The Book of Job

Bible Study

The Book of Job

Authorship
While there is no solid evidence as to the authorship of the book, three theories predominate.

(1) That Job himself wrote the book after the restoration of his possessions. He expresses the desire that such a book be written: "Oh, that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll, that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead, or engraved in rock forever!" (Job 19:23-24 NIV). Arguing in favor of this interpreta-tion is the amazing amount of detail recorded in the various dialogs.

(2) That Moses was the author. He would have lived in the same time period and probably been familiar with many of the details. He may have added the prologue (chapters 2 and 3) to give the setting; and the epilogue (chapter 42) to record the final outcome. Against this thought is that the events take place far from where Moses lived and the style is poetic, far different than that of the Pentateuch.

(3) That it was an unknown author of the time of the return from Babylonian captivity. This theory holds that the account was passed down from generation to generation by oral tradition and put into the written record centuries after the event. Both the voca-bulary used and the allegorized prologue are typical of writings of this time period.