24:18–25

c) Bildad’s third speech: God is so great, none is righteous by comparison. 25 (6 vv.)

d) Job’s response: His friends have missed the point, namely, that God has kept his reasons secret. He is still innocent and confident that God will ultimately judge the wicked. 26–27

(1) He dismisses Bildad’s counsel as worthless. 26:1–4

(2) He affirms the greatness of God. 26:5–14

(3) He reaffirms his life-long devotion to righteousness. 27:1–6

(4) He insists he has much to teach his friends about God. 27:7–12

(5) He reaffirms his faith that the wicked will be punished by God. 27:13–23

B. Job’s hymn in praise of wisdom: Wisdom comes from the fear of the Lord (Adonai). 28
(Divides the two parts of the body—dialogue with friends from dialogue with God)

1. Man goes to great lengths to bring precious metals from the earth. 28:1–11

2. The finding of wisdom is past man’s ability. 28:12–22

3. Only God can lead man to wisdom. 28:23–28

C. Job’s challenge and God’s response 29:1—42:6

1. His challenge 29–31

a) His past: He longs for the way his life used to be. 29

(1) He used to be honored as one blessed by God. 29:1–20

(a) He describes how he was once honored. 29:1–11

(b) He lists his past good deeds. 29:12–20

(2) He used to be respected and heeded as a counselor. 29:21–25

b) His present: He mourns his present painful life. 30

(1) Even fools now get away with mocking him. 30:1–8

(2) He describes how they reproach him. 30:9–15

(3) He expresses how that makes him feel. 30:16–23

(a) Like life is choking him 30:16–18

(b) Like God has abandoned him to death 30:19–23

(4) He cannot refrain from mourning. 30:24–31

c) His challenge: Is God as righteous as he? 31

(1) He asserts his moral purity in heart. 31:1–4

(2) He asserts his honesty. 31:5–8

(3) He asserts his moral purity in act. 31:9–12

(4) He asserts his fairness toward his slaves. 31:13–15

(5) He asserts his mercy toward the defenseless. 31:16–23

(6) He asserts his right attitude toward material things. 31:24–28

(7) He asserts his consistent hospitality. 31:29–34

(8) He challenges God to defend himself. 31:35–37

(9) He asserts his honesty. 31:38–40

2. Elihu’s speeches: an interlude 32–37

a) Introduction to Elihu 32

(1) His introduction to the readers 32:1–5

(2) His introduction to Job and friends 32:6–22

(a) He requests a hearing in spite of his relative youth. 32:6–10

(b) He reproves the friends for using unconvincing arguments. 32:11–14

b) Elihu’s first speech: He contends to Job that God does communicate. 33

(1) He challenges Job to hear him out. 33:1–7

(2) He restates Job’s accusations against God. 33:8–12

(3) He indicates various ways God would communicate with men. 33:13–33

(a) God may warn men in dreams. 33:13–18

(b) God may communicate through human suffering. 33:19–22

(d) Since God does speak, Job ought to listen. 33:29–33

c) Elihu’s second speech: God is not unjust, as Job has charged. 34

(1) Job’s accusations against God are wicked. 34:1–9

(2) God is not unjust, as Job has charged. 34:10–37

(a) God is not unjust. 34:10–15

(b) The common people have no right to accuse a good king with injustice. 34:16–20

(d) Job is guilty of rebellion against God. 34:31–37

d) Elihu’s third speech: God is too great to stoop to Job’s accusations. 35

(1) He ridicules Job’s claim that righteousness is no better than sin. 35:1–3

(2) He answers it. 35:4–16

(a) Man is too small to affect God. 35:4–8

(b) God will not answer the charge of the wicked. 35:9–16

e) Elihu’s fourth speech: Consider the greatness of God. 36–37

(1) His greatness in relation to man 36:1–23

(a) God deals justly with men. 36:1–16

i) God’s greatness deserves further elaboration. 36:1–4

ii) God deals in justice. 36:5–9

iii) He teaches righteousness. 36:10–11

iv) He punishes rebellion. 36:12–14

v) He delivers the oppressed. 36:15–16

(b) Job’s injustice has incurred God’s judgment. 36:17–23

(2) His greatness in relation to the created world 36:24—37:24

(a) God’s knowledge of how to operate storms is magnificent. 36:24—37:20

i) Man cannot fathom such knowledge. 36:24–33

ii) God operates the weather for man’s benefit. 37:1–13

iii) Elihu challenges Job to explain God’s work; his point being that he is not God’s equal. 37:14–20

(b) Such a God deserves man’s reverence. 37:21–24

3. God’s response 38:1—42:6

a) God’s first speech: He challenges Job to explain creation (The issue of Knowledge). 38:1—40:2

(1) The inanimate world 38 (vv. 1–38)

(a) God calls on Job to listen and answer. 38:1–3

(b) “Give your eye-witness report of the creation event.” 38:4–7

(d) “Have you ever caused a new day to dawn?” 38:12–15

(e) “Have you ever walked the ocean floor?” 38:16–18

(f) “Where do light and snow come from?” 38:19–24

(g) “Where do rain and ice come from?” 38:25–30

(h) “Can you control the stars?” 38:31–33

(i) “Can you control the rain?” 38:34–38

(2) The animate world 39 (38:39—40:2)

(a) “Can you feed the carnivores?” 38:39–41

(b) “Can you describe the birthing process of wild animals?” 39:1–4

(d) “I know about the ostrich. (Do you?)” 39:13–18

(e) “Do you make the horse fearless?” 39:19–25

(f) “Did you teach the birds to fly?” 39:26–30

(g) God challenges Job to answer. 40:1–2

b) Job’s reply: “I spoke rashly once, but not again.” 40:3–5

c) God’s second speech: The great beasts, Behemoth and Leviathan, show Job’s smallness relative to God (The issue of Power). 40:6—41:34

(1) God challenges Job to answer more questions. 40:6–14

(2) Behemoth 40:15–24

(a) Description 40:15–18

(b) God asserts no man can control him. 40:19–24

(3) Leviathan 41

(a) God asserts Job cannot control him. 41:1–11

(b) Description 41:12–34

d) Job’s reply 42:1–6

(1) Job admits God’s superior knowledge. 42:1–3

(2) Job asks God to teach him. 42:4–5 (from God’s first speech: 38:2–3)

(3) Job repents of his arrogance. 42:6

III. Epilogue: Job’s doubled restoration 42:7–17

A. God’s dealing with Job’s three friends 42:7–9

B. God’s restoration of Job’s losses 42:10–17

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[3] See for instance LaSor, et al, OTS, pp. 561f.