You and the Text

The book of Job holds a unique place in the Old Testament canon. Job is not considered a Prophet, and the book is grouped in the "wisdom writings" (along with Psalms, Proverbs, the Song of Songs, Ruth, Ecclesiastes, and others). Its literary form is unusual : much of the book consists of a philosophical dialogue among Job and his friends Eliphaz (the Temanite), Bildad (the Shuhite) and Zophar (the Naamathite).

Here is a suggestion as you approach the book of Job. Stick to the text at hand (in this case, the King James Version ; you may need to brush up on your early Modern English). Resist the temptation to reach for one of the numerous biblical commentaries available. Why not take a pencil in hand and write in your own chapter headings?

Build on what you already know about the book of Job. You are probably familiar with some of these famous passages that have become part of our common culture:

From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it (spoken by Satan).

Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord (spoken by Job)

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil (the very first lines).

Let the text do its work on you.



Satan afflicts Job with boils (from William Blake's edition of the Book of Job).