Portal:Bible/Featured article/July, 2006

Job is a figure in the Hebrew Bible, his story concentrated in the book bearing his name. He was "blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil".

In an assembly of angels, Satan asserts that Job does not really love God, but fears God for blessing. To show that this is not so, God tests Job by giving Satan power over his property and family. Four different tragedies strike his household. His house is destroyed, his sons and daughters and most of his servants are killed, and all of his animals are stolen. Job responds by saying, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."

Job maintains his righteousness despite his loss, but Satan is still unsatisfied. Therefore, he receives permission to afflict Job's person, though he cannot take his life. So, Job becomes diseased with painful sores. His wife incites him to "curse God, and die" but Job answers "Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?"

Job's friends accuse him of having sinned in some way to explain his punishment, urging him to repent, but Job argues that God sometimes tries those He loves, to allow them to grow spiritually, or for some reason unknown to mankind.

God appears in a cloud and decides in favour of Job, but He did not approve of the harsh words Job used in his suffering. Job humbly acknowledges his fault and asks forgiveness. God restores Job to good health, gives him double the riches he had previously possessed, blesses him with a beautiful and numerous family, and crowns a holy life with a happy death. Job lived 140 years after his time of trial, 248 years in all, long enough even to see his great-grandchildren.

Job is also mentioned in the Book of Ezekiel, along with Noah and Daniel, as among the most righteous men to emphasize the intensity of Jerusalem's sin.