| Saint Job | |
|---|---|
Job restored to prosperity by Laurent de la Hyre |
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| Prophet, Holy Forefather, 'Man of Patience' | |
| Died | Land of Uz (?) |
| Honored in | Judaism Islam Christianity Druze |
| Feast | Catholic Church (Roman Rite) May 10 Armenian Church August 30 Lutheran Church May 9 Orthodox Church May 6 |
Job ( /ˈdʒoʊb/; Hebrew: אִיּוֹב, Modern Iyyov Tiberian ʾIyyôḇ, Arabic: أيّوب Ayyūb) is the central character of the Book of Job in the Hebrew Bible. Job is listed as a prophet of God in the Qur'an.
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The Book of Job begins with an introduction to Job's character — he is described as a blessed man who lives righteously. God's praise of Job prompts Satan to challenge Job's integrity and suggesting that Job serves God simply because he protects him. God removes Job's protection, allowing Satan to take his wealth, his children, and his physical health in order to tempt Job to curse God. Despite his difficult circumstances, he does not curse God, but rather curses the day of his birth. And although he protests his plight and pleads for an explanation, he stops short of accusing God of injustice. Most of the book consists of conversations between Job and his three friends concerning Job's condition and its possible reasons, after which God responds to Job and his friends, opening his speech with the famous words, "Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me."[1] After God's reply, Job is overwhelmed and says, "I am unworthy – how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth."[2] Many interpretations read this as Job realizing how little he knew when he says to the Lord, "My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you."[3] Other scholars and readers, however, find this explanation unsatisfactory, since the problem of Job (the innocent man suffering at the hand of God) is not addressed. Job's response to God shows none of the anger, passion, or piety he demonstrated in the rest of the story, even when God does not give Job the direct answer he has demanded for much of the book.[4] Then Job is restored to an even better condition than his former wealthy state.[5] Job was also blessed to have seven sons, and three daughters named: Jemimah (which means "dove"), Keziah ("cinnamon"), and Keren-happuch ("horn of eye-makeup"); his daughters were said to be the most beautiful women in the land.[6] "Job went on to live one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations."[7]
The characters in the Book of Job consist of Job, his wife, his friends, a man named Eliyahu, God, and Satan. Neither the patriarchs nor any other biblical characters make an appearance.
In addition to the Book of Job, Job appears in several books:
A clear majority of Rabbinical Torah scholars saw Job as having in fact existed as a powerful and historically factual figure. Some scholars of Orthodox Judaism maintain that Job was in fact one of three advisors that Pharaoh consulted, prior to taking action against the increasingly multiplying "Children of Israel" mentioned in the Book of Exodus during the time of Moses' birth. The episode is mentioned in the Talmud (Tractate Sotah): Balaam gives evil advice urging Pharaoh to kill the Hebrew male new-born babies; Jethro opposes Pharaoh and tells him not to harm the Hebrews at all, and Job keeps silent and does not reveal his mind even though he was personally opposed to Pharaoh's destructive plans. It is for his silence that God subsequently punishes him with his bitter afflictions.[11] However, the book of Job itself contains no indication of this, and to the prophet Ezekiel, Yahweh refers to Job as a righteous man of the same calibre as Noah and Daniel.[12]
There is a minority view among Rabbinical scholars, for instance that of Rabbi Simeon ben Laqish, that says Job never existed (Midrash Genesis Rabbah LXVII). In this view, Job was a literary creation by a prophet who used this form of writing to convey a divine message. On the other hand, the Talmud (in Tractate Baba Batra 15a–16b) goes to great lengths trying to ascertain when Job actually lived, citing many opinions and interpretations by the leading sages. Job is further mentioned in the Talmud as follows[13]:
Christianity accepts the Book of Job as canon in the Old Testament and thus contains the same information regarding Job as discussed above in the Hebrew Bible. In addition, Job is mentioned in the New Testament: the Epistle of James 5:11 cites Job as an example of perseverance in suffering. The New Testament also quotes and references the Book of Job throughout.
Job's declaration "I know that my Redeemer lives" (Job 19:25) is considered by some Christians to be a proto-Christian statement of belief, and is the basis of several Christian hymns.
He is commemorated as a patriarch by the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in their Calendar of Saints on May 9, and in the Calendar of saints of the Armenian Apostolic Church on August 30.
In the Qur'an, Job (Arabic: أيّوب, Ayyūb) is considered a prophet in Islam.[14] Job's story in Islam is very similar to the Hebrew Bible story but, in Islam, the emphasis is paid to Job remaining steadfast to God and there is no mention of lengthy discussions with friends. However, later Muslim literature states that Job had brothers, who argued with the man about the cause of his affliction.[15] Some Muslim commentators also spoke of Job as being the ancestor of the Romans.[15] Muslim literature also comments on Job's time and place of prophecy, saying that he came after Joseph in the prophetic series and that he preached to his own people rather than being sent to a specified community. Tradition further recounts that Job will be the leader of the group of "those who patiently endured" in Heaven.[16]
In the Qur'an, it states that the Job was a righteous servant of God, who was afflicted by suffering for a lengthy period of time. However, the Qur'an clearly states that Job never lost faith in God and forever called to God in prayer, asking Him to remove his affliction:
And Job, when he cried unto his Lord, (saying): Lo! Adversity afflicteth me, and Thou art Most Merciful of all who show mercy.—Qur'an, sura 21 (The Prophets), ayah 83[17]
The narrative goes on to state that after many years of suffering, God ordered Job to "Strike with thy foot!".[18] At once, Job struck the ground with his foot and God caused a cool spring of water to gush forth from the Earth, from which Job could replenish himself. The Qur'an states that it was then that God removed his pain and suffering and He returned Job's family to him, blessed him with many generations of children and granted him great wealth. In addition to the brief descriptions of Job's narrative, the Qur'an further mentions Job twice in the lists of those whom God had given special guidance, wisdom and inspiration (IV: 163) and as one of the men who received authority, the Book and the gift of prophethood (VI:84).
The Qur'an mentions Job's narrative in a concise manner. Muslim historical literature, however, fleshes out Job's story and describes him as being a late descendant of the patriarch Noah.[19] Similar to the Hebrew Bible narrative, Islamic tradition mentions that Satan heard the angels of God speak of Job as being the most faithful man of his generation.[20] Job, being a chosen prophet of God, would remain committed in daily prayer and would frequently call to God, thanking God for blessing him with abundant wealth and a large family. But Satan planned to turn the God-fearing Job away from God and wanted Job to fall into disbelief and corruption.[20] Therefore, God allowed Satan to afflict Job with distress and intense illness and suffering,[20] as God knew that Job would never turn away from his Lord.
Although Job's possessions were destroyed and he suffered many calamities, he remained steadfast in his worship of God and remained committed to his religion. Satan then appeared to Job in the guise of an old man and suggested that God was not rewarding Job for his prayer. Job, however, rebuked Satan and told him that God is all-knowing and does what He thinks is best.[20] It is said that then Satan, having failed at tempting Job, turned to Job's wife, who was also a faithful woman. Satan reminded Job's wife of her life before Job's affliction and how they were abundant in family and fortune. Job's wife, although she did not lose faith, burst into tears and asked Job to tell God to remove this suffering from the household.[20] Job, in his misery, rebuked his wife and told her that this suffering had been for a relatively short period of time and, without thinking, told her that he would beat her with 100 strokes for complaining.[20]
After Satan has given up trying to turn Job away from the Lord, God removed Job's affliction and returned his family to him, doubling them in number. He returned Job's wealth and showered Job with gold.[20] Once Job's wife had seen her husband restored to prosperity and health, she prayed thanks to God but then worried over the oath her husband had taken earlier, in which he had promised to beat her with a hundred strokes. Job was also deeply grieved over the oath he had taken, amidst his suffering. God, however, sent a revelation to Job, which told him to not beat his wife but to gently hit her with a bundle of soft grass.[21]
There are at least two locations that claim to be the place of Job's ordeal, and at least three that claim to have his tomb.
In Palestinian folk tradition, Job's place of trial is Al-Jura, a village outside the town of Al Majdal—now replaced by the Israeli town of Ashkelon. It was there God rewarded him with a fountain of youth that removed whatever illnesses he had, and gave him back his youth. The town of Al-Joura was a place of annual festivities (4 days in all) when people of many faiths gathered and bathed in a natural spring.
The city of Urfa (formerly Edessa) in southeastern Turkey also claims to be the location at which Job underwent his ordeal. Urfa has a well said to be the one formed when he struck the ground with his foot as described in the Qur'an. There is a tomb of Job located outside of the city of Urfa.
The tomb of Job is also said to be situated in Jabal Qara outside the city of Salalah in southern Oman.
Additionally, the Druze community also maintains a tomb for the Prophet Job in the El-Chouf mountain district in Lebanon. (See photo on right.)[22]
The Eyüp Sultan Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, holds the tomb of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, not the Biblical Job (Ayyub in Arabic, Eyüp in Turkish), though some locals tend to conflate the two.
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