Open English Translation JOB Introduction

Introduction

The account of Iyyov (but commonly as known as ‘Job’ which is the English evolution of the Germanic adaptation of the Greek adaptation Ἰώβ (Iōb) of his actual Hebrew name ‘אִיּוֹב’) is an account about a godly man who was struck by a series of tragedies: all his children and their families were killed, all his extensive wealth was lost, and then he was struck with a terrible disease. By means of this seven-part account, the reader is informed about how Iyyov and his friends react concerning those tragedies. Then finally, God reveals himself to Iyyov and the others.

Near the beginning of this document, God is told by Satan that it’s not good governing of his people if he always rewards those who obey him. What if people only obey God because they’re after the material blessings that would always follow. This would mean that their obedience no longer comes from their hearts. Yes, that’s what Satan said about Iyyov, so God allowed Satan to test Iyyov’s heart to see if he’d continue to trust God in times of suffering and misery.

Iyyov’s traditional friends assumed that he must be suffering because he sinned. Surely he wouldn’t suffer all that if he’d been honest and righteous. None of them could understand why God might allow sickness or disease to strike someone if he was truly a righteous person, but this is too simplistic for Iyyov to accept. Therefore he challenges God to present his case. In all of that, Iyyov’s faith in God isn’t lost, but he desires to regain his honour as an honest and godly person.

God doesn’t answer Iyyov’s questions but he responds by displaying his own power and wisdom and knowledge. So then Iyyov acknowledges God as the wise creator and requests forgiveness for his angry words.

The final segment of this account explains how Iyyov was restored to health, peace, and prosperity (all the elements of ‘shalom’/‘שָׁלוֹם’), and how he actually prospered even more than before. It also shows how God was angry at Iyyov’s friends, because they had so much to say when none of them actually knew why Iyyov had suffered—only Iyyov had really sensed that God and his eventual (but eternal) justice is greater than simplistic proverbs and trite beliefs.

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