Job

Job of Uz

“There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God, and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1). He had seven sons and three daughters, and he “was the greatest of all the children of the east” (Job 1:2–3). After his children’s feasts, he regularly offered burnt offerings for them, “For Job said, ‘It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced God in their hearts’” (Job 1:5).

Scripture does not say when Job lived. The timeline places him in the age of the patriarchs, following tradition.

The Question in Heaven

One day God’s sons came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came among them. The LORD spoke of Job: “there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil” (Job 1:8). Satan answered, “Does Job fear God for nothing?” (Job 1:9). If God would touch all that Job had, he said, “he will renounce you to your face” (Job 1:11). The LORD allowed it, but Satan was not to stretch out his hand against Job himself (Job 1:12).

The text does not say why God allowed it, and Job never learned of this scene in heaven.

Losing Everything

On a single day, messengers came one after another: the livestock carried off, the servants killed. The last one said a great wind had struck the house, and it fell on Job’s children, “and they are dead” (Job 1:19). Job tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell to the ground and worshiped. He said, “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the LORD’s name” (Job 1:21).

Then Satan struck Job “with painful sores from the sole of his foot to his head” (Job 2:7). Job sat among the ashes and scraped himself with a potsherd (Job 2:8). His wife said, “Do you still maintain your integrity? Renounce God, and die” (Job 2:9). Job answered, “Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” The text says, “In all this Job didn’t sin with his lips” (Job 2:10).

Three Friends

Job’s three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, heard what had happened and agreed to come together “to sympathize with him and to comfort him” (Job 2:11). From a distance they did not recognize him, and they wept aloud (Job 2:12). Then “they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great” (Job 2:13).

After seven days, Job spoke first, and “cursed the day of his birth” (Job 3:1): “Let the day perish in which I was born” (Job 3:3).

The Long Debate

Round after round of debate followed between Job and his three friends (Job 4–27). The friends said much the same thing: if a person suffers, it is because he has done something wrong. Eliphaz said, “Remember, now, who ever perished, being innocent?” (Job 4:7). Job answered, “You are all miserable comforters!” (Job 16:2).

Job would not admit that he was suffering for his sin: “I hold fast to my righteousness, and will not let it go” (Job 27:6). He also questioned God and cried out to him: “Oh that I knew where I might find him!” (Job 23:3); “I cry to you, and you do not answer me” (Job 30:20). In the middle of the debate he also said, “I know that my Redeemer lives. In the end, he will stand upon the earth” (Job 19:25).

Between the speeches, one chapter asks, “But where will wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding?” (Job 28:12). It ends, “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding” (Job 28:28).

Job’s last words were, “oh that I had one to hear me! … Let the Almighty answer me!” (Job 31:35).

Elihu

The three friends stopped answering Job (Job 32:1). Then a younger man, Elihu, spoke. His anger was kindled against Job “because he justified himself rather than God,” and against the three friends “because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job” (Job 32:2–3). He spoke for several chapters (Job 32–37).

The Voice from the Whirlwind

Then “the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind” (Job 38:1). God did not tell Job why he had suffered. Instead he asked him, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” (Job 38:4). God went on, one by one, through the heavens and the earth, the sea, the stars, the wild animals, and the birds (Job 38–39). Job said, “Behold, I am of small account. What will I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth” (Job 40:4). He would argue no further (Job 40:5).

When God had finished, Job said, “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you” (Job 42:5).

The End of the Story

The LORD said to Eliphaz, “My wrath is kindled against you, and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has” (Job 42:7). God told them to go to Job and offer burnt offerings, “and my servant Job shall pray for you” (Job 42:8).

“The LORD restored Job’s prosperity when he prayed for his friends. The LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before” (Job 42:10). His brothers and sisters and those who had known him before all came, and “They comforted him, and consoled him” (Job 42:11). Later he had fourteen thousand sheep and six thousand camels, twice what he had before (Job 42:12). Of his children, the text says only, “He had also seven sons and three daughters” (Job 42:13).

“After this Job lived one hundred forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, to four generations. So Job died, being old and full of days” (Job 42:16–17).

In the New Testament

James writes, “You have heard of the perseverance of Job and have seen the Lord in the outcome, and how the Lord is full of compassion and mercy” (Jas 5:11). Writing to the church in Corinth, Paul quotes the words of Eliphaz: “He has taken the wise in their craftiness” (1 Cor 3:19; Job 5:13).

The book of Job bears his name; Scripture does not say who wrote it.