The Book of Job; content, dating..etc.
The Book of Job has always formed an integral part of the Hebrew Canon, and some 47 passages in it are quoted or referred to in the other books of the Bible and Holy Scripture.
The object of the Book of Job is to show “the end of the Lord” (James 5:11)…the end to which Job was brought in chapters 40: 4-5 and 42:5-6; here is the confession of human “impotence” in attaining righteousness, and thankfully casting himself on Divine “omnipotence for salvation”. All tends to this “end”. The three friends of Job show the impotence of human experience (Eliphaz), human tradition (Bildad), and human merit (Zopher). Elihu points to God as the giver of a Divine righteousness for us helpless sinners.
Again the quotations from, and references to, the Book of Job in the other books of the Bible or Holy Scripture show that it was well known and read in the days of David and Solomon and the Prophets, and cannot be referred to as late a period as the 7th–4th centuries BC, as most of the “higher” critics do.
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We should note the Septuagint ending of the Book of Job.
Fr. Robert,
The following is my research results for assigning an historical period to the book of Job.
Before the flood, Genesis 6:3 [ESV] says, “Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide [or contend with] in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.”” The average lifespan of pre-flood humans was 900 years. Noah was the last person to live the 900 year lifespan, dying at age 950 years. Noah’s eldest son, Shem died at age 602 years (born before the flood, died after the flood). Four generations later, the Biblically documented lifespan had dropped by approximately 400 years: Peleg (born shortly after the Tower of Babel scattering) died at the age of 239 years (Josephus provides a very through account of this event and the ensuing aftermath).
Just before Satan first attacked Job, Job had seven sons and three daughters who owned their own houses and had their own independent livelihood; they were well-established adults. Also Job 1:3 says that Job was extremely wealthy; he was “…the greatest of all the people of the east.” Amassing this great wealth would take a great number of years regardless of historical time period. At the end of the book of Job, Job 42:16 says that after all this affliction, “…Job lived 140 years and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, four generations.” Considering the years required for Job to become the greatest of all the people of the east before Satan attacked him, we can reasonably assume that Job was no less than 60 years old, but more realistically no less than 80 years old. If Job was only 60 years old when he lost everything, and then lived an additional 140 years after God restored his fortunes, we can assume with considerable accuracy that Job died at the approximate age of at least 200 years.
Terah, Abraham’s father, died at age 205 years (Genesis 11:12). Abraham died at age 175 years (Genesis 25:7). Joseph is the first Biblically documented person to die at the prescribed age of 120 years, as mandated by God in Genesis 6:3. Four hundred plus years after Joseph, Moses also died at age 120 years. This places the historical period of Job at or before the historical period of Terah, Abraham’s father.
It is simply impossible, according to this data, for the events in the book of Job to have occurred at any other time.
By the way, this was fun to research. Thanks for this post Fr. Robert.
Todd,
Very nice! I wish I had that time and energy. 🙂 The Bible is surely its own reality and revelation! I learned many years ago that really nothing can replace Bible reading, and Bible Study! The only lasting “theology/study” is the Holy Scripture Itself! (1 Peter 1:23-25)
1 Peter 1:23-25, absolutely.
Thank you for your acceptance Fr. Robert. That made my day. I love a good Biblical research project, especially when Truth is at stake.
Todd & Lance,
You both might enjoy this by E.W. Bullinger, his work on Job..
http://bluehost.levendwater.org/books/book_of_job/index.htm
Fr. Robert,
Thanks for the link. It looks like an informative read.