Job (biblical figure)

File:Job-Blake.jpg

William Blake's imagining of Satan inflicting boils on Job.

Job (Hebrew: אִיּוֹב, Modern: Iyyov, Tiberian: ʾIyyôḇ ; Arabic: أيوب, Ayub), is a character in the Book of Job in the Hebrew Bible. In brief, the book begins with an introduction to Job's character — he is described as a rich, blessed man who fears God and lives righteously. Satan, however, challenges Job's integrity, and so God gives Job into Satan's hand, ending in tragedy for Job: the loss of his children, wealth, and physical soundness. The main portion of the text consists of the discourse of Job and his three friends concerning why Job was so punished, ending in God answering Job. Job is also a prophet in Islam.

In the Hebrew Bible

Job is a figure in the Hebrew Bible, his story concentrated in the book bearing his name. Described as upright, virtuous, and religious, he was wealthy in terms of slaves and cattle, which at the time were the principal wealth of princes in Arabia and Edom. He is said to have lived in the land of Uz. He had seven sons and three daughters and was "the greatest man among all the people of the East." (Job 1:1-3)

His sons took turns entertaining each other with feasts; each time they completed a cycle of feast days, Job sent to them and purified them, offering burn-offerings for each one in case any of them had cursed God in their hearts. He was "blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. His good character is discussed in depth later in the book.(Job 1:1;4,5)

In one assembly of the angels before God, Satan also comes, having patrolled the earth. Satan asserts that Job does not really love God, but fears God for blessing. To show that this is not so, God tested Job by giving Satan power over his property and family. In rapid succession, Job is suddenly informed by four servants of four different tragedies to strike his household. First, Sabeans slaughtered his servants and took away his oxen and donkeys. Second, a fire from heaven had consumed his sheep and servants with them. Third, the Chaldeans formed raiding parties and carried away his camels, killing the servants with them. Fourth and finally, a mighty wind brought down the house his sons and daughters were eating in, collapsing on and killing them all. Each time, only the servant delivering the message had escaped the catastrophe. (Job 1:6-19)

Job responded by tearing his clothes and shaving his head, and began to worship, saying, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." In all this Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. (Job 1:20-22)

Job maintained his righteousness despite his loss, but Satan was still unsatisfied. Therefore, he received permission to afflict Job's person, though he could not take his life. So, Job became diseased with painful sores all over his body. Job was forced to relieve the pain by scraping himself with a piece of broken pottery. His wife incited him to "curse God, and die" but Job answered "Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" Even then Job did not sin by cursing God. (Job 2:1-10)

Some of Job's friends learned of his misfortunes and came to visit him. These were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. A fourth was Elihu the Buzite; from Chapter 32 bears a distinguished part in the dialogue that ensues between the friends. They sat with Job in silence for seven days. Job finally speaks up, complaining of his misery, to which his friends respond; each time his friends accuse Job of having sinned in some way to explain his punishment, urging him to repent and submit to His justice, but each time Job argues back that he had been innocent and did not deserve these punishments, also arguing that God sometimes tries those He loves, to allow them to grow spiritually, or for some other reason unknown to foolish mankind. (Job 3-31)

The English expression "Job's comforter" derives from these incidents meaning someone who aggravates the distress of the unfortunate person that they have come to comfort.

When Job's first three friends stop answering Job, Elihu becomes angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God, angry with the three friends for condemning Job but not being able to refute him. So, he takes a middle path, emphasizing the sovereignty of God (Job 32-27). To settle the matter, God Himself appears in a cloud and decides in favour of Job, but He did not approve of the harsh words Job used in his suffering. Job humbly acknowledges his fault and asks forgiveness. The Lord condemns his friends, and directs them to make amends for their sins with sacrifices, coupled with Job's prayers. He restores Job to good health, gives him double the riches he had previously possessed, blesses him with a beautiful and numerous family, and crowns a holy life with a happy death. Job lived 140 years after his time of trial, 248 years in all, long enough even to see his great-grandchildren.(Job 32-42)

Job is also mentioned in the Book of Ezekiel (14:14,20), along with Noah and Daniel (or Danel), as among the most righteous men to emphasize the intensity of Jerusalem's sin.

The Testament of Job

Job is also the protagonist of a book in the Hebrew Bible Apocrypha called the Testament of Job. It is discussed in greater detail in its own article; see Testament of Job.

Jewish view of Job

Classical Torah scholarship has not doubted Job's existence. He was seen as a real and powerful figure. Some scholars of Orthodox Judaism maintain that Job was in fact one of three advisors that Pharaoh consulted, prior to taking action against the increasingly multiplying "Children of Israel" mentioned in the Book of Exodus during the time of Moses' birth. The episode is mentioned in the Talmud (Tractate Sotah): Balaam gives evil advice urging Pharaoh to kill the Hebrew male new-born babies; Jethro opposes Pharaoh and tells him not to harm the Hebrews at all, and Job keeps silent and does not reveal his mind even though he was personally opposed to Pharaoh's destructive plans. It is for his silence that God subsequently punishes him with his bitter afflictions. [1].

There is a minority view among Rabbinical scholars, for instance that of Rabbi Simeon ben Laqish, that says Job never existed (Midrash Genesis Rabbah LXVII). In this view, Job was a literary creation by a prophet who used this form of writing to convey a divine message. On the other hand, the Talmud (in Tractate Baba Batra 15a-16b) goes to great lengths trying to ascertain when Job actually lived, citing many opinions and interpretations by the leading sages. Job is further mentioned in the Talmud as follows [2]:

• Job's resignation to his fate (in Tractate Pesachim 2b)
• When Job was prosperous, anyone who associated with him even to buy from him or sell to him, was blessed (in Tractate Pesachim 112a)
• Job's reward for being generous (in Tractate Megillah 28a)
• King David, Job and Ezekiel described the Torah's length without putting a number to it (in Tractate Eruvin 21a)

In Christianity

Christianity accepts the Book of Job as canon in the Old Testament and thus contains the same information regarding Job as discussed above in the Hebrew Bible. In addition, Job is mentioned in the New Testament: the Epistle of James 5:11 cites Job as an example of perseverance in suffering. The New Testament also quotes and references the Book of Job throughout.

Job's declaration "I know that my Redeemer lives" (Job 19:25) is considered by Christians to be a proto-Christian statement of belief, and is the basis of several Christian hymns.

Some hold that Job was not a real historical figure. In this view, the narrative is a parable, written under divine inspiration in order to teach theological truths, but was never meant to be taken as literally true in a historical sense.

In Islam

The front entrance to the tomb of the Prophet Job, at the Druze region of Lebanon (Al-Chouf)

The tomb of Job, outside Salalah, Oman

In the Qur'an he is known as Ayyūb (Arabic: أيوب ), which is Arabic for Job, and is considered a prophet in Islam. In the Arabic language the name of Job (Ayyūb) is symbolic of the virtue of patience, though it does not mean patience in itself.

Local traditions regarding Ayyub (Job)

In Palestinian folk tradition Job's place of trial is Al-Joura, a village outside the town of Al Majdal (now Ashkelon). It was there God rewarded him with a fountain of youth that removed whatever illnesses he had, and gave him back his youth. The town of Al-Joura was a place of annual festivities (4 days in all) when people of many faiths gathered and bathed in a natural spring.

In Turkey, Job is known as Eyyup. It is believed that Job and Elias were buried at Eyyup Nebi, near Viranşehir.

There is also a tomb of Job outside the city of Salalah in Oman.

Additionally, the Druze community also maintains a tomb for the Prophet Job in the El-Chouf mountain district in Lebanon. (See photo on right) Cultural Heritage

In Mormonism

According to Latter-day Saint (Mormon) belief, Christ referred to Job in a revelation to Mormon founder and prophet Joseph Smith, Jr.. The revelation is dated March 20, 1839, while Smith was a prisoner at Liberty Jail, Missouri. In response to Smith's plea ("O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place? ... How long shall [thy people] suffer these wrongs and unlawful oppressions, before thine heart shall be softened toward them, and thy bowels be moved with compassion toward them?..."), Christ reminded Smith that his sufferings were not as severe as were Job's: "Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands. Thou art not yet as Job; thy friends do not contend against thee, neither charge thee with transgressions, as they did Job" (Doctrine and Covenants 121:1-3, 9-10).

See also

• Elihu
• Similarities between the Bible and the Qur'an

External links

• Book of Job in English
• Book of Job with Hebrew and English
• Themes of Job
• Summary of Job's life.
• Putting God on Trial- The Biblical Book of Job complete online commentary
• Aristeas identifies Job with the Jobab mentioned in Gen. xxxvi. 33, a great-grandson of Esau
• An international fraternal organization for young women based on the teachings of the book of Job.
• The Story of Ayyub (Job). The same page is also available at [3]

References to Ayyub (Job) in the Qur'an

• Job's prophecy: 4:163, 6:84
• Trial and patience: 21:83, 21:84, 38:41, 38:42, 38:44