THE BOOK OF JOB
LESSON 1: INTRODUCTION AND LESSON 1
"God measures out according as we measure out and forgives
as we forgive and comes to our rescue with the same tenderness as he sees us
having toward others."
Father Luis de Leon,
Commentary on the Life of Job
INTRODUCTION
In the Book of Job, the traditional Israelite solution to the problem of suffering as God's punishment for sin is radically addressed. God allows Satan to test a prosperous and happy man who is devoted to God to see if he will remain faithful despite being afflicted with misfortune. He loses his possessions, children, and health. His friends accuse him of unconfessed hidden sins, and his wife advises him to curse God. His tortured soul matches his afflicted body. The question the Book of Job raises is why a righteous and merciful God would allow the innocent to suffer, and it concentrates on the theological themes of suffering and justice.
Job's innocent suffering calls into question the whole system of rewards and punishments in this life, despite the vain efforts of his friends to shore it up by urging him to admit his guilt, or at least his pride, or even that he must have sinned unwittingly. In protesting his innocence (which the reader knows from the Prologue) and rejecting the shallow solutions of his friends, Job clings to God. Even when shrinking from God's torments, Job is confident of God's unfailing care. Paradoxically, though he sees no possibility of a future life, he is somehow sure that after his death, he will know God's vindication. In the end, his trust is justified by an overwhelming experience of the majesty, the power, and the wisdom of God.
The clear structure of the dialogue is interrupted by two elements: by the hymn in praise of wisdom, which differs in its view of wisdom from that held by either Job or his friends, and by the speeches of Elihu, which merely repeat the problem already stated and preempt the solution still to come.
THE PLAN OF THE BOOK
| Biblical Period | #1 History of the Early World | ||||||
| Covenant | Covenant with Noah and his descendants | ||||||
| Focus |
Job's Dilemma |
Job's Debates |
Job's Deliver- ance |
||||
| Scripture | 1:1-----------3:1--------5:1--------22:1-------27:1--------32:1-------38:1------42:17 | ||||||
| Division |
Prologue & Satan's Controversy with God |
First Debate | Second Debate | Third Debate |
Job's Final Defense |
Elihu's Solution | God's Controversy with Job and Epilogue |
| Topic | Conflict | Debates | Repentance | ||||
| Prose | Poetry | Prose | |||||
| Location | The city of Uz | ||||||
| Time | Patriarchal period | ||||||
| Michal E. Hunt Copyright © 2025 | |||||||
The prose prologue in 1:1-2:13 introduces Job and his family. It also presents the book's theme in the exchanges between Job and his friends, which is how God can allow the innocent to suffer. There are three scenes in the Prologue:
In the Prologue, the inspired writer introduces his theme of the innocent sufferer set in the context of the faith of the people of God. In the Hebrew text, he refers to God as YHWH, a name unique to the Divine God of the Covenant with Israel, first invoked by Eve in Genesis 4:1. However, in the various speeches in the book, he uses the designation El, or other names that were common in Canaan for God. The Prologue also provides the key to understanding the suffering of the just person as a test of fidelity to God.
LESSON 1
PROLOGUE: SATAN'S CONTROVERSY WITH GOD AND
JOB'S DILEMMA
Chapters 1 and 2
Rejoice, exult, daughter of Edom, you who reside in Uz!
Lamentations 4:21a
Job 1:1-5 ~ Job's Family and Prosperity
1:1 There was once a man in the land of Uz called Job: a
sound and honest man who feared God and shunned evil. 2 Seven sons and three
daughters were born to him. 3 And he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand
camels, five hundred of oxen, and five hundred she-donkeys, and many servants
besides. This man was the most prosperous of all the Sons of the East. 4 It was
the custom of his sons to hold banquets in one another's houses in turn, and to
invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 Once each series of
banquets was over, Job would send for them to come and be purified, and at dawn
on the following day, he would make a burnt offering for each of them.
"Perhaps," Job would say, "my sons have sinned and in their heart blasphemed.
So that was what Job used to do each time.
The Book of Job is set in the era of the Patriarchs, but most likely outside the ancestry of Jacob-Israel. The town of Uz was located in the territory of Edom; therefore, Job was probably a descendant of Jacob's twin brother, Esau (Gen 25:19-28), representing the Gentile line. From his father, Isaac, Esau had knowledge of the One True God, YHWH (Yahweh), and that knowledge was passed on to Job, who called upon the God of Abraham in Job 1:6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 21; 2:1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7; 12:9; 28:28; 38:1; 40:1, 3; 6; 42:1, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, often invoking the Divine Name twice in a single verse, for a total of 32 times. At other times, Yahweh is referred to as El, "God, or Shaddai, translated as "the Almighty."
Question #1: Who was the first person in the Bible to
invoke the Divine Name, YHWH? Was it Eve, Noah, Abraham, or Moses?
For the answer to the Question #1, see the end of the lesson.
1:1 There was once a man in the land of Uz called Job: a
sound and honest man who feared God and shunned evil.
The historical books, Psalms, and Proverbs teach that
prosperity is a reward for righteous living. They suggest that if someone
rejects evil and fears offending Yahweh, that person will be blessed with
wealth, heirs, and a prosperous life. Verse 1 depicts Job as such a blessed man
because he is a model of the righteous living man. Verses 1-5 tell the reader what
is known about Job's virtue, family, and customs. The land of Uz, where he
lived, was in southern Canaan, which became Edomite territory during the Age of
the Patriarchs (Lam 4:21).2
2 Seven sons and three daughters were born to him.
The number of Job's children is a sign of his perfect
fatherhood. Three (daughters), seven (sons), and ten (the total number of Job's
children) are symbols of perfection.1
3 And he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand
camels, five hundred of oxen, and five hundred she-donkeys, and many servants
besides. This man was the most prosperous of all the Sons of the East.
Job was not a moderately prosperous man; he is presented as the
most prosperous of all the men who believed in God in the East. Seven, three,
and five are also significant numbers in Scripture. Seven is a number
signifying perfection, five is a number representing power, and three signifies
something important, in most cases, the action of God in human history; it is
the number of the Trinity. See the document, "The Significance of Numbers in
Scripture."
His custom of gathering for meals (verse 4) reveals their wealth and the unity within the family. Verse 5 comments on Job's religious devotion. He made religious "peace offerings" to atone for any offense his children may have made against God during the family banquets.
Job 1:6-12 ~ Satan Makes the Request to Test Job's Faith
in God
6 One day, when the sons of God came to attend on Yahweh,
among them came Satan [ha Satan]. 7 So Yahweh said to Satan, "Where have you
been?" "Prowling about on earth," he answered, "roaming around there." 8 So
Yahweh asked him, "Did you pay any attention to my servant Job? There is no one
like him on the earth: a sound and honest man who fears God and shuns evil." 9
"Yes," Satan said, "but Job is not God-fearing for nothing, is he? 10 Have you
not put a wall round him and his house and all his domain? You have blessed all
he undertakes, and his flocks throng the countryside. 11 But stretch out your
hand and lay a finger on his possessions: then, I warrant you, he will curse
you to your face." 12 "Very well," Yahweh said to Satan, "all he has is in your
power. But keep your hands off his person." So Satan left the presence of
Yahweh.
God holds assemblies in His heavenly court with His "sons" (angels)
in attendance.
Question #2: Who are the "sons of God" in verse 6?
See Job 38:7;
Genesis 6:1-4;
Psalm 29:1; 82:6; 89:6;
Tobit 5:4.
Is Satan an angel?
See Revelation 12:7-9.
For the answer to the Question #2, see the end of the lesson.
In verses 1-6, "ha Satan, " in Hebrew, means "the Accuser" (see Zechariah 3:1, 1 Chronicles 21:1). Despite his expulsion from Heaven as his home (Rev 12:9), Satan still had access to the heavenly court. Satan is a spiritual being in God's heavenly court who acts like a prosecuting attorney, making accusations about the weaknesses of certain people and seeking to test them with trials and tribulations. Satan claimed that Job's faithfulness to God was only because of his prosperity and comfortable life (CCC 395, 414). However, when Job suffers significant personal and material losses, he will remain faithful, saying he knows that God, the source of all good, has the right to take away those gifts He previously gave him.
In verse 8, God calls Satan's attention to Job, praising Job's devotion and honesty. Satan argues that Job's faithfulness is only because of the prosperity God has given him. Satan insists that if God removes those blessings, Job will turn away from God and curse Him. To prove Job's worthiness, Yahweh tells Satan he has power over Job, but with one exception: Satan cannot physically attack Job.
Job 1:13-22 ~ Satan Attacks Job's Prosperity and His Family
13 On the day when Job's sons and daughters were eating
and drinking in their eldest brother's house, 14 a messenger came to Job. "Your
oxen,' he said, "were at the plow, with the donkeys grazing at their side, 15
when the Sabaeans swept down on them and carried them off, and put the servants
to the sword: I alone have escaped to tell you." 16 He had not finished
speaking when another messenger arrived. "The fire of God," he said, "has
fallen from heaven and burnt the sheep and shepherds to ashes: I alone have
escaped to tell you." 17 He had not finished speaking when another messenger
arrived. "The Chaldaeans," he said, "three bands of them, have raided the
camels and made off with them, and put the servants to the sword: I alone have
escaped to tell you." 18 He had not finished speaking when another messenger
arrived. "Your sons and daughters," he said, "were eating and drinking at their
eldest brother's house, 19 when suddenly, from the desert, a gale sprang up,
and it battered all four corners of the house, which fell in on the young
people. They are dead: I alone have escaped to tell you." 20 Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head.
Then, falling to the ground, he prostrated himself 21 and said: "Naked I came
from my mother's womb, naked I shall return again. Yahweh gave, Yahweh has
taken back. Blessed be the name of Yahweh!" 22 In
all this misfortune, Job committed no sin, and he did not reproach God.
Satan sends a series of four catastrophes, with each one worse than the last:
The Sabaeans controlled trade routes connecting Arabia and territory further east. The Chaldeans were a Semitic tribe closely related to the Aramaeans of Damascus. The "fire of God" in verse 16 has no particular religious significance other than to describe a lightning bolt from the sky.
20 Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head.
Then, falling to the ground, he prostrated himself 21 and said: "Naked I came
from my mother's womb, naked I shall return again. Yahweh gave, Yahweh has
taken back. Blessed be the name of Yahweh!"
Job expresses his feelings in words and actions. Job tearing
his robe and shaving his head were signs of grief, as can be seen elsewhere in
Scripture, as in the cases of Joseph (cf. Gen 37:34) and David (cf.
2 Sam 1:11; 13:31).
Job did not, however, curse God. Instead, he blessed the name of Yahweh
(21b).
Notice that Job mentions God's Divine Name, YHWH (Yahweh), three times
in verse 21, indicating Job's sincere devotion to the One True God.
22 In all this misfortune, Job committed no sin, and he
did not reproach God.
Job did not commit any sins and did not blame God for his
terrible misfortunes.
Pope St. Gregory the Great praised Job's good response to the catastrophes that befell him, writing: "If all the goods we have at our disposal in this life have been given to us by him (God), why should we complain if the same Judge asks for the return of what he has so generously granted to us?" (Moralia in Job, 2, 31).
Job 2:1-7A ~ Satan Receives Permission to Physically
Assault Job
1 Another day, the sons of God came to attend on Yahweh,
and Satan came with them too. 2 So Yahweh said to Satan, "Where have you been?"
"Prowling about on the earth," he answered, "roaming around there." 3 So Yahweh
asked him, "Did you pay any attention to my servant Job? There is no one like
him on the earth: a sound and honest man who fears God and shuns evil. He
persists in his integrity still; you achieved nothing by provoking me to ruin
him. 4 "Skin after skin!" Satan replied. "Someone
will give away all he has to save his life. 5 But stretch out your hand and lay
a finger on his bone and flesh; I warrant you, he will curse you to your face."
6 "Very well," Yahweh said to Satan, "he is in your power. But spare his life.
7A So Satan left the presence of Yahweh.
In this exchange between God and Satan, Yahweh declares Job's faithfulness and pronounces him "a sound and honest man" who has a profound respect for God and "shuns evil." Job had bested Satan in the test. In response, Satan proposes another test.
"Skin after skin!" Satan replied
"Skin after skin" in verse 4 was likely a proverbial
expression, explained by Satan's following words: Someone will give away all
he has to save his life. Using a play on the word "skin," which can either
mean one's life (human skin), clothes made of animal skins
(Gen 3:21; 27:16),
or leather, it appears to suggest that someone will be willing to let himself
be progressively stripped of everything he owns rather than give up his own
"skin," his life. Satan's point is that once Job's personal and physical being
is affected, he will show his authentic self by cursing God (verse 5). In
reply, God accepts Satan's challenge and gives Job into Satan's power so long
as Satan spares Job's life.
Job 2:7b-10 ~ Satan's Attack Upon Job
7b He (Satan) struck Job down with malignant ulcers from
the sole of his foot to the top of his head. 8 Job took a piece of pot to
scrape himself and went and sat among the ashes. 9 Then his wife said to him,
"Why persist in this integrity of yours? Curse God and die." 10 "That is how a
fool of a woman talks," Job replied. "If we take happiness from God's hand,
must we not take sorrow too?" And in all this misfortune, Job uttered no sinful
word.
Job was afflicted with the kind of disease that called for complete isolation (Lev 13:45-46; Job 2:12). To sit among ashes signified great distress. He was so disfigured and in such terrible suffering that his wife urged him to end his suffering by cursing God and dying (verse 9). Job rejected his wife's suggestion and gently scolded her as foolish rather than sinful, replying that if we accept good things from God in our lives, why shouldn't we also accept suffering (verse 10a)? God judged Job's response to his wife as an example of his piety and wisdom: And in all this misfortune, Job uttered no sinful word.
Job 2:11-13 ~ Job's Three Friends Visit Him
11 The news of all the disasters that had fallen on Job
came to the ears of three of his friends. Each of them set out from home:
Eliphaz of Teman, Bildad of Shuah and Zophar of Naamath, and by common consent,
they decided to go and offer him sympathy and consolation. 12 Looking at him
from a distance, they could not recognize him; they wept aloud and tore their
robes and threw dust over their heads. 13 They sat there on the ground beside
him for seven days and seven nights. To Job, they spoke never a word, for they
saw how much he was suffering.
Three of Job's friends came to visit him but kept their distance to isolate themselves from his affliction (verse 12). His friends are:
Eliphaz of Teman: According to the genealogies in Genesis 36:11, 15, 42, and 1 Chronicles 1:36 and 53, was the first-born son of Esau, son of Issac, and brother of Jacob, and the father of Teman. This information again places the Book of Job in the era of the Patriarchs. The name "Teman" is related to the Temanites. The Roman historian Pliny connected the Temenites with the Nabatians of Petra (Natural History VI 32, 1X). Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea, in Onomasticon, also placed Teman in Nabatean territory about 15 miles from Petra, although St. Jerome said 5 miles. The actual site of the city of Teman has not been identified; however, Teman is consistently represented as one of the central locations in Edom (cf. Jer 49:7, 20; Ezek 25:13; Amos 1:12f; Obad 9; Hab 3:3). Edom and particularly the Temanites had a reputation for wisdom (cf. Jer 49:7; Baruch 3:22-23).
Bibdad of Shuah: Some Biblical scholars suggest that the name Bildad is derived from Bil Adad, "sons of Hadad," and comes from the Arameans, whose capital was Damascus. Hadad was a Mesopotamian and Syrian storm god. Other scholars, such as Dr. William Albright, an archaeologist and Biblical scholar, wrote that it may derive from the Amorite Yabildad. The Amorites were one of the pre-Israelite tribes in the land of Canaan. In the Table of Nations (Gen 10:16), the Amorites are classified with the other Canaanite tribes as sons of Canaan and descendants of Noah's son Ham. Shuah/Shua was the father of the Canaanite wife of Judah (Gen 38:2; 1 Chron 2:3). Shuah is also mentioned as the son of Abraham and Keturah, the brother of Midian and uncle of Sheba and Dedan ( Gen 25:2; 1 Chron 1:32).
Zophar of Naamath: In Hebrew, "sippor" means "bird," so Zophar may mean "young bird." Perhaps the youngest of Job's three friends. There is a town of Na'amah in the foothills of Judah (Josh 15:41), However, since Job and his friends are not members of the covenant with Judah, it is likely Naamath refers either to the area of Jebel el Na'ameh, in northwest Arabia, about 40 miles east of Tebuk, Saudi Arabia, or to Na'ameh, a Lebanese coastal town.
12 Looking at him from a distance, they could not
recognize him; they wept aloud and tore their robes and threw dust over their
heads. 13 They sat there on the ground beside him for seven days and seven
nights. To Job, they spoke never a word, for they saw how much he was
suffering.
Job's three friends sat with him for seven days, the length
of time one sat with family and friends in mourning for the dead (Gen 1:10;
1 Sam 31:13; Sirach 22:12). That they sat at a distance suggests they were
observing the requirements to keep separate from someone suffering for a skin
disease (later codified under Mosaic Law in
Lev 13-14).
They failed to offer
him any words of affection or consolation during those seven days; however,
comforters were not to say a word until the mourner opened the conversation
(cf. TB, Moed Qatan 28h; Anchor Bible Commentary: Job, page 25). Throwing dust
on their heads was a sign of extreme grief, as well as tearing one's garments
(Josh 7:6; 1 Sam 4:12; 2 Sam 13:19; Ezek 27:30; Lam 2:10).
Answers to the Questions:
Answer to Question #1: The first person in the Bible recorded
as speaking God's Divine Name was Eve in Genesis 4:1b, after the birth of Cain.
Return to Question #1
Answer to Question #2: The "sons of God" occupying the
heavenly realm are the superhuman, spiritual beings who attend God and serve in
His heavenly court. They are God's messengers, identified in Greek as angelos,
angels. These members of God's heavenly court are called "sons of God"
(Job 1:6; Psalm 29:1, "holy ones"
(Job 5:1), or the "host of heaven"
(1 Kings 2:19,
Nehemiah 9:6;
Psalm 103:21, 148:2).
Some are guardian angels of nations or
people (Exodus 23:20, Daniel 10:13, Tobias 3:17), while others are destroying
angels, delivering God's judgment (Exodus 12:23, 2 Kings 19:35, Psalm 78:49,
Ezekiel 9:1). Yes, Satan is a fallen angel (Rev 12:7-9).
Return to Question #2
Endnotes:
1. In the Epilogue at the end of the book, Yahweh restores
Job to double the property he had before his test of faith; however, the number
of sons and daughters remains the same (cf. 42:10-15).
2. Genesis 10:23 lists Uz as one of the sons of Aram, son of Shem, son of Noah, while Genesis 22:21 lists Uz as one of the sons of Nahor and uncle of Ara. Genesis 36:28 lists Uz as a son of Dishan, a descendant of Seir, a Horite chieftain. For other references, see 1 Chr 1:17, 42, Jer 25:20, and Lam 4:21. These references identify Uz as an Edomite clan.
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