Job

The book’s title is drawn from the name of its primary character, Job. The name may be derived from the Arabic language and mean “one who turns back (to God), one who repents.” Some prefer to trace the name to the Hebrew verb, “to hate, be an enemy of,” and see the name as one signifying “the assailed one, an object of enmity.” Some degree of uncertainty prevails in all attempts to tie down the meaning of the name.¹The introductory information on this page is adapted from Professor Emeritus Forrest Bivens’ course notes for Senior Old Testament Isagogics at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. Used with permission.

The historical setting of Job is generally viewed as belonging to the patriarchal period. The absence of references to other historical people and events makes it difficult to determine the most probable lifetime of Job. There are a number of evidences that lead a majority of Bible students to conclude that Job most likely lived in an age before Moses, perhaps that of the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob). There is no mention of and no obvious allusions to the nation and history of Israel. The extensive ownership of livestock, a “patriarchal family-clan” type of social organization, and the age attained by Job are usually seen as more compatible with patriarchal rather than post-Exodus conditions. The fact that Job as head of the family rather than a Levitical priest offered sacrifices also points to a time before Moses and the Old Testament Law. The mention of the kasitah (Job 42:11) as a monetary unit correlates well with patriarchal times (Gen 33:19) or at least as early as Joshua (Josh 24:32). On the other hand, if these events took place beyond the borders of Israel (in northern Arabia, east of Edom), many of these items may be compatible with local conditions much later in Old Testament history. Thus caution must be taken when trying to assign a definite time period to the events of Job.

While considering the possible historical setting for the events related in Job we are affirming that we believe the events to be true history rather than fiction. The prologue and epilogue present the information as real events and without any suggestion or indication to the contrary. The references in Ezekiel 14:14-20 and James 5:11 also seem to treat Job as a historical person. The characters (Job’s three friends and three daughters) do not have symbolic names and Uz is a real geographic and tribal name (Gen 10:23, 22:21, 36:28, Lam 4:21). A common view among conservative Bible scholars is that Job was a real character who suffered greatly and that a later writer based his poetic theodicy (a literary defense of God’s goodness despite there being evil in the world) on the historical facts.

We acknowledge that if someone dates the composition of the book, for example, to the reign of Solomon (see below), it is difficult to see how an accurate record of the actual conversations involving Job and his four companions could have been preserved. Still, as Gleason Archer states:

The author may well have composed it under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and accurately represented the sentiments and theological opinions historically expressed by the parties concerned. It was simply that the dramatic or poetic form in which they were composed was the product of the literary artist…it certainly must be conceded that the text of Job does not read like an ordinary conversation such as would be carried on under usual circumstances. Apart from the introductory and the concluding chapters, the main body of the text reads like a poetic and highly artistic composition, employing language which would not normally be used by persons speaking extemporaneously in a real life situation.²Archer, Gleason L. A Survey of Old Testament Introduction. Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 2007. 509.

An inspired and poetic recounting of a historical event in no way detracts from the historicity of the event or the accuracy of the account.