Nnliterary structure of the book of job

Although most of the book consists of the words of job and his friends, job himself was not the author. The first two places his name is found aside from the book of job is in ezekiel 14, verses 14 and 20. It is common to view the narrative frame as the original core of the book, enlarged later by the poetic dialogues and discourses, and sections of the book such as the elihu speeches and the wisdom poem of chapter 28 as late insertions, but recent trends have tended to concentrate on the. Rather, he is considered an actual, historical figure. Addressing the problem of theodicy the vindication of the justice of god in the light of humanitys suffering it is a rich theological work setting out a variety of perspectives. Book of job tilak, 40 the book of job resembles drama with the prologue as the introduction stating jobs wealthy, prosperous and righteous life and the epilogue which is the climax that ends with the speeches of yahweh. It is the philosophical riddle that concerns us in such an introduction as this. Because the book of job is so often neglected, yet presents a valuable lesson and is so highly praised by even people of the world, christians should certainly take the time to study this portion of gods word. In fact, job is mentioned in three different verses in scripture outside the book of job, none of which lead one to believe that job is a fictional character. Structure of a literary work article about structure of. Ive always struggled with jobs story, but never stopped to consider whether he was real or fictional. In my first reflection here, i have attempted only to breakdown the book in order to better understand its structure and message.

The most likely candidates are job, elihu, moses, and solomon. Structure of the book of job university of massachusetts. The book of job consists of a prose prologue and epilogue narrative framing poetic dialogues and monologues. Mar 04, 2014 the book of job is not answering a theoretical question about why good people suffer. The book of job by anonymous meet your next favorite book.

The only problem is that much of it was penned in ancient hebrew, a language that few people can read and even fewer are fluent enough in to appreciate the power of the verse. Justice in the book of job essay 511 words bartleby. Fourth, the book of job was a fixed document of the old testament centuries before the coming of christ in the first century. The book of job is not answering a theoretical question about why good people suffer. The book of job is one of the literary masterpieces of all time, and provides a profound discussion on the suffering of a just man. Jul 22, 2011 job is the central character of the book of job in the old testament. In the prologue job is introduced to us as a bedouin sheikh, living in the land of uz, in north.

Thus, the structure of a literary work embraces the works characters, theme, plot, composition, and architectonics. Most books of the bible take place on larger stages, but the book of job goes down at a very specific and narrow point in the human life cycle. If we were to film this book, the whole movie would take place on a single set, probably in a single day. Job is the central character of the book of job in the old testament. The book job originally aired on the fox network in the united states on november 20, 2011. When good people suffer, what does god want from them. Literary analysis on the book of job essay 3073 words cram. Unlike other books of the bible, the book of job details a conflict between man and god within a poetic structure, and is the only book in the bible to take on the problem of suffering as its main purpose.

Job spends his entire book in a position of sadness and loss. Jobs story invites us to consider what it means that god runs the world by wisdom, and how this truth can bring peace in dark times. It is found in the third section of the biblical canon known as the ketuvim writings. Consequently it can be concluded that the book of job is a mixed genre in which its author expertly blended a variety of literary types in. These biblical references alone authenticate job as an historical person. The book of job, book of hebrew scripture that is often counted among the masterpieces of world literature. Job is lacking references to historical events and reflects a nonhebraic cultural background which little is known about. The date of the authorship of the book of job would be determined by the author of the book of job. We may be sure that the author was an israelite, since he not job or his friends frequently uses the israelite covenant name for god yahweh. The prologue pictures job in his original happiness and details his calamities.

Consequently it can be concluded that the book of job is a mixed genre in which its author expertly blended a variety of literary types in order to serve the function of the book. The skeptical character of the symposium, with its challenge to timehonored views, most likely would have kept the book of job out of the canon of old testament writings had some additions not been made to the original book. Job 1 kjv there was a man in the land of uz, bible gateway. Andrews university seminary studies, spring 1985, vol. Hes blameless and upright, and he has kids, a wife, land, and a bunch of sheep. However, unlike the careful, and at times paranoid, job of the book. Oct 22, 2016 jobs story invites us to consider what it means that god runs the world by wisdom, and how this truth can bring peace in dark times.

Myers, the linguistic and literary form of the book of ruth leiden, 1955, p. Jobs friend, eliphaz, came from teman, a city in edom. The arrangement of this book includes a large poetic section flanked by shorter prose sections. If moses was the author, the date would be around 1440 b. The structure and purpose of the book of job gregory w. Jobs final speech in his own defense is probably where the book originally ended. Two, neither job nor his friends ever saw the conflict going on between. Elihu came from the buzites who lived next to the chaldeans in northeast arabia 4. The book of job is best known as one of the poetic book of the old testament of the bible. However, unlike the careful, and at times paranoid, job of the book of job, j. An extraordinary and invaluable version of this great biblical treasure. The contents of the book, together with its artistic structure and elegant style, place it among the literary masterpieces of all time. Development of the plot of the book of ruth, beth mikra 75 1978.

The bulk of the book of job is cast in poetical form, but it is provided with a prose prologue 1. This book has a definite kinship with eastern chokma wisdom literature. The book of job and its modern interpreters bjrl 54 1971. The book of job is essentially a long dialogue between job, four people who come to sit with him, and god. Job s final speech in his own defense is probably where the book originally ended. Rlst 145 lecture 20 responses to suffering and evil.

Faq top literary structure of the bible book of job 1 literary structure chiasmus, chiasm of book of job chiasmus and concentric structure of whole text. Intro to job biblica the international bible society. Although most of the superlatives have been exhausted to describe its literary excellence, it seems to defy more than a superficial. This is of significance insofar as the works structure is hierarchical in nature. This lecture begins with the book of lamentations, a short book of dirges that laments the destruction of jerusalem and moves on to introduce the third and final section of the hebrew bible the ketuvim, or writings. Now, the book of job has been rendered into english by the eminent translator and scholar stephen mitchell, whose versions of rilke, israeli poetry, and the tao te ching have been widely praised. Up in the heavens, god brags to the divine assembly about job. The prose prologue chapters one and two and the epilogue 42. Whole chapters of the book are devoted to speeches by jobs counselors.

Garsiel agrees with gunkel on the genre of ruth and considers the book to be a short story with four episodes. It would not be very comforting if job were nothing more than a jack and the beanstalk story. Structure of a literary work the structure of a work of literary art. The book of job does not specifically name its author.

It originally aired on the fox network in the united states on november 20, 2011. The structure and flow of the book the book of job opens portraying job as a wealthy and righteous nobleman. The book is not about jobs history but about jobs life and the way we relate to god as a result. Job is the first of five books commonly referred to as the books of poetry. In the demographic for adults aged 1849, the episode received a 2. It does so through a poetry of unsurpassed beauty captured in raymond scheindlins superb new translation. In the meaning of the book of job and other biblical studies. Dec 05, 2011 the book of job is essentially a long dialogue between job, four people who come to sit with him, and god. This summary of the book of job provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of job. Although most of the superlatives have been exhausted to describe its literary excellence, it seems to defy more than a. To understand the full impact of the book of job the book must be read and understood as a whole. There is a dramatic arc in the story as the arguing and insults from the friends intensify against jobs.

In the book of job, the discussion is about how a person can be righteous before god job 9. In fact, some scholars believe that job requires and understanding of the book as a whole more than any other book of the old testament. On further analysis, the structure of the book of job seems like a dramatized lament. The contents of the book, together with its artistic structure and elegant style, place it. The skeptical character of the symposium, with its challenge to timehonored views, most likely would have kept the book of job out of the canon of old testament writings had some additions not been made to. Job is the last of the three books that explore these themes. Structure integrates a literary work and enables it to embody and communicate its content. Slavitt, philadelphia inquirer one of the most powerful and unsettling bible stories, the book of job undermines the claim that our world is governed by justice and meaning.

Introduction to the book of job society of gilbert keith. The bible contains some of the most beautiful poetry ever written. The books theme is the eternal problem of unmerited suffering, and it is named after its central. In the episode, lisa is shocked to discover that all popular youngadult novels are not each written by a single author with any inspiration, but are conceived by book publishing executives through use of. A works structure reveals these elements individually and in terms of their coordination and interdependence within the work as a whole. When a literary work is first apprehended, its structure is not consciously perceived and. In greek lxx the name is transliteration of the hebrew consonants iwb. Parsons it is common knowledge that the book of job is universally admired as a literary masterpiece in world literature. Prov, eccl, and, in a sense, s of sol applied foundational mosaic revelation to the problems of human existence and conduct as they were being formulated in the philosophical circles of the world of that day. Lo and behold, satan comes out and challenges god on job s goodness. The theme of the book of job is nothing less than human suffering and the transcendence of it. Literary features of the book of job gordon college. Literary structure asbury bible commentary bible gateway.

Throughout the book, job pleads to god for all of the misfortunes that have befallen him. Literary features of the book of job 215 his polyphonic workwisdom types, a genre from psalms, and a genre from the legal sphere. Structure of a literary work article about structure of a. Could it be the writer of job was himself ruminating over many misfortunes in his own life, whether he had somehow caused them by his own sin, working through why his so called friends blamed him rather than pulled him up. The book job is the sixth episode of the twentythird season of the american animated sitcom the simpsons. The work is grouped with proverbs and ecclesiastes as a product of the wisdom movement, even though it contains what might be called an antiwisdom strain in that the hero protests. The bulk, of the poetic section is given over to the speeches of job and his comforters, aligned in three cycles. Or perhaps this is an at least partially an afterward because i write this after i have completed half of the melding together of roger hahns online crivoice bible study and the excerpts from john c. There is a dramatic arc in the story as the arguing and insults from the friends intensify against jobs denials of wrongdoing. The book of job is not only the finest expression of the hebrew poetic genius. A comparative and critical analysis of the story of job as. The book of job is among the other old testament books both a philosophical riddle and a historical riddle. The book of job, named after its protagonist apparently not an israelite. The book of job fundamentally involves the confrontation or lack thereof with the apparent upending of the universes entire moral order.