איש היה בארץ־עוץ איוב שמו והיה האיש ההוא תם וישר וירא אלהים וסר מרע׃
There was a man in the land of Uz, his name Job, and he was a man, who was complete, and he was upright, and he feared God, and he turned away from evil.
ויולדו לו שבעה בנים ושלוש בנות׃
And seven sons and three daughters were born to him.
ויהי מקנהו שבעת אלפי־צאן ושלשת אלפי גמלים וחמש מאות צמד־בקר וחמש מאות אתונות ועבדה רבה מאד ויהי האיש ההוא גדול מכל־בני־קדם׃
And his possessions were seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred female donkeys, and very many servants, and he was a man who was greatest of all the sons of the east.
The Book of Job begins with an emphasis on (1) the piety of the main character, (2) his progeny, and (3) his material possessions. In the ancient mind (as the modern, at times) this life of privilege and comfort is a sign that deity favors this person. The narrator aims to deconstruct this idea.
Job is not a man who is evil. He is presented as a good man. He is depicted as “perfect” or “complete” (תם), “righteous” or “upright” (ישר), one who “feared God” (ויר אלהים), and one who “turns away from evil” (וסר מרע). The narrator goes as far as to say that Job was the greatest man in the east (האיש ההוא גדול מכל־בני־קדם).
This is why the message of the book is shocking. It reminds the reader “bad things happen to good people.” Also, it informs the reader that the “good life” is not something guaranteed. One can begin well and suddenly things can change quite quickly for reasons beyond one’s understanding.
the archives near Emmaus 
I think part of the challenge that you getting at in the last paragraph is that the book presents the reader with the difficult question: “Is it still worthwhile to serve God if it is of no earthly benefit whatsoever?” It is the question that the adversary poses at the beginning of the book. This question is even more poignant considering the lack of well-formulated ideas of an afterlife in the Old Testament.
Jeremy
Agreed, it has the feel of Ecclesiastes as Peter Enns summarized it (and as I summarize Enns): Life sucks….remain a faithful Israelite none-the-less!
A near-perfect summary of Ecclesiastes, at least in my view. Ecclesiastes is my favorite book in the Bible for it’s stark realism.
I agree, Ecclesiastes is awesome. I reread it Afghanistan, and its otherworldly wisdom struck me powerfully.
On Job, yes bad things happen to good people. However, I’ve only begun to appreciate another theme, a subtle Messianic theme, which I had never noticed before. I’m beginning to suspect it may actually be its principle message.
Take the claim ‘that man was perfect an upright, and one that feared God , and eschewed evil.” Look at the questions this ‘perfect and upright man asks (ultimately) of God (each of them is messianic in nature or points to the need for a messiah):
[Job 3:23] “Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God has hedged in?” (compare to [John 12:46])
[Job 4:7-8] “Remember, I pray you, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.” (begging the question ‘If the righteous and the unrighteous reap the same (death), what is the value of righteousness?)
Notice that God notes the question and responds with a shocking question:
[Job 4:12-17] “Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof. In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake. Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying, Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?
The answer is – Jesus (Yeshua, WAS AS PURE as his maker, because he WAS the maker!). Here’s a question and an answer one.
This isn’t the only example. Job asks the question how man will be justified before God:
[Job 9:2-4] ” I know it is so truthfully: but HOW SHOULD MAN BE JUST (or justified) WITH GOD? If he will contend with him (messianic), he cannot answer him one of a thousand. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength (messianic): who has hardened himself against him, and has prospered (both redeemer and redeemed)?” Again, the answer is mankind shall be JUST with God because God has hardened himself against His righteous – Yeshua (who treads upon the waves of the sea [Job 9:8][Matt 14:26])
Job then asks about the wrath of God alluding to the righteousness required to both be innocent and make supplications before his judge:
[Job 9:13-15] ” If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him. How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him? Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.” Again, only Yeshua (Jesus).
I am only now appreciating the messianic nature of Job. It is a far bigger theme (in my opinion) than Jobs suffering. This book very nearly seems like a vicarious discussion between the righteous Son of God and God the father as to why/and how cutting the righteous off (at the hands of Satan) has purpose. The only part that doesn’t messianic is Job’s contrition at the end.
Magnificato your canvas is to small. Job was ‘good’ in fact the best living in the paradigm of the knowledge of good and evil but to view him as “perfect” makes the usual non sequenced leap that causes the point of the story to be challenging if not unintelligible. Job was not “perfect” for within his untested heart was that which was wanting, “he was righteous in his own eyes” Job 32:1. The uncovering and repentance was the ‘good’ as well as means of the necessary testing of Job through provocation of satan. Hence, the telos of repentance at the the conclusion of the story and the blessings that followed. Oh by the way even the best and most repentant of “men” are not yet “perfect” as in the case of repentant Job, they have not yet achieved the glorification necessary to live in the paradigm of eternal life. You see as it will be with all men in our current paradigm so it ended with the story of Job: “and Job died” Job 42:17. No one in the flesh gets out of here alive.
Heironymus .. its good you have insight enough to ‘get’ the point ..
‘That man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God , and eschewed evil’ is the description of Job. Good description, yet not good enough to stop him (Job) from asking the questions of God ‘how should man be just with God?’ OR ‘who will stand before God and petition on behalf of man?’. Indeed, no degree of uprightness by man alone, is ever sufficient.
Speaking of points however, there was another more subtle point its not clear you got. Job’s questions were all from the perspective of the righteous one who suffered, and were self answering (all pointing for the need of a messiah). Job wasn’t perfect, but didn’t need to be to ask the questions he was – like ‘who will make petition for imperfect man before a perfect judge?’ AND ‘how will man be justified before God’. Its almost like Jobs questions were being asked on behalf of another (pointing to another). Subtle – yes, but not invisible.
In asking, Job was as a shadow of heavenly things. Sometimes its hard to recognize the thing casting the shadow. Job 1.1-3 makes this clear enough.
Andrew
I think it is always valuable to read the Hebrew Bible with Messiah in view, ala John 5 and Luke 24!
Heir
I think you may be philosophizing a tad too much about the text! Or at least getting ahead of the narrator. 😉
I am trying to let the narrator do his job with Job. If he makes a twist later than if fine, but that is the point of moving slowly through a text–letting the narrator be the guide! I’m sure you understand my motives there.
Brian, actually missed your response to, Jeremy, interestingly there’s doubt Job was an Israelite. Some have argued he was an Edomite:
It appears from the Syriac book [Aramaic version of Job] that he [Job] lived in the land of Uz, on the confines of ldumaea [Edom] and Arabia. Previously his name was Jobab. After taking an Arab woman to wife he gave birth to a son whose name was Ennon. His father was Zerah, descended from Esau, and his mother was Bosorras, so that he was the fifth from Abraham . . . . [There then follows the list of the ancient kings of Edom on the lines of Genesis 36:31-35.] And these are the kings which reigned in Edom, a country which he too governed . . ..
Harold Knight, and published by Thomas Nelson in 1984.
The book doesn’t mention Israel (perhaps not even Hebrews), and it is ancient. If Job(ab?) was an Edomite, described the way he is, it makes for fascinating speculation.
I should clarify that I don’t think Job was an Israelite. I am saying the message is similar: remain faithful to God even if life is terrible.
Agreed.
“A ring in the nose is a nose ring and a ring in the ear is an ear ring” 😉 if you get my drift…
I think you call me a pig! 🙂