The Book of Job

Caution! This blog is a LITERARY as well as spiritual look at the book of Job. THIS IS NOT to be construed as arguing that the Bible is in anyway not the Word of God or inherently flawed. I believe the Bible is the Word of God. But it has a history, and it came from somewhere (though there is much disagreement about when and where). If this topic makes you uncomfortable, please proceed with caution.

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Location: Canby, Oregon, United States

I have adopted two boys from Haiti. Both are mentally handicapped. One is is now 20, the other 18. I divorced my wife of 28 years a few years ago and have just remarried, a woman from Belize. I find beauty in many things... many, many things (nature, art, people, space...) and that helps me to survive my deep empathy for so many who suffer. I like to write, and I've written quite a bit on my blogs. I have been thinking about writing a book. Unsure if it should be about the things I have experienced, or fiction (I have an interesting plot line worked out). I'm pretty open about things. I like blended whiskey, but I never have more than two drinks... usually just one, and not often at that. I have had many adventures. Makes me a little different. (Odd?)

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Welcome Searchers!

Welcome! I haven't spent as much time on this blog as I should. I put most of my blogging energy into Job's Tale.

But I notice that many visit this site with specific questions about the Book of Job.

I see the questions in how they were placed in a search engine which led people to this site, and I regret there isn't anyting I have posted to answer those particular questions.

I want you to know that I would be happy to answer those specific questions if you would just leave a comment so I know that you are coming back to read them.

Please feel free to use this blog as a place to discuss and debate this interesting, fascinating, difficult book of the Bible.


posted by Curious Servant | 8:45 PM | 1 comments

Sunday, December 25, 2005

Outline of the Book of Job



I have noticed folks googling for a straight-forward look at the Book of Job. This work in progress is offered here as a first step toward that end.

I have color coded the names to make it easier to see patterns.



Narrator's exposition: An introduction of the characters and basic plot elements.

(1:1-5) Introduces Job

(1:6-12) --1st heavenly scene where Satan is permitted to take Job’s wealth and family.

(1:13-22) --Job loses his business, his stock, his children.

(2:1-7) --2nd heavenly scene where Satan is permitted to take Job’s health.

(2:8-13) --Job’s wife tells him to curse The Lord, he refuses, and begins his grieving. Job’s friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) arrive and wait (a week) for him to speak.

Job’s Lament (3:1-26): Where he grieves aloud and questions why these events have happened.

Accusations & Rebuttals

The majority of the book is a series of accusations from Job’s friends, arguing that he has committed some grave sin and must repent. After each friend speaks Job answers with a rebuttal.

A straight-forward look at this series looks like this:

Eliphaz speaks chapters 4-5
Job replies chapters 6-7
Bildad speaks chapter 8
Job replies chapters 9-10
Zophar speaks chapter 11
Job replies chapters 12-14
Eliphaz speaks chapter 15
Job replies chapters 16-17
Bildad speaks chapter 18
Job replies chapter 19
Zophar speaks chapter 20
Job replies chapter 21
Eliphaz speaks chapter 22
Job replies chapters 23-24
Bildad speaks chapter 25
Job replies chapters 26-31 then all fall silent

There is something not quite right here. From 27:13 through the end of that chapter the viewpoint does not seem to fit Job. It tells of how the wicked are punished, the opposite argument that Job has been making.

There is something else that I find a little odd. In the above sequence everyone speaks three times and Job replies, except Zophar. He does not get his third turn. This may not seem such a big issue, but the three friends speaking three times seems an easy pattern.

This is how I think it might be read:

First series (gentle)
Eliphaz speaks chapter 4-5 (Hint of Satan's influence through a dream 4:12-21)
Job replies chapter 6-7:6
Job pauses and turns to The Lord and sings his sad song. 7:7-21 (Beautiful expression of grief)
Bildad speaks chapter 8
Job replies chapter 9
Job pauses and turns to The Lord and gently reminds The Lord that He cares for all creation, why not him? chapter 10
Zophar speaks chapter 11
Job replies chapter 12
Job pauses and turns to The Lord and poetically asks to be taught. 13:13-14:22

Second series (tougher accusations)
Eliphaz speaks chapter 15
Job replies chapters 16-17
Job pauses and turns to The Lord and pleads as before a judge that he is falsely accused. 17:18-22
Job returns to speaking to his friends chapter 17
(Is that a stage direction in verses 17:10-11 ?)
Bildad speaks chapter 18
Job replies, arguing that their job is to remain true, not self-righteous. chapter 19
Zophar speaks chapter 20
Job begins to get very frustrated with his friends (notice how verses 8-14 begin) chapter 21

Third Series (toughest accusations)
Eliphaz speaks (The Lord needs no one, therefore He has no reason to be other than just). chapter 22
Job replies, almost a soliloquy, as he moans that it would be heaven just to stand before The Lord and state his case. Makes the case to Eliphaz that he does fear The Lord. chapter 23-24 (Note: verses 24:18-25 seem out of place for Job's argument.)
Bildad speaks regarding the lowliness of mankind. chapter 25
Job replies with heavy sarcasm. chapter 26
Job basically says that he will stand 27:1-12
Zophar speaks 27:13 (missing 1st part) - 27:23

Narrator: Interlude chapter 28 (Paraphrase: "The search for truth is like a search for riches, it is deep and hard to find.")

Job’s final declaration chapters 29 - 31

All fall silent 31:40b-32:1

Narrator: Introduces Elihu 32:2-5

Elihu speaks (the voice of youth, hot-headed) chapters 32:5-37

The Lord speaks chapters 38 - 41

Job replies in humility 42:1 - 6

The Lord speaks to Eliphaz, tells him, Bildad, and Zophar to repent. 42:7-8

Job’s life is restored: 42:10-17


Additional notes:

There are hints that this may have been performed. In verse 17:10 Job speaks as if his friends are beginning to walk away. Also, there are points where Job changes from addressing his friends to speaking to The Lord and back again. These would be much easier to understand if the story is a performance.

I know that there isn't any tradition (that I know of) regarding pre-Greek drama. But still...

It is clear to me that the Book of Job was told, a part of the oral tradition of the people of Israel, for many years. The patterns that are found in the book are those that are common to oral traditions of many cultures.

The aprocraphal Testament of Job has interesting points about Job, but are not a part of the canon (Catholic or otherwise). I know some have heard that there are names for Job’s wives (1st wife: Sitditos, later wife: Dinah) and that Job was a king, but these come from this other source, not from the Book of Job. The Testament of Job was probably written within a hundred years of Jesus' birth (before or after). There are debates if it is Jewish or Christian. I enjoy reading aprocraphal books to round out my knowledge, but I set that information to one side when thinking directly about the Book of Job.

Some have heard about Job's Daughters. This may be a reference to the philanthropic organization and not the scriptural book. These daughters are mentioned in both books of Job.

Questions? Comments?


posted by Curious Servant | 10:53 PM | 1 comments

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