Job: A Reassessment

It has been pointed out at the outset, that Job was probably composed in the late 5th or early 4th century BCE. Is it possible that the anonymous author was influenced by Greek culture? The question is of considerable difficulty. The debating technique used in Job is not found in other books of the Old Testament. These comprise historical narration, prophecies of wrath, eschatological and apocalyptic messages and allegories. Terms and metaphors are not defined. It is assumed that the reader understands the meaning of words such as “God” and “justice” For instance, in Ha’Azinu [האזינו] we are told: “He is the rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are justice: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he [Deut. 32:4].1 ...

Who wrote Job? Some sages argue that the author was Moses.1 However, the vocabulary and syntax of the Pentateuch (also attributed to Moses) differ from Job’s. Further, Moses describes God as the very source of faith and justice [Deut. 32:5]. Moses would not feel the need to discuss the theodicy issue. Other sages,2 attribute Job to Jeremiah, who – as already pointed out – raised the theodicy issue [Jer. 12:1]. However, his query was not favoured with a reply and was not discussed by him any further. There can, of course, be no doubt about Jeremiah’s standing as a poet. All the same, Jeremiah’s main object was to deal with the issues of his era, namely, the corruption of Judah and the military superiority of Babylon. In addition, the dialectic approach of Job was alien to Judah of Jeremiah’s period (the sixth century BCE). ...

Job is a unique pearl of Jewish heritage. Its original version did not include chapters 28, 32 to 37 (Elihu’s speeches) and 38 to 42:1-6 (God’s Replies from the Whirlwind). The final message of this original work is clear: the theodicy issue remains unsolved. Even a lengthy dialectic debate does not provide a satisfactory solution to it. Another wisdom book concedes its having arisen. The author of Ecclesiastes says: “…there are just men, to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked; again, there are wicked men, to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous: I [say] that this is also vanity” [Ecc. 8:14-15]. ...