Job 1-2 | TNotes | STEP | Book of Job — Quick facts: Purpose: To offer reflection on the issue of human suffering, primarily by questioning the oft-held connection between moral goodness and prosperity Author: Unknown Date: Unknown Setting: The patriarchal period, possibly in the land of Edom Book of Job — Overview: Setting The book of Job unfolds early in the patriarchal age, before Israel became a nation. Job’s wealth, like Abraham’s, was in livestock and slaves (1:3 ; 42:12 ; see Gen 12:16 ; 32:5 ). He was his family’s priest, as was a common practice before the law of Moses (1:5 ; 42:8 ; see Gen 4:4 ; 8:20 ; 12:7-8 ; 13:18 ; 15:9-10 ; 26:25 ; 33:20 ; 35:1-6 ; 46:1 ). During Job’s time, the Sabeans and Chaldeans were nomadic raiders (1:15 , 17 ), not important political and economic powers as in the late monarchical period (cp. Isa 45:14 ; Joel 3:8 ). The money used by Job and his relatives was called the kesitah , which was used during the patriarchal age (42:11 ; see Gen 33:19 ; Josh 24:32 ). Only those who lived before the flood (Gen 1–6 ) and the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) matched or exceeded Job’s longevity (42:16 ; see Gen 5:3-32 ; 25:7 ; 35:28 ; 47:28 ; 50:26 ). With Job, we return to the beginning of history, when mortals first struggled to know God and understand the world. Summary The prose introduction to the book of Job (chs 1–2 ) provides the heavenly perspective on Job’s suffering and sets the context for the human dialogue that forms most of the work. Job was a righteous man whom God allowed Satan to test. In the heavenly courtroom, Satan argued that if God removed his blessings from Job, he would “surely curse you to your face” (1:11 ). Instead, Job responded, “Praise the name of the Lord !” (1:21 ), and, “Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” (2:10 ). God’s praise for Job was vindicated. The reader then leaves the court of heaven and enters the council of humans as three of Job’s friends come to sympathize with him. Their silent, seven-day vigil is apparently a genuine attempt to console Job (2:11-13 ). However, when Job breaks his silence with a bitter complaint (ch 3 ), his counselors begin to criticize and condemn him. In three rounds of debate (chs 4–27 ), their rhetoric varies from innuendo to blatant accusation. Job’s friends argue a tight theological case: Since God is righteous, he rewards each person according to what that person has done; therefore, Job’s suffering must be the just punishment for some evil he has committed. Job responds to each of their speeches by insisting that he is innocent and that his suffering is undeserved and unfair. After the three rounds of dialogue between Job and his friends, a poetic interlude praises God as the sole source of wisdom (ch 28 ). When Job then makes his final statement about both his misery and his righteousness (chs 29–31 ), his three friends give up on him (32:1 ). Elihu, a new voice, then renews the human struggle to explain Job’s suffering (chs 32–37 ). Finally, God arrives to challenge Job (chs 38–41 ). Instead of hearing Job’s case, God demands answers and poses questions that demonstrate his own power and sovereignty. Job responds with repentance and acknowledges that he does not have the right to question God (42:1-6 ). In the final prose section (42:7-17 ), God reaffirms Job’s righteousness and faithfulness, pronounces judgment on Job’s friends, and pours out tremendous blessings on Job. Job as History The heavenly setting of the book’s opening and the manifestation of the supernatural at its closing tempt the modern reader to cast the book of Job as a fictional parable. The poetic dialogues also suggest that it is something more than just a dry historical record. But history can be described in flights of poetry just as well as in detailed narrative (cp. Exod 14:21-31 ; 15:1-12 ; Pss 78 ; 105 ). The biblical record elsewhere suggests that the account of Job is historical. Both Ezekiel and James referred to Job as an example of righteousness and endurance (Ezek 14:14 , 20 ; Jas 5:11 ). Author and Date of Composition The authorship and composition of Job is a riddle. Although the story has a patriarchal setting (around 2000 BC ), the date of its composition appears to be much later. Commentators have suggested dates that range from the era of Israel’s wilderness wanderings (Exodus—Numbers ) to the era following the return from exile (Ezra—Nehemiah ). The final composition of Job probably took place during the monarchy (1–2 Kings ), when other wisdom materials such as Proverbs and Ecclesiastes were being accumulated. Even if we accept that Job was a historical character, we still do not know who the author was, where he lived, or what level of society he came from. The author appears to have been a sage who was skilled in the use of proverbs (e.g., 4:2 ; 6:5-6 ), rhetorical questions (e.g., 21:29 ), and the art of eloquence. He also knew about plant and animal life, foreign culture, and antiquity, including the patriarchal period. The book cannot be dated with certainty by reference to (1) events or people mentioned or implied in the book (the earliest reference to Job is during the Exile, Ezek 14:14 , 20 ); (2) theological ideas in the book that point to distinct dates; or (3) its textual relationship to other material in the Old Testament (e.g., cp. 3:3-10 ; Jer 20:14-18 ). Job may even have been edited over a period of time by a number of different people. Literary Characteristics Ancient Parallels to Job. The book of Job has several parallels in ancient Near Eastern literature (The following list of parallels is based on James B. Pritchard, ed., Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament , 3rd ed. [Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1969]): • The Canaanite “Legend of King Keret” tells of a king who loses his family in a series of natural disasters; his god El restores his family. • The Egyptian document “Dispute over Suicide” (2000s BC ) tells of a man who considers suicide and hopes that someone will take up his case with the heavenly council. (Job wishes he had never been born, but he never considers suicide.) • Also from Egypt, “Protests of the Eloquent Peasant” (2200s BC ) tells the story of a robbery victim who is not treated justly and appeals to local authorities. At first he is polite, but as he keeps presenting his case, his language becomes increasingly strident. • From Babylonia, the story “I Will Praise the Lord of Wisdom” tells of a pious man of high rank who is struck with illness and mocked by friends. Unlike Job, this man believes that he has committed some accidental sin, perhaps something that he never thought was wrong. Rather than maintain his innocence, he acknowledges his guilt and begs for mercy. After a series of exorcisms that bring healing, his god restores his fortunes. In gratitude, he concludes with a long hymn of praise to his god. • Also from Babylonia, the “Babylonian Theodicy” follows the same dialogue form that the book of Job uses: The sufferer complains, and his friends respond with rebukes. The arguments on both sides are remarkably similar to those in Job. Yet we also see key differences: (1) The “Babylonian Theodicy” is polytheistic, whereas Job is monotheistic; (2) its sufferer threatens to abandon his faith and give up obedience, even as he ends with a petition to his god and goddess. Job remains committed to the Lord throughout (e.g., Job 13:15-16 ). Relationship to Israel’s Wisdom Literature. The book of Job has the flavor of other works of Old Testament wisdom literature. Job’s friends follow lines of thought spelled out in Deuteronomy, Chronicles, and Proverbs. They argue that wisdom and righteousness lead to life and prosperity, while folly and wickedness lead to death and failure. Job joins the author of Ecclesiastes in questioning the simplistic, universal application of this doctrine. Meaning and Message The book of Job does not explain suffering. That is not its purpose. But it does demonstrate that suffering is not necessarily God’s retribution for sin. Job does not get an answer as to why bad things happen to good people, and neither do we. The central conflict of the book is between the integrity of the Creator and the integrity of a man. Heaven and earth appear to be at odds. It is too easy simply to line up with Job’s three friends in denying Job’s innocence, as we can appeal to various New Testament passages that deny that any human is righteous (e.g., Rom 3:10 , 23 ; Luke 18:19 ). Job’s righteousness is genuine and thorough, though his obsession with his own rectitude sometimes borders on self-righteousness. He grows so adamant in defending his integrity that he seems ready to defy God. Job’s three friends set out a view of God that is more orthodox, at least on the surface. These counselors are more than weak, imaginary straw men; they accurately develop most of the biblical ways of explaining suffering. But their presumptuous applications go sour. They insist on a quid pro quo view of retribution, in which all the good and evil that people experience is directly related to what they have earned or deserved. The book works within the basic commitments of Old Testament Israel’s faith. Job and all of the other speakers take seriously the covenantal ideas of blessing and cursing (Lev 26 ; Deut 28 ) and of sowing and reaping in this life (Ps 34:11-22 ; see also Gal 6:7 ; 1 Pet 3:10 ). They don’t even consider solutions to the problem of why God permits the righteous to suffer ( theodicy ) from outside the scope of biblical revelation (e.g., metaphysical dualism, polytheistic tensions, or materialistic naturalism). Instead, the book’s speakers explore only biblical answers. They explain the meaning of suffering as (1) punishment for sin (e.g., Job 4:7-9 ); (2) the inevitable lot of mortals, who tend toward sin (e.g., 15:14-16 ); (3) God’s discipline (e.g., 5:17-18 ; 33:15-28 ; 36:8-15 ; see Prov 3:11 ; Heb 12:2-13 ); (4) part of God’s mysterious plan (e.g., Job 11:7-8 ; 37:19 , 23 ); or (5) a test imposed on earth to satisfy a heavenly dispute (e.g., 1:6-12 ). Since life “under the sun” (see Ecclesiastes) is an arena too small to provide answers to all the great questions, the writer looks to the courts of heaven for a divine dimension to what takes place on earth. But the answer is not disclosed even there. Why did God entertain Satan’s challenge in the first place? In the end, the book of Job shows God defending Job’s innocence and rejecting easy explanations of suffering. God also rejects Job’s demands for an explanation. Since Job could not possibly understand the whole universe, he should not demand an explanation of how his suffering fits into that order. The world cannot be explained in terms that humans can fully understand. The book of Job thus offers a complex picture of God. He could have rejected Satan’s suggestion, having nothing to prove; yet he chose to allow the test, ultimately demonstrating his power and bringing defeat to Satan through the human Job. God never explains to Job what is happening behind the scenes. Instead, God challenges Job’s right to question the integrity of divine justice (40:8 ). The way to live through calamities is not just to keep a stiff upper lip but to bow reverently before God and trust his sovereign goodness. In a day of calamity, humans can respond to God by worshiping him and acknowledging the wisdom and justice of his ways, regardless of how harsh the pain or dark the confusion. God’s holy purposes for human suffering are sometimes hidden. In the end, Job draws closer to God through his suffering: “I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes” (42:5 ). Summary for Job 1:6-2:7: 1:1–2:13 God and Satan agree to a test that would bring about Job’s troubles and confirm his integrity (1:20-21 ; 2:10 ). None of the book’s characters ever learn of this heavenly council. 1:1 The opening phrase, There once was a man , can introduce either a parable (2 Sam 12:1 ) or history (1 Sam 25:2 ). • Job is also mentioned in Ezek 14:14 , 20 and Jas 5:11 . • Uz is east of the Jordan, either in Edom to the south (Gen 36:28 ; 1 Chr 1:42 ; Jer 25:19-20 ; Lam 4:21 ) or in Aram to the north (Gen 10:23 ; 22:21 ; 1 Chr 1:17 , 42 ). Job was not an Israelite—he lived before the nation was born and outside its later territory. • Job was morally blameless—a man of complete integrity (Job 1:8 ; 2:3 ; see Pss 25:21 ; 37:37 ; Prov 2:7 ; 20:11 ; 29:10 ). He did not claim to be perfect or sinless (Job 6:24 ; 7:21 ; see also Eccl 7:20 ; Rom 3:23 ; 1 Jn 1:8 ), but he was righteous; his suffering did not result from guilt. He feared God (see Ps 111:10 ; Prov 1:7 ; 9:10 ; 2 Cor 7:1 ) and did not appeal to any of the ancient Near Eastern gods (Job 9:8 ; 23:13 ; 31:26-28 ).

Book of Job — Quick facts:

Purpose: To offer reflection on the issue of human suffering, primarily by questioning the oft-held connection between moral goodness and prosperity

Author: Unknown

Date: Unknown

Setting: The patriarchal period, possibly in the land of Edom

Book of Job — Overview:

Setting
The book of Job unfolds early in the patriarchal age, before Israel became a nation. Job’s wealth, like Abraham’s, was in livestock and slaves (1:3 ^a; 42:12 ^b; see Gen 12:16 ^c; 32:5 ^d). He was his family’s priest, as was a common practice before the law of Moses (1:5 ^e; 42:8 ^f; see Gen 4:4 ^g; 8:20 ^h; 12:7-8 ⁱ; 13:18 ^j; 15:9-10 ^k; 26:25 ^l; 33:20 ^m; 35:1-6 ⁿ; 46:1 ^o). During Job’s time, the Sabeans and Chaldeans were nomadic raiders (1:15 ^p, 17 ^q), not important political and economic powers as in the late monarchical period (cp. Isa 45:14 ^r; Joel 3:8 ^s). The money used by Job and his relatives was called the kesitah, which was used during the patriarchal age (42:11 ^t; see Gen 33:19 ^u; Josh 24:32 ^v). Only those who lived before the flood (Gen 1–6 ^w) and the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) matched or exceeded Job’s longevity (42:16 ^x; see Gen 5:3-32 ^y; 25:7 ^z; 35:28 ^aa; 47:28 ^ab; 50:26 ^ac). With Job, we return to the beginning of history, when mortals first struggled to know God and understand the world.

Summary
The prose introduction to the book of Job (chs 1–2 ^ad) provides the heavenly perspective on Job’s suffering and sets the context for the human dialogue that forms most of the work. Job was a righteous man whom God allowed Satan to test. In the heavenly courtroom, Satan argued that if God removed his blessings from Job, he would “surely curse you to your face” (1:11 ^ae). Instead, Job responded, “Praise the name of the Lord!” (1:21 ^af), and, “Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” (2:10 ^ag). God’s praise for Job was vindicated.
The reader then leaves the court of heaven and enters the council of humans as three of Job’s friends come to sympathize with him. Their silent, seven-day vigil is apparently a genuine attempt to console Job (2:11-13 ^ah). However, when Job breaks his silence with a bitter complaint (ch 3 ^ai), his counselors begin to criticize and condemn him. In three rounds of debate (chs 4–27 ^aj), their rhetoric varies from innuendo to blatant accusation. Job’s friends argue a tight theological case: Since God is righteous, he rewards each person according to what that person has done; therefore, Job’s suffering must be the just punishment for some evil he has committed. Job responds to each of their speeches by insisting that he is innocent and that his suffering is undeserved and unfair.
After the three rounds of dialogue between Job and his friends, a poetic interlude praises God as the sole source of wisdom (ch 28 ^ak). When Job then makes his final statement about both his misery and his righteousness (chs 29–31 ^al), his three friends give up on him (32:1 ^am). Elihu, a new voice, then renews the human struggle to explain Job’s suffering (chs 32–37 ^an). Finally, God arrives to challenge Job (chs 38–41 ^ao). Instead of hearing Job’s case, God demands answers and poses questions that demonstrate his own power and sovereignty. Job responds with repentance and acknowledges that he does not have the right to question God (42:1-6 ^ap).
In the final prose section (42:7-17 ^aq), God reaffirms Job’s righteousness and faithfulness, pronounces judgment on Job’s friends, and pours out tremendous blessings on Job.

Job as History
The heavenly setting of the book’s opening and the manifestation of the supernatural at its closing tempt the modern reader to cast the book of Job as a fictional parable. The poetic dialogues also suggest that it is something more than just a dry historical record. But history can be described in flights of poetry just as well as in detailed narrative (cp. Exod 14:21-31 ^ar; 15:1-12 ^as; Pss 78 ^at; 105 ^au). The biblical record elsewhere suggests that the account of Job is historical. Both Ezekiel and James referred to Job as an example of righteousness and endurance (Ezek 14:14 ^av, 20 ^aw; Jas 5:11 ^ax).

Author and Date of Composition
The authorship and composition of Job is a riddle. Although the story has a patriarchal setting (around 2000 BC), the date of its composition appears to be much later. Commentators have suggested dates that range from the era of Israel’s wilderness wanderings (Exodus—Numbers ^ay) to the era following the return from exile (Ezra—Nehemiah ^az). The final composition of Job probably took place during the monarchy (1–2 Kings ^ba), when other wisdom materials such as Proverbs ^bb and Ecclesiastes ^bc were being accumulated.
Even if we accept that Job was a historical character, we still do not know who the author was, where he lived, or what level of society he came from. The author appears to have been a sage who was skilled in the use of proverbs (e.g., 4:2 ^bd; 6:5-6 ^be), rhetorical questions (e.g., 21:29 ^bf), and the art of eloquence. He also knew about plant and animal life, foreign culture, and antiquity, including the patriarchal period.
The book cannot be dated with certainty by reference to (1) events or people mentioned or implied in the book (the earliest reference to Job is during the Exile, Ezek 14:14 ^bg, 20 ^bh); (2) theological ideas in the book that point to distinct dates; or (3) its textual relationship to other material in the Old Testament (e.g., cp. 3:3-10 ^bi; Jer 20:14-18 ^bj). Job may even have been edited over a period of time by a number of different people.

Literary Characteristics
Ancient Parallels to Job. The book of Job has several parallels in ancient Near Eastern literature (The following list of parallels is based on James B. Pritchard, ed., Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament , 3rd ed. [Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1969]):

• The Canaanite “Legend of King Keret” tells of a king who loses his family in a series of natural disasters; his god El restores his family.

• The Egyptian document “Dispute over Suicide” (2000s BC) tells of a man who considers suicide and hopes that someone will take up his case with the heavenly council. (Job wishes he had never been born, but he never considers suicide.)

• Also from Egypt, “Protests of the Eloquent Peasant” (2200s BC) tells the story of a robbery victim who is not treated justly and appeals to local authorities. At first he is polite, but as he keeps presenting his case, his language becomes increasingly strident.

• From Babylonia, the story “I Will Praise the Lord of Wisdom” tells of a pious man of high rank who is struck with illness and mocked by friends. Unlike Job, this man believes that he has committed some accidental sin, perhaps something that he never thought was wrong. Rather than maintain his innocence, he acknowledges his guilt and begs for mercy. After a series of exorcisms that bring healing, his god restores his fortunes. In gratitude, he concludes with a long hymn of praise to his god.

• Also from Babylonia, the “Babylonian Theodicy” follows the same dialogue form that the book of Job uses: The sufferer complains, and his friends respond with rebukes. The arguments on both sides are remarkably similar to those in Job. Yet we also see key differences: (1) The “Babylonian Theodicy” is polytheistic, whereas Job is monotheistic; (2) its sufferer threatens to abandon his faith and give up obedience, even as he ends with a petition to his god and goddess. Job remains committed to the Lord throughout (e.g., Job 13:15-16 ^bk).
Relationship to Israel’s Wisdom Literature. The book of Job has the flavor of other works of Old Testament wisdom literature. Job’s friends follow lines of thought spelled out in Deuteronomy, Chronicles, and Proverbs. They argue that wisdom and righteousness lead to life and prosperity, while folly and wickedness lead to death and failure. Job joins the author of Ecclesiastes in questioning the simplistic, universal application of this doctrine.

Meaning and Message
The book of Job does not explain suffering. That is not its purpose. But it does demonstrate that suffering is not necessarily God’s retribution for sin. Job does not get an answer as to why bad things happen to good people, and neither do we.
The central conflict of the book is between the integrity of the Creator and the integrity of a man. Heaven and earth appear to be at odds. It is too easy simply to line up with Job’s three friends in denying Job’s innocence, as we can appeal to various New Testament passages that deny that any human is righteous (e.g., Rom 3:10 ^bl, 23 ^bm; Luke 18:19 ^bn). Job’s righteousness is genuine and thorough, though his obsession with his own rectitude sometimes borders on self-righteousness. He grows so adamant in defending his integrity that he seems ready to defy God. Job’s three friends set out a view of God that is more orthodox, at least on the surface. These counselors are more than weak, imaginary straw men; they accurately develop most of the biblical ways of explaining suffering. But their presumptuous applications go sour. They insist on a quid pro quo view of retribution, in which all the good and evil that people experience is directly related to what they have earned or deserved.
The book works within the basic commitments of Old Testament Israel’s faith. Job and all of the other speakers take seriously the covenantal ideas of blessing and cursing (Lev 26 ^bo; Deut 28 ^bp) and of sowing and reaping in this life (Ps 34:11-22 ^bq; see also Gal 6:7 ^br; 1 Pet 3:10 ^bs). They don’t even consider solutions to the problem of why God permits the righteous to suffer (theodicy) from outside the scope of biblical revelation (e.g., metaphysical dualism, polytheistic tensions, or materialistic naturalism). Instead, the book’s speakers explore only biblical answers. They explain the meaning of suffering as (1) punishment for sin (e.g., Job 4:7-9 ^bt); (2) the inevitable lot of mortals, who tend toward sin (e.g., 15:14-16 ^bu); (3) God’s discipline (e.g., 5:17-18 ^bv; 33:15-28 ^bw; 36:8-15 ^bx; see Prov 3:11 ^by; Heb 12:2-13 ^bz); (4) part of God’s mysterious plan (e.g., Job 11:7-8 ^ca; 37:19 ^cb, 23 ^cc); or (5) a test imposed on earth to satisfy a heavenly dispute (e.g., 1:6-12 ^cd).
Since life “under the sun” (see Ecclesiastes) is an arena too small to provide answers to all the great questions, the writer looks to the courts of heaven for a divine dimension to what takes place on earth. But the answer is not disclosed even there. Why did God entertain Satan’s challenge in the first place?
In the end, the book of Job shows God defending Job’s innocence and rejecting easy explanations of suffering. God also rejects Job’s demands for an explanation. Since Job could not possibly understand the whole universe, he should not demand an explanation of how his suffering fits into that order. The world cannot be explained in terms that humans can fully understand.
The book of Job thus offers a complex picture of God. He could have rejected Satan’s suggestion, having nothing to prove; yet he chose to allow the test, ultimately demonstrating his power and bringing defeat to Satan through the human Job. God never explains to Job what is happening behind the scenes. Instead, God challenges Job’s right to question the integrity of divine justice (40:8 ^ce).
The way to live through calamities is not just to keep a stiff upper lip but to bow reverently before God and trust his sovereign goodness. In a day of calamity, humans can respond to God by worshiping him and acknowledging the wisdom and justice of his ways, regardless of how harsh the pain or dark the confusion. God’s holy purposes for human suffering are sometimes hidden. In the end, Job draws closer to God through his suffering: “I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes” (42:5 ^cf).

Summary for Job 1:6-2:7: 1:1–2:13 ^cg God and Satan agree to a test that would bring about Job’s troubles and confirm his integrity (1:20-21 ^ch; 2:10 ^ci). None of the book’s characters ever learn of this heavenly council. 1:1 ^cj The opening phrase, There once was a man, can introduce either a parable (2 Sam 12:1 ^ck) or history (1 Sam 25:2 ^cl).

• Job is also mentioned in Ezek 14:14 ^cm, 20 ^cn and Jas 5:11 ^co.

• Uz is east of the Jordan, either in Edom to the south (Gen 36:28 ^cp; 1 Chr 1:42 ^cq; Jer 25:19-20 ^cr; Lam 4:21 ^cs) or in Aram to the north (Gen 10:23 ^ct; 22:21 ^cu; 1 Chr 1:17 ^cv, 42 ^cw). Job was not an Israelite—he lived before the nation was born and outside its later territory.

• Job was morally blameless—a man of complete integrity (Job 1:8 ^cx; 2:3 ^cy; see Pss 25:21 ^cz; 37:37 ^da; Prov 2:7 ^db; 20:11 ^dc; 29:10 ^dd). He did not claim to be perfect or sinless (Job 6:24 ^de; 7:21 ^df; see also Eccl 7:20 ^dg; Rom 3:23 ^dh; 1 Jn 1:8 ^di), but he was righteous; his suffering did not result from guilt. He feared God (see Ps 111:10 ^dj; Prov 1:7 ^dk; 9:10 ^dl; 2 Cor 7:1 ^dm) and did not appeal to any of the ancient Near Eastern gods (Job 9:8 ^dn; 23:13 ^do; 31:26-28 ^dp).
Summary for Job 1:2-3: 1:2-3 ^dq Job was prosperous in sons, daughters, livestock, and servants (cp. Gen 30:43 ^dr; Deut 7:13 ^ds; Ps 107:38 ^dt).

• Numbers such as seven and three (and 7,000 and 3,000) indicate the completeness of the blessing Job experienced (see Job 42:13 ^du; see also Pss 127:3-5 ^dv; 128:3 ^dw).

• the richest person in that entire area: The figures that catalogue Job’s wealth might not be exact, but they are realistic for a wealthy man of that time (cp. Nabal’s wealth, 1 Sam 25:2 ^dx).
1:5 ^dy Ritual washing and changing garments were common ways for individuals to purify themselves before offering a sacrifice (Gen 35:2 ^dz; Exod 19:10 ^ea, 14 ^eb).

• The common time for conscientious piety was early in the morning (see Gen 22:3 ^ec; Ps 5:3 ^ed; Mark 1:35 ^ee).

• cursed: The Hebrew term barak (literally blessed) is used here as a euphemism for cursing (cp. Job 1:11 ^ef; 2:5 ^eg, 9 ^eh; 1 Kgs 21:10 ^ei, 13 ^ej; Ps 10:3 ^ek). Job was concerned that his children might have committed this capital crime (Lev 24:10-16 ^el; 1 Kgs 21:9-13 ^em; cp. Job 1:11 ^en; 2:5 ^eo, 9 ^ep). Job understood that sinful attitudes in people’s hearts constitute sin (Jer 17:9-10 ^eq; Mark 7:21-23 ^er).
Summary for Job 1:6-7: 1:6-7 ^es The members of the heavenly court are heavenly beings; they may be either holy angels or rebellious demons (Gen 6:2 ^et, 4 ^eu). They join God in his deliberations, including at creation (Gen 1:26 ^ev) and in his rule over creation (Job 1:6 ^ew; Gen 3:22 ^ex; 2:1 ^ey; 1 Kgs 22:19-22 ^ez; Pss 82:1 ^fa; 89:5 ^fb, 7-8 ^fc; Dan 3:13 ^fd, 17 ^fe, 23 ^ff, 25 ^fg; 7:9-14 ^fh).

• The account remains unclear as to whether Satan usually came with other members of the heavenly court to make a report or whether he was intruding as Job’s adversary.

• Where have you come from? The question was God’s sovereign demand for a report from a subordinate (see Gen 3:9 ^fi).

• Satan was not patrolling to implement God’s judgments (cp. 1 Chr 21:1-14 ^fj; 2 Kgs 19:35 ^fk // Isa 37:36 ^fl; Ezek 1:5-9 ^fm) but to oppose God’s purposes (2 Tim 2:26 ^fn; 1 Pet 5:8 ^fo).
1:8 ^fp my servant: This title was used for the patriarchs (Gen 26:24 ^fq; Exod 32:13 ^fr), the prophets (2 Kgs 17:13 ^fs; Jer 7:25 ^ft; Zech 1:6 ^fu), and David (e.g., 2 Sam 7:1-29 ^fv; Pss 18:1 ^fw; 36:1 ^fx).
Summary for Job 1:9-11: 1:9-11 ^fy Job has good reason (Hebrew khinnam; see study note on 2:3) to fear God: The wisdom tradition links piety with prosperity. Satan went a step further by suggesting that Job’s piety was contingent upon his affluence.
1:10 ^fz wall of protection: See 1 Sam 25:16 ^ga; Pss 5:12 ^gb; 34:7 ^gc; Zech 2:5 ^gd; cp. Isa 5:5 ^ge.
Summary for Job 1:11-12: 1:11-12 ^gf reach out ... test him ... Do whatever you want: Satan was God’s agent; the hand he put forth was the Lord’s as well as Satan’s, for here they acted against everything Job possessed and later against Job himself (2:5-6 ^gg).

• Job later cursed the day of his birth (3:1 ^gh, 8 ^gi), but he did not curse God (31:30 ^gj), even when his distraught wife urged him to do so (2:9 ^gk).

• God allowed Satan to test Job to prove that Satan’s cynicism was incorrect (1 Cor 10:11 ^gl; see Jas 1:13 ^gm; cp. Luke 22:31-32 ^gn; John 19:11 ^go).
Summary for Job 1:13-19: 1:13-19 ^gp These attacks destroyed the blessings enumerated in 1:2-3 ^gq; Job was left alone with the four ominous messengers who came to report and a wife who offered misguided counsel.

• The repetition of while he was still speaking emphasizes the relentlessness of the attacks (see Jer 51:31 ^gr). The repetition of I am the only one who escaped to tell you emphasizes the total obliteration of Job’s resources.
1:15 ^gs The Sabeans were marauding bandit tribes from the desert (cp. Judg 6:3 ^gt). By the 700s BC, the southern Sabeans would become a national power that traded in gold, precious stones, perfume, and slaves (Ps 72:10 ^gu; Isa 43:3 ^gv; 45:14 ^gw; 60:6 ^gx; Jer 6:20 ^gy).
1:16 ^gz The fire of God ... from heaven (20:26 ^ha) might have been lightning (Lev 10:2 ^hb; 1 Kgs 18:38 ^hc; 2 Kgs 1:10-14 ^hd), wildfire (Num 11:1-3 ^he), or volcanic activity (Gen 19:24 ^hf).
1:19 ^hg That the wind ... hit the house on all sides suggests that Job and his children were settled farmers living in houses rather than nomads living in tents.
1:20 ^hh Job tore his robe and shaved his head; both were common Near East rituals that demonstrated grief. These actions sometimes substituted for self-mutilation as a physical response to shock, horror, or bad news (2:12 ^hi; Gen 37:29 ^hj, 34 ^hk; Judg 11:35 ^hl; Jer 16:6 ^hm; Ezek 7:18 ^hn; Amos 8:10 ^ho).

• He fell to the ground, not to wail in despair, but to worship in hope (1 Pet 5:6 ^hp).

‏ Job 2

Summary for Job 2:1-3: 2:1-3 ^hq This scene is an exact repetition of the scene presented in 1:6-8 ^hr.
2:3 ^hs The phrase without cause (Hebrew khinnam) is a wordplay on Satan’s question in 1:9 ^ht.
2:5 ^hu take away his health (literally strike his flesh and bones): Bones were thought to be the seat of health.
2:6 ^hv spare (literally guard/watch over): God ironically made Satan responsible for guarding Job’s life (cp. 10:13-14 ^hw; 13:27 ^hx; 33:11 ^hy).
2:7 ^hz This term for terrible boils was used for any inflamed, running sores (Exod 9:10 ^ia; Lev 13:18-20 ^ib; Deut 28:27 ^ic, 35 ^id).
2:8 ^ie Job might have scraped his skin to relieve itching; the Greek Old Testament says that it was “to scrape away the pus.”

• The ashes might refer to a place where lepers were quarantined, but Job was probably demonstrating his grief and dismay (30:19 ^if; Gen 18:27 ^ig; 2 Sam 13:19 ^ih; Isa 58:5 ⁱⁱ; Jon 3:6 ^ij).
2:9 ^ik Job’s wife first summarized the essence of Job’s temptation by echoing God’s words (2:3 ^il); Job was trying to maintain his integrity. In her frustration and anguish, however, she then counseled Job to curse God and thus unknowingly fulfill Satan’s prediction (1:11 ^im; 2:5 ⁱⁿ).
2:10 ^io Job’s acceptance of bad as well as good things from God’s hand demonstrates his righteousness and faith (cp. 1:21 ^ip; 2 Sam 12:16-20 ^iq; Luke 22:42 ^ir).

• By saying nothing wrong, Job controlled his tongue (Prov 13:3 ^is; 21:23 ^it; see Jas 3:2 ^iu).
2:11 ^iv It might have taken several months for Job’s friends (see study note on 6:14-27) to hear of his afflictions (see 7:3 ^iw).

• The text implies that Job’s friends were Edomites, a people who were famous for their wisdom (Jer 49:7 ^ix; Obad 1:8 ^iy).

• Eliphaz the Temanite was probably a descendant of Esau’s grandson Teman (Gen 36:10-11 ^iz, 15 ^ja); his land was located in Edom (Ezek 25:13 ^jb; Amos 1:11-12 ^jc).

• The Bil- element in Bildad would remind Hebrew readers of names like Bilhan, a descendant of Esau (Gen 36:27 ^jd; 1 Chr 1:42 ^je). The -dad element would remind them of names like Bedad, father of the Edomite king Hadad (Gen 36:35 ^jf; 1 Chr 1:46 ^jg).

• Shuhite: No place named Shuah is known, but Abraham’s son Shuah was sent to “a land in the east” (Gen 25:1 ^jh, 6 ^ji; 1 Chr 1:32 ^jj).

• The Greek Old Testament lists Zophar instead of Zepho as one of Esau’s grandsons (Gen 36:11 ^jk, 15 ^jl; 1 Chr 1:36 ^jm). A Naamathite might reside in a town named Naamah, but no such location is known. Two Old Testament women are named Naamah, but neither is a likely ancestor of Zophar (Gen 4:22 ^jn; 1 Kgs 14:21 ^jo).
2:12 ^jp they scarcely recognized him: This expression indicates the extreme suffering Job had experienced (cp. Isa 52:14 ^jq; 53:3 ^jr).

• Job’s friends mourned by wailing loudly, just as they would have done for a dead man.

• Throwing dust sometimes expressed anger or disdain (see 2 Sam 16:13 ^js; Acts 22:23 ^jt), but here it signaled mourning (see Josh 7:6 ^ju; 1 Sam 4:12 ^jv; Neh 9:1 ^jw; Lam 2:10 ^jx).
2:13 ^jy Job’s friends sat on the ground to identify with Job’s suffering (see 2:8 ^jz).

• The standard period for mourning the death of a notable person or for acknowledging other disastrous news was seven days and nights (Gen 50:10 ^ka; 1 Sam 31:13 ^kb; see also Ezek 3:14-15 ^kc).