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The Book of Job is not simply a story, but a fable, rich with meaning and lessons to be
learned. It is a poem with seminal meaning, whether one interprets it literally or figuratively. It is
rich in meaning, didactic poetry in nature which some call the most profound and literary work
of the entire Old Testament (McKenzie, 1965, p.440). Essentially, the story relates the trials of
Job, a devout man of God, at the hands of Satan, and his theological discussions with various
archetypal characters on the origins and nature of his suffering, and finally a response from God.
The poem attempts to address a basic problem for humanity the problem of good versus evil
how one should reconcile the existence of evil/suffering in a world of goodness created by God
(Janzen, 1985). Indeed, this type of question has been tackled by numerous cultures, showing
that it is central to the way humans interpret the divine. Certainly, Philoctetes and his exile have
numerous parallels to Job,
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and other cultures ascribe the generic affinities of the Job tale by
showing a character of virtue that evokes certain aspects of the questioning all humans view as
central what is evil and why does the Divine allow evil to occur? (Newsom, 2009, pp.40-41).
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Often depicted as a righteous, forgiving, and loving character, God is portrayed as a
malevolent, indifferent, and an unwarranted individual in The Book of Job. The book, itself,
shows another side to God, in which many readers have not seen when reading other scriptures
or text from the bible. God gambles with Satan throughout the text and Job is the one to pay the
price of such a wager. When faced with such hardships, Job cries out to God because he seeks
answers and understanding on why such things have happened to him. God proves to be

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Homers Iliad; Plays by Sophocles, Aeschylus, and Euripides. http://www.temple.edu/classics/philoctetes.html

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See the rather lengthy discussion in Newsom regarding the universality of the Job Story, why it is popular among
writers, why there are similarities in prose, rhythm, and tone/timbre.
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overbearing and self-absorbed when he finally answers. God's willingness to make a wager with
Satan, his inability to comfort Job, and his explanation to Job when he finally answers, shows a
side of God that initially appears malevolent, indifferent, and an unwarranted character in this
text. Additionally, we must remember that the Satan in the story is not the Satan that emerges in
the Middle Ages. This Satan is still part of the celestial court, and makes the wager simply out of
doubt, not necessarily an evil, predetermined, malevolence (Ginzberg, 2004, p.148).
Briefly, Job was a righteous man who lived in Uz with his seven sons and three
daughters. He owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yokes of oxen,
five hundred donkeys and many slaves.
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Each year, he held a banquet where Job would have
each of his children purified, for fear that they might have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.
On the day that the angels came to attest before God, God pointed out to the accusing angel
(Satan) how righteous and respectful Job was to Him. Satan claimed that Job's actions and
character originated with evil and self-serving motives: Job is so righteous and respectful
because he has no reason to act otherwise, but if God were to give him hardship, he would curse
the name of the Lord. Satan challenges God to test Job, and God accepts. Here, we see Satan
prodding the Lord, who is supposed to be almighty and knowledgeable about everything, into
testing one of his faithful servants for no reason other than to prove his loyalty (Mitchell, 1994).
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Put into modern terms, Job was a multi-millionaire; what would he do with so many beasts of burden; and is it not
interesting to note that Job, a man of goodness, kept slaves? See a fascinating historical view of this, a reprint of a
book written in the 19
th
century: Barnes, Albert. (1849). Notes, Critical, Illustrative, and Practical on the Book of
Job. Abe Books, cited in:
http://books.google.com/books?id=CZ0sAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA115&dq=book+of+job+and+slavery&ei=hhqFSo-
jH4POlQT23YT_CQ#v=onepage&q=&f=false

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This tends to explain why God sometimes strikes down the righteous for no apparent reason, but it also makes us
question whether or not God truly has our best interest at heart. God seems to have the character of a small child
here, wanting to uphold his name, to show Satan that he "can too" prove that Job is faithful.
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God, being omnipotent, cannot be tricked; so anything he removes from Job is simply to
allow the moral question of good and evil but how is God good by making someone suffer?
Does God need to prove a point to Satan how does that engender Satans supposed influence
and power? And, did Job actually do anything to cause suffering?
On Earth, Job was stricken with misfortune. All his children died of one tragedy or
another, his animals were either stolen or struck by lightning. Job did not curse God, he
rationalized the act, what God gives, and He can also take away. God bragged to Satan about
how faithful and righteous Job remained. Again, Satan pushed God on, claiming that Job was
still faithful and righteous because he had not been affected directly by God's test. He persuades
God to test Job once more. This time, Job's health is destroyed in a most horrifying form. - Job is
covered in boils from head to toe so badly, that he uses a piece of broken pottery to scratch off
the dead flesh. At this point, Job's faith in the Lord is tested by his wife, who wondered why he is
still so faithful to God. As we all know, the hardest part of faith is to believe when others around
you do not, and can convince you that they are right while you are wrong. Still, Job rebuked his
wife and refused to sin. Job had three friends: Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and
Zophar the Namathite. These three friends heard of what happened to Job and came to offer their
sympathy and grief. After about a week of prayers, Job finally broke down and cursed the day he
was born. He wondered why life should be given to a person who desires only death, who has
ceased to find any value in life, who has lost all hope of escape from continuous terror and
torment. His friends answer him in a series of three rounds, the first being the most significant of
the three (Ibid).
Eliphaz answered him first, saying that Job helped others with encouraging words but
now that the tables are turned, he impatiently gave up. The righteous living that he had in the
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past should sustain him through his trials now. No man is ever capable of a totally righteous
relationship with God; it is a cycle of sin and forgiveness. Job's resentment of discipline is very
unwise, for God will not change your circumstances and a stubborn refusal to learn from them
will result in death. The source of the problem is not man's circumstances, but his heart. Eliphaz
says that Job should look to God for deliverance. God does astonishing things, He helps those
who are hurt and oppressed but destroys the corrupt. He tells Job to accept God's discipline, he
will learn from it and then God will bless him in many ways. Job argued that his complaint is
justifiable, and if Eliphaz would comprehend his anguish, then he would understand that what
God had done to him was wrong. Job does not accept Eliphaz's view that he must have sinned
and feels that his speech was inappropriate for the circumstances. Job wishes God would give
him death, so he could die with the consolation that he had remained faithful to God all the way
to the end. What other hope does he have? Why should he wait quietly for something to happen,
when all his belongings and loved ones had been destroyed? Job also feels that Eliphaz has failed
in his obligations toward him as a friend, because he doubts Job in his time of need. Job asks
Eliphaz to point out his errors, to look at his sincerity and not to accuse him without giving good
cause (Sutherland, 2006).
Job asks why God treats him like an enemy, why He will not even let sleep ease his pain.
Job asks why God is focusing so much attention on him. Even if he did sin, it would not have
hurt Him. So why not, in that case, show mercy and forgive him? Once he dies, it would be too
late to do so. Bildad's answers him by saying that God does not distort what is right. Job's
children died because of sin. If Job repents, God will not give him death but blessings beyond
imagination. Repents of what? Job believes he is without sin. Job agrees that God does not
pervert justice but does not understand how he can demonstrate his righteousness to Him. Job
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speaks of God's power in creation and how he works in catastrophic events. His works are
beyond comprehension. These events are all merely the effects of His presence. In all, God does
as he pleases, and no enemy can oppose Him or even question Him. Because of His greatness,
Job is helpless to defend himself and if he tried, he would probably be destroyed. In His sight,
Job could not even utter a word without sounding guilty. Nonetheless, Job feels that he is
blameless and wants to die. God, for some reason, lets the blameless people suffer just like the
wicked. If it is not God doing it, then who is it? Job's days are ending and unrealistic thinking
cannot change reality. Anything that he might do to prove himself innocent would be of no
value. He cannot approach God in court, as he would do a man. Job says to God that he hates his
life, he is going to protest to Him to stop condemning him until He has shown him his sin. He
asks if somehow, God gets enjoyment from attacking him while at the same time favoring the
wicked, for he knows that Job is innocent and that he is helpless against Him (Jantzen).
The next person to speak to Job is Zophar, who claims that since Job is so worldly, it is
practically impossible for him to be righteous, too. The riches of this world corrupt mankind.
Zophar wishes that God Himself would show him how wrong Job was. He asks Job to repent and
turn back to God and forsake his sins, for only then will the past be totally forgotten. Job replies
by saying that what Zophar has just said, anyone can know. Job then goes into a long
monologue. He says that he longs for the past and for the days in which he had an intimate
companionship with God. Then, he was continuously blessed by Him, he was held in honor and
respect above all other men because he helped the helpless, was righteous, just and opposed the
wicked. Job expected prosperity and blessing all the days of his life, he was the most respected
of all men and now he is mocked by all. All he has left is a few remaining days of pain. Job begs
for mercy but God ruthlessly attacks him with the intent of totally destroying him. Surely it is
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unreasonable to destroy a person who is already beat and broken. He went to others when they
were hurt, yet no one comes to his aid. Though he begs for health, all he receives is misery and
horror (Habel, 1985, pp. 349-51).
Job then pronounces an oath of innocence. He never looked lustfully at a woman, was
never deceitful, never committed a sexual sin. He had never been unjust to his servants; never
turned those away who were in need, never loved money or any other form of idolatry. Job
challenges God to prove him wrong. If ever he had committed any sin, then may he be utterly
cursed to the highest degree. All Job wants from God is an explanation. God never fully explains
why Job's faith was tested and why Job had to suffer. He hides behind his ego and the great
things he has done trying to force Job into submission. Just like a fox running around a rabbit
hole, but never catching the rabbit, God talks about a great deal of things, but never really
explains why Job had to suffer. This proves God to be very uncaring. After everything Job has
endured, he deserves a good explanation. God does attempt an explanation. He talks of
Leviathan (41.1); lotus plants (40.21), and even eagles (39.27). However, he never tells Job
about the deal with Satan and that he was only trying to test Job's faith. God is ashamed by what
he did. He feels badly, but yet he says nothing to comfort Job. He proceeds to give Job
everything he had back, plus more as if to keep Job quiet. Job is not happy and even questions
himself at the end. ""I will question you, and you declare to me. I had heard you by the hearing
of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself" (42.5). Job states clearly that he
has seen God for who he is and questions whether his faith in God, is right. Job despises himself
and even his faith. However, he goes on to repent and prays for his friends. Due to Gods unclear
answer, Jobs loses something else, a little bit of his faith. God proves nothing to Job, but wins
against Satan (Mason, 1994). While Job is made prosperous again, more life, more children,
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more wealth God is still angry about the representations made by Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar
for how can man know what reasons may exist for God?
Thematically, then, what are the lessons Job (Humans) must learn from this poem?
Clearly God is omniscient, omnipotent, and always correct.
The path to salvation has nothing to do with goods but only what a heart brings to
God.
Humans must accept the natural cycle of good and evil, just as they must accept night
and dark, winter and summer, etc.
Challenging God is unacceptable and only brings more misery (Talbert, 2007).
Of course, numerous interpretations exist for these lessons, but if one takes into context
the chronology of the poem, as well as the intellectual sophistication of humanity at the time,
several interesting parallels appear.
Character Major thesis Meaning
Job Confident of his own innocence
maintains that his suffering is
unjustified, but seeks an
explanation.
The everyman; looking at the universe,
how does one explain the yin/yang of the
world? The constancy of testing and the
desire for explanations and the uncovering
of truth seem to be universal human
attributes. Job is suffering humanity
Eilhu Mediation, condemns the three
friends explanation arguing that
Job is misrepresenting God; his
mane means, My God is He so he
represents the conservative,
traditional view.
God is all-powerful and should not be
questioned; it is better for humans not to
over analyze, not to become to enraptured
with the why, instead of just the are. An
interesting conservative interpretation,
perhaps rabbinically inclined to keep the
population in line open for only their
interpretation?
Eliphaz Likely his name means God of
Gold and represents earthly
wealth; he is sympathetic but
convinced that Job must have secret
sins, since no man is innocent.
Materialism, proof that there is no such
thing as pure goodness; it is pointless to
strive; rather confess and await
punishment.
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Character Major thesis Meaning
Bildad Means, Son of contention
Intending to console, he becomes
an accuser
We have now the human behavior of
contention and a reason not to subscribe
to this view.
Zophar Means Rising Early or wisdom,
he believes that there are
consequences to living a life of sin.
What kind of wisdom sees consequences?
Is this not the view of the person, or group,
who seeks to be the first, yet knows that
consequences exist?
Jobs Wife Suggesting almost immediately that
Job curse God (2:9) she is practical,
and sees no reason for any of this
foolishness to continue.
The other side of Job? The other voice of
not needing to prove anything to anyone.
Satan More the adversary or trickster
than evil; he still remains celestial,
but can walk among men as well;
the celestial prosecutor -even the
name ha-satan does not mean
evil, but the opposite, the adversary
of humanity, not the adversary of
God.
An explanation of why bad things happen
to good people, or why there is strife,
disease, and negativity in the world. Once
Satan is seen as an adversary to humans,
believing them to be, like Hobbes would
later, born needing control, then the tale
becomes more of what moral strength are
men made?
God Complex; retributive initially; and
one wonders why something so
powerful would toy with his
creation; yet this sets God apart
from humans, and humans will
never understand the divine.
Knowledge is power, but how can a
retributive God be good; and at what cost
and for what possible reasoning. Again,
perhaps a societal explanation for the
hierarchy of authority.
(Sources: Palmer, 2008; Newsom, 2009).

Thus, the basic theme of Job is to establish an understanding of the relationship between
God and man. God's wisdom and power are visible everywhere in creation. A willingness to look
and accept what is obvious results in awe for the Creator. The clear purpose of this tale is to
teach humankind that the true path to salvation and favor from God is an acceptance of whatever
miseries and tests placed upon you. We are shown the three wrong stances to take through
example of Job's friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zopher, all three of whom place the blame upon
Job and presume to know the ways of God. We are also shown that challenging God to prove his
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ways is unacceptable, we are simple human beings and cannot presume to ask God to explain
himself to us. All in all, The Book of Job is there to show us what not to do, it cautions against
ever making God "angry" through your thoughts and actions, no matter what is inflicted on you.
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What then, can one surmise about the idea that is misfortune always a divine
punishment for something, even if we do not know what it is? This test is apparent in both the
Epic of Gilgamesh, some of the Egyptian myths, and in the Islamic Qur;an.
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Modern Christian
scholars have reinterpreted Job as well, finding several points that tend to make the reading of
the poem more appropriate for the contemporary world, one in which faith is the reason for
belief, not an explanation of the physical world. Thus:
Satans first speech while still in heaven sets out the moral solution.
Jobs struggle is not of restoration, but of answers to universal questions of humanity.
God has moral restrictions, too lest he defeat the very purpose of allowing the dark
to exist with the light.

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This is more the Sunday school interpretation, but fails to address several issues regarding the deeper meaning
and questioning (of course, which is parabalically forbidden) of Gods actions.
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See for example, Ludlul Bel Nemeqi (I Will Praise the Lord of Wisdom), a Sumerian poem written to address the
problem of the unjust suffering of an afflicted man, note, too, how this theme is carried into the standard
Gilgamesh stories as an explanation for the hierarchy of the Gods and Man. The Hebrew story of Job and the
Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh also have several points of comparison. Both tell of superhuman trials and the
realization of death and suffering as part of the human condition. Both heroes seek but do not find assurance of
immortality/life after death. Job's mention of Sheol seems similar to the Mesopotamian underworld in Tablet VII of
the Epic, both dismal places where the dead wait through eternity. These stories further strengthen the Hebrew-
Mesopotamian connection via the pessimism characteristic of the area around the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The
anthropomorphic God who makes the first covenant with Abraham displays some characteristics of the
Mesopotamian gods of the area. His ferocity in the request for human sacrifice when he is testing Abraham, as well
as the fact that this God is later tied to a specific place (Jacob's peni-EL) seem like instances of the Hebrews being
influenced by the nearby Mesopotamian gods, EL and Sabbaoth. The intangible God of Moses might be a rejection
of these former conceptions of God, where he was clearly human in form and could be encountered face to face.
See: Lambert, W. (1996). Babylonian Wisdom. Eisenbrauns, pp. 21-62, 282-302; Maier, J. (1998). Gilgamesh: A
Reader, Carducci, pp. 64-5, 316, 351. In a story/text quite comparable to Job, a man name Ipuur questions the Lord
of All about why suffering and injustice are rife in Egypt. The gods replies are not very well preserved, but scholars
believe that the gist is that humans must accept responsibility for their own actions that life is a continuing struggle
between order and chaos. See: Parkinson, R. (1997). The Tale of Sinuhe and Other Ancient Egyptian Poems. Oxford
University Press, pp. 166-99, and Pinch, G. (2002). Handbook of Egyptian Mythology. ABC-CLIO. In the Islamic
Quran, Job was a prophet who was renowned for his endurance of pain and suffering; his prophecy is located in:
4:163 and 6:84; his trial and patience in 21:83-84, and 38:41.
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Job has various moral ambiguities; causal responsibility and innocence.
Satans challenge to God is multilayered, it is not merely the challenge that Job
should, or will, curse God, it is that God is wrong in his assumption of Jobs
goodness.
In essence, if Job represents humanity, then humanity is completely blameless, for
Job did nothing wrong, but accepted punishment anyway.

The story of Job is multi-layered, it teaches that the roots of human suffering and
inequality are not simple, and not in direct consequence to anything. There is no algebraic
equation or trading cards with God. Despite Gods apparent willingness to hand over
humanitys fate to the ultimate adversary, humans remain unquestioning in their capacity
for faith, because suffering simply is, it is a part of life. In a way, it is a very humanistic
approach to faith take responsibility, humanity does not need to make deals with the
divine, because things just happen, we must trust in the universality of the way things
unfold only then is humanity restored and continuously renewed after suffering and
loss, as well as bounty and joy (Greene and Burke, pp. 230-39).
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REFERENCES


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There are numerous parallels to this view, a world-consciousness, in the philosophies of Zoroastrianism,
Buddhism, etc. a more cosmic approach to the definition of why good why evil why not? See: Howell, J.
(1990). Zoroastrianism & Christianity. Historical Text Archive. Cited in:
http://historicaltextarchive.com/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=754; Renard, J. (1999). Responses to 101
Questions on Buddhism. Paulist Press, pp. 68-72.

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Ginzberg, L. (2004). The Legends of the Jews, Volume 2. Kessinger Publications.

Greene, L. and J. Sharman-Burke. (2000). They Mythic Journey: The Meaning of
Myth as a Guide for Life. Simon and Schuster.

Habel, N. (1985). The Book of Job: A Commentary. Westminster: John Knox.

Janzen, J. (1985). Job Interpretation a Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching.
Westminster Press.

Mason, M. (1994). The Gospel According to Job: An Honest Look at Pain and
Doubt from the life of One Who Lost Everything. Crossway Books.

Mitchell, S. (1992). The Book of Job. Harper.

Newsome, C. (2009). The Book of Job: A Contest of Moral Imaginations. Oxford
University Press.

Palmer, E. (2008). An Inductive Study of the Metaphorical Language in the Book of Job.
BiblioBazaar.

Sutherland, R. (2006). Putting God on Trial: The Biblical Book of Job. Trafford Publishing.

Talbert, L. (2007). Beyond Suffering: Discovering the Message of Job. BJU Press.

Kubler-Ross, E. (2013, January). On Death and Dying. Retrieved from ELR Foundation:
http://www.ekrfoundation.org/
Schroeter, K. (2000). Advocacy in Perioperative Nursing Practice. AORN, 71(1), 1207-22.