Poetry and wisdom

Satan is described as a servant of God; he is a type of prosecuting attorney in heaven. He was chatting with God one day about Job. Satan expressed the belief that Job was a very holy man only because of his earthly successes. They conspire to test this theory by suddenly destroying all of Job's possessions and killing all of his children. Later, with God's approval, Satan sends a sickness to Job, bringing him near death. Job refuses to curse God for his misfortunes. Most of the book deals with discussions by three "friends" of Job about his problems; they conclude that his punishment apparently results from some secret sin that Job has committed. God appears on the scene and rebukes Job's friends. However, he did not justify his treatment of Job. Because Job remained faithful, God cured his illnesses, restored his wealth to twice its original value and gave him 10 new sons. However, Job's original children remained dead.

CT Job probably lived some time after the Flood and before Moses. The book was written perhaps at the time of Solomon, by an unknown author.

LT The book is one of a series of similar ancient texts written in Egypt, Babylon, Sumeria and other Middle East countries. Judging from the setting described in the book, it may have been written by a Edomite. Edom was the land to the south-east of Israel. Alternatively, it might have been authored by a well-traveled and educated Jew. Some theologians date the book on the basis its conception of Satan at the 5th or 6th century BCE. This was a time when Persian/Zoroastrian beliefs were infiltrating Hebrew religious thought. Others place it as late as the 3rd century BCE. Most scholars believe that the words of Elihu in Chapters 32 to 37 were a later addition.

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