Job
A righteous man loses everything, and the book wrestles with why the innocent suffer.
What the sources say, and how sure we are
- The text says
Job opens with a righteous man tested by loss and illness, followed by long speeches between Job and his friends, and then God answers from the whirlwind.Job 1–2; Job 3–37; Job 38–41
- The text says
The book never names its author or says when it was written. Job lives in the land of Uz, measures wealth in livestock, and offers sacrifices himself, details that read like a patriarchal-age setting.Job 1:1–5; Job 42:8
- Debated
Some readers date the story to the patriarchal age, around the time of Abraham, and place the writing early. Many scholars date the book’s composition much later, from the time of Solomon to the exile or after, based on its language and themes. Job is the one wisdom book with no link to David or Solomon.
- Debated
Scholars also disagree about whether Job was a historical person whose story was shaped by a poet, or a carefully composed literary work. Ezekiel and James both refer to Job as a known example of righteousness and endurance.Ezek 14:14; James 5:11
- Christian conclusion
Christians read Job as showing that suffering is not always a punishment and that God’s answer to suffering is his own presence. Many also read Job 19:25–27 as hope of resurrection, though how Job himself meant it is debated.Job 19:25–27; James 5:11