Overview of the Book of Job (Notes for Class 2)

(Podcast available here).

Author and Historical Setting

Conservative commentators generally place Job during the Patriarchal period. My evaluation situates it contemporaneous with Moses and the wilderness wanderings. The author is not established, though speculation ranges from Job himself, to Moses, or to Solomon. I would suggest Joshua. (For a more detailed discussion on the date and location of Job, see: http://truthwatchers.com/when-and-where-did-job-live/ )

Modern scholarly consensus identifies the location as Edom (Lam. 4:21: “Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz …”).

Date of Job

By locating Job in Edom (Lam. 4:21), together with the numerous references to surrounding nations, the events clearly occurred after the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1–9) but before the Babylonian exile, since Ezekiel mentions Job (Ezek. 14:14, 20).

Job’s long life does not establish his precise era. For comparison: Joseph lived to 110 (Gen. 50:26), Moses to 120 (Deut. 34:7), and Jehoiada to 130 (2 Chron. 24:15). This span of over 1,200 years demonstrates that longevity does not align neatly with historical setting. Job’s age at death (approximately 200–210) parallels Terah (205, Gen. 11:32), Abraham (175, Gen. 25:7), Isaac (180, Gen. 35:28), and Jacob (147, Gen. 47:28). On this basis, one might expect Job to precede Abraham, yet other evidence points otherwise.

Job himself acknowledged that the typical lifespan of his day was short (Job 7:1; 14:1–2). Bildad contrasts his own time with “the former age” (Job 8:8–9), indicating declining longevity. At the time of his affliction, Job was about 50–60 years old: older than his youth (Job 13:26; 29:8), yet younger than his friends. He had wrinkles (Job 16:8) and expected only a few more years of life (Job 16:22; 17:1, 11–16).

Names and People Groups

Several personal and place names trace to the patriarchal period but require centuries to develop into established peoples. For instance, Sheba, a grandson of Abraham (Gen. 25:3), became the Sabeans (Job 1:15; 6:19). Likewise, Tema, another grandson of Abraham (Gen. 25:15), developed into a settled Arabian community (Job 6:19). To be called a “Temanite” presupposes a sizable population. As with the descendants of Jacob, who were not yet called “Israelites” until their growth in Egypt (Exod. 1:5–7; 9:7), these groups needed time to expand. Thus, Sheba and Tema are more likely to be post-patriarchal developments.

Mosaic Law and Custom

The absence of Mosaic law in Job is an argument from silence. As a Gentile, Job would not be expected to reference it explicitly. Yet knowledge of Mosaic precepts appears: the prohibition against retaining pledged garments overnight (Exod. 22:26; Deut. 24:13; cf. Job 22:6; 24:7, 10). His sacrifices were not tied to the Tabernacle but reflected local custom.

Intriguingly, Job 27:1 and 29:1 (“Job continued his parable”) use nearly identical grammar to Balaam (“he took up his parable”, Num. 23:7, 18; 24:3, 15, 20, 21, 23). Both also offered sacrifices of seven bulls and seven rams (Job 1:4–5; 42:8; cf. Num. 23:1). This suggests a shared cultural practice, accommodated by God. If so, Job’s era aligns with Balaam’s—that is, during the Exodus and wilderness wandering.

Allusions to the Exodus

Job 12:23–24 reflects knowledge of the Red Sea crossing and Israel’s wilderness wandering. Likewise, Job 13:1–3 suggests Job personally witnessed these events. God’s reference to hail for battle (Job 38:22–23) likely recalls the plague on Egypt (Exod. 9:18) or Joshua’s campaign in Canaan (Josh. 10:11). Job 34:20 appears to describe the death of Egypt’s firstborn: “In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight …” This indicates Job and his friends had heard of God’s judgments on Egypt and the defeat of Pharaoh—explaining their monotheism.

Rare Hebrew terms also connect Job to Exodus-era contexts. “Sapphire” (Job 28:6, 16) appears in Exodus (24:10; 28:18; 39:11). “Onyx” (Job 28:16) occurs primarily in Exodus. “Topaz” (Job 28:19) is limited to Exodus and Ezekiel. “Reed” (Job 40:21) strongly evokes Exodus imagery. Such vocabulary points to an author familiar with the wilderness period.

Taken together, the internal evidence suggests Job lived during the Exodus and Joshua’s conquest, placing the book within the same historical window. (For more, see: http://truthwatchers.com/when-and-where-did-job-live/ )

Theme

The theme is the question: Why do the righteous suffer? As Benware summarizes:

“The book of Job addresses the issues of the suffering of people who are righteous…. an intellectual solution is not really given. A spiritual solution is given; namely, the absolute sovereignty of God.”¹⁾Paul N. Benware, Survey of the Old Testament, Moody Publishers (Chicago, IL: 2003), p. 166

Yet the answer goes deeper than simply affirming God’s sovereignty.

Outline:

I. Prologue (Job 1-2)

1. Job’s character (Job 1:1-5)

A. 1^st dialogue in Spiritual realm (Job 1:6-12)

B. Satan’s 1^st attack (Job 1:13-19)

C. Job’s response to loss (Job 1:20-22)

A. 2^nd dialogue in spiritual realm (Job 2:1-6)

B. Satan’s 2^nd attack (Job 2:7)

C. Job’s 2^nd response (Job 2:8-10)

2. Job’s friends (Job 2:11-13)

Satan accuses Job before God (Job 1:9: “for naught”), to which God replies using the same Hebrew expression (Job 2:3: “without cause”). This parallel highlights that Job’s suffering arises from events in the spiritual realm. The reader is aware of this, but Job and his friends are not.

It is further revealed that Satan’s attack continues throughout the book, working through the speeches of Job’s friends (Job 4:12–21; cf. 7:14–15).

“Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof. ¹³ In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, ¹⁴ fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake. ¹⁵ Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: ¹⁶ 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, ¹⁷ Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker? ¹⁸ Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly: ¹⁹ how much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth? ²⁰ They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it. ²¹ Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.” (Job 4:12-21)

Eliphaz, the speaker in this passage, describes an encounter with a spirit that terrified him and supplied the foundational premise for his accusations against Job. Thus, Job’s friends were not speaking divine truth but were actually influenced—likely by Satan—to verbally assault Job.

Job himself responds in Job 7:14–15: “Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions: So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.”

It is crucial, therefore, to exercise caution when quoting Job’s friends as authorities. God explicitly declared their words to be false (Job 42:7). This explains why the book of Job is among the most frequently misquoted and misapplied books of the Bible. The central error of Job’s friends lay in their insistence that his suffering was the direct result of personal sin.

The Literary structure of Job:

II. Dialogue between Job and his friends (Job 3:1-42:6)

A. Job 1^st discourse (Job 3:1-26)

1. 1. 1. 1. 1^st round of debate (Job 4:1-14:22)

A. Eliphaz 1^st discourse (Job 4:1-5:27)

B. Job rebuttal (Job 6:1-7:21)

A. Bildad 1^st discourse (Job 8:1-22)

B. Job rebuttal (Job 9:1-10:22)

A. Zophar 1^st discourse (Job 11:20)

B. Job rebuttal (Job 12:1-13:28)

2. 2^nd round of debate (Job 15:1-21:34)

A. Eliphaz 2^nd discourse (Job 15:1-35)

B. Job rebuttal (Job 16:1-17:16)

A. Bildad 2^nd discourse (Job 18:1-22)

B. Job rebuttal (Job 19:1-29)

A. Zophar 2^nd discourse (Job 20:1-29)

B. Job rebuttal (Job 21:1-34)

3. 3^rd round of debate (Job 22:1-26:14)

A. Eliphaz 3^rd discourse (Job 22:1-30)

B. Job rebuttal (Job 23:1-24:25)

A. Bildad 3^rd discourse (Job 25:2-6)

B. Job rebuttal (Job 26:1-31:40)

A. Elihu discourse (Job 32:1-37:24)

III. God speaks (Job 38:1-41:34)

IV. Epilogue (Job 42:1-17)

The climax of the discourses comes in God’s torrent of rhetorical questions to Job concerning creation. The decisive point is clear: if man cannot attain absolute knowledge of the physical, observable world, then how can he comprehend what is taking place in the spiritual realm—which also influences the physical?

The high point of the book is Job’s humble submission to God’s will, acknowledging that man cannot fully grasp God’s purpose in every event of life (Job 42:1–6). This theme, however, is carefully developed and highlighted through the book’s chiastic structure.

Chiasms in Job:

Prologue:

A. Introduction: Job lives a righteous life (Job 1:1)

B. Job’s children: Seven sons and three daughters (Job 1:2)

C. Job’s flocks: 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 oxen, 500 donkeys (Job 1:3)

D. Parties of Job’s family members (they are brothers and sisters) (Job 1:4-5)

E. Job’s afflictions (Job 1:6-2:10)

F. Three friends (names listed) come to console Job (Job 2:11)

G. Friends silent seven days and seven nights (Job 2:12-13)

Epilogue:

G’. Friends rebuked for words; must offer seven bulls and seven rams (Job 42:7-8)

F’. Three friends (names listed) come to Job to ask for help (Job 42:9)

E’. Job’s afflictions are reversed (Job 42:10)

D’. Party of Job’s family members (his brothers and sisters) (Job 42:11)

C’. Job’s flocks: 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 oxen, 1,000 donkeys (Job 42:12)

B’. Job’s children: Seven sons and three daughters (Job 42:13-15)

A’. Conclusion: Job dies old and full of days (Job 42:16-17)

Chiasm of the Book of Job:

A. Prologue (Job 1:1-5)

B. First Discourse Between God and the Satan (Job 1:6-22)

C. Second Discourse Between God and the Satan (Job 2:1-10)

D. Job’s Three Friends (Job 2:11-13)

E. Job Continues His Speech (Job 27). (Job 27:1 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said …)

X. The Excellency of Wisdom (Job 28)

E’. Job’s Continues His speech (Job 29-31). (Job 29:1 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said …)

D’. Three Friends Replaced by Elihu (Job 32:1-5)

C’. The Lord’s First Speech (Job 38:1-40:2) – Job’s response (Job 40:3-5)

B’. The Lord’s Second Speech (Job 40:6-41:34) – Job’s response (Job 42:1-6)

A’. Epilogue (Job 42:7-17)

This reveals the pivot point of the book is discourse on Wisdom in chapter 28.

Chiasm in chapter 28:

A. (Job 28:1-3) “and searcheth out ”

B. (Job 28:4) “The flood . . . even the waters”

C. (Job 28:5-6) “the earth”

D. (Job 28:7-11) “. . . [God’s] eye seeth every precious thing . . . things hid he brings into light.”

E. (Job 28:12-14) “But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?”

F. (Job 28:15-16) “[Wisdom] cannot be got for gold . . . cannot be valued with gold”

G. (Job 28:17) “The gold and the crystal cannot equal it . . . [nor] for jewels of fine gold.

X. (Job 28:18) “for the price of wisdom is above rubies.”

G’. (Job 28:19a) “The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it.”

F’. (Job 28:19b) “neither shall it be valued with pure gold.”

E’. (Job 28:20-22) “Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?”

D’. (Job 28:23) “God understandeth . . . and he knoweth”

       C’. (Job 28:24) “the ends of the earth”

      B’. (Job 28:25) “he weigheth the waters”

A’. (Job 28:26-27) “and searched it out.”

Concluding Lesson: (Job 28:28) “And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.”

A. fear of the Lord

B. is wisdom

A. depart from evil

B. is understanding

This defines the “fear of the LORD” as departing from evil (cf. Eccl. 12:13–14: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”; Ex. 20:20: “And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.”).

The central focus of chapter 28 is that wisdom is precious—a rare treasure in the earth (vv. 2, 5, 24)—and only God knows where it is to be found (vv. 12, 20, 23–28). Job acknowledges that only God possesses true wisdom, which is evident in creation yet beyond man’s full comprehension. God makes this same point directly to Job in His discourse (Job 38:1–41:34).

This is the recurring message of Wisdom poetry. As Proverbs 3:13–15 declares: “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.” Similarly, Proverbs 20:15 affirms: “There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.”

The Book of Job thus underscores that man is dependent upon God’s revelation to recognize the reality of the spiritual realm and its influence on the physical. Without such revelation, we can never fully understand what occurs in the earth. Therefore, all science and philosophy must ultimately be interpreted in the light of God’s Word.