Job

Nationality/Culture

Judeo-Christian

Pronunciation

JOHB

Alternate Names

Ayyub (Islamic)

Appears In

The Book of Job

Lineage

Unknown

Character Overview

Job is the name of a book in the Hebrew Bible and the name of the book's main character. Many scholars consider the Book of Job to be one of the finest works of literature ever written. It focuses on the question of why the innocent suffer.

Job, a wealthy man, blessed with a loving wife and family, is known for his goodness and devotion to the will of Yahweh (pronounced YAH-way), the Hebrew god. The Bible indicates that Job's prosperity and general good fortune are a reward for his goodness and belief in Yahweh. However, in a meeting between Yahweh and his heavenly advisors, Satan questions Job's faith, claiming that he is faithful only because of the many blessings he enjoys. If Job were to suffer misfortune, suggests Satan, he would curse Yahweh as readily as he now praises him. Satan challenges Yahweh to test Job's faith, and Yahweh accepts the challenge.

Yahweh allows Satan to inflict a number of terrible misfortunes on Job. He kills Job's children and causes him to lose all his wealth, but Job's belief in the goodness of Yahweh remains unshaken. This show of faith does not convince Satan, however, who says that physical pain and suffering would cause Job to abandon his belief. So Yahweh allows Job to be afflicted with painful boils all over his body, and still his faith remains firm.

At this point three friends visit Job, supposedly to comfort him by explaining why Yahweh is causing him to suffer. They suggest that Job must be guilty of some sin, because Yahweh only punishes the wicked. Knowing that he is a righteous man, Job refuses to accept their arguments. Finally Job pleads with Yahweh to end his suffering and asks him to explain why he is being tormented. Yahweh appears to Job in all his glory, overwhelming him with his magnificence. He proceeds to question Job about the mysteries of the universe. When Job cannot answer, Yahweh asks him how he could possibly hope to understand the will of the almighty if he cannot explain the workings of nature. Job accepts this answer and renews his faith in Yahweh, who rewards him by restoring his health and prosperity.

Job in Context

The tale of Job was intended to address the question of why a god would allow bad things to happen to good people. The god of the Near East referred to here as Yahweh was fundamentally different from many earlier gods; in this case, there was only one god in charge of everything, and this god was described as being an all-powerful protector and provider. Yahweh was not prone to the very human emotions, like jealousy, shown by ancient Greek and Roman gods. This essential goodness of Yahweh was an important point in the adoption of monotheistic (meaning “one god”) religions in the Near East. This also meant that there had to be a reason why Yahweh, if he was indeed all-powerful, would not always provide for and protect his followers.

In the end, the story offers no answer to the question of why the innocent must suffer. Instead, the Book of Job delivers the message that one must believe in the goodness of Yahweh, even in the face of seemingly unjust punishment, because such issues are beyond human understanding.

Key Themes and Symbols

The two most important themes in the tale of Job are faith and suffering. The whole point of Yahweh's trial of Job is to test his faith, to see whether or not he is willing to accept Yahweh's actions even when he does not understand them. He does this by causing Job to suffer in every way imaginable: by taking away his children, by taking away his riches, and even by causing boils on his skin. Still, Job remains faithful.

Job in Art, Literature, and Everyday Life

The original tale of Job has proven to be one of the most popular stories of the Bible, and is known to Christians, Jews, and Muslims around the world. Events of the tale were commonly depicted in illuminated manuscripts, and artist William Blake created a famous series of illustrations for the Book of Job. More recently, the 1984 novel Job: A Comedy of Justice by Robert A. Heinlein offers a science fiction version of the account of Job, with a main character that is sent bouncing through parallel universes and spends time in both heaven and hell. The 2003 comedy film Bruce Almighty, starring Jim Carrey, includes many elements of the account of Job. In modern times, the phrase “the patience of Job” is often used to describe someone who can endure a great deal of hardship or suffering without having a negative attitude.

Read, Write, Think, Discuss

The account of Job suggests that suffering exists for reasons beyond the grasp of humans and should be endured to demonstrate faith in God. If enduring difficult times is a way of showing devotion, what would be the consequences of a world without suffering? Is suffering, in some ways, good?