Old Testament Bible Links

Poetry:
Job

The Bare Facts -- Overviews and Outlines --
Bible Studies: Whole Book -- Part of Book --
Sermons -- Bibliographies

  

Why do so many people find the book of Job so fascinating?  We hear about the "patience of Job," although Job doesn't prove terribly patient on closer inspection.  A look at the "Articles" section of this page will demonstrate that any number of writers have commented on the justice (or lack thereof) demonstrated in this book.  Why the fascination?  I would suggest that at the heart of this book and its dealing with the issue of theodicy lies a central question about the nature and ultimate goodness of God.  Job's story is the story of one man and his dealings with a holy and inscrutable God.

Left: "God Answering Job Out of the Whirlwind" by William Blake.

 

The Bare Facts

Who: The book does not identify an author.  Tradition doesn't suggest much more to help us.  Some have suggested that Moses translated an original into Hebrew.  That's a great theory with virtually no support.Where: If Job or an associate wrote the book, we can reasonably surmise that the composition took place in northern Arabia around Uz.When:  The events of the book seem clearly to lie in a pre-Mosaic, perhaps Patriarchal period.  There's no compelling reason to believe that the book was penned considerably later than the events it relates.

What:  Job tells a remarkably focused story.  In the first chapters, we find Satan asking God for permission to afflict Job.  He then carries out these afflictions, leaving Job without family and destitute.  The long central portion of the book includes the discussions of justice between Job and his friends.  Finally, after their considerable discussion, God appears to set Job and the others straight.

Also Known As: Eyov (Jewish)

 

Memorable Passages

   
   
   

Overviews and Outlines

An Introduction to the Book of Job
An outlined overview by David Malick.
The Book of Job
A brief introduction by Arend Remmers.
Job: A Brief Introduction
A brief set of facts by Dennis Bratcher.
Introduction to the Book of Job
A brief essay by G.K. Chesterton.
An Argument of the Book of Job
A rhetorical outline provided by David Malick.
Bible Basics
A very brief list of facts, but it includes a wav file pronouncing the book's title.
Easton Bible Dictionary: Job
The article from M.G. Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary.
Catholic Encyclopedia: Job
The appropriate entry from the public domain edition of this venerable reference work.
Columbia Encyclopedia: Job
A brief article from the 2001 edition of this reference work.
Luther Productions
A very brief overview including key verses.
The Blue Letter Bible
An excellent source for text, cross-references, concordance, language helps, commentaries, and more.
JPS Bible
The JPS 1917 Bible text and another Jewish version.  There are links that supposedly go to two Hebrew and one Aramaic text but they don't seem to work.
Jewish Encyclopedia
An article from the 1901-06 reference work.  Generally liberal in its critical presuppositions.

Bible Studies: Whole Book

The Ideal of Submission
A study of Job by Bob Deffinbaugh, from his study course From Creation to the Cross.
Bible Explained
This is a commentary by an energetic fellow named Ted Wade.  He provides brief notes on each chapter and most verses for the entire Bible.  His take on Job seems a bit of a stretch to me.
Love the Lord Bible Studies: Job
A 41-lesson study with questions from an Arkansas-based ministry.  They seem orthodox enough, although the statement of faith makes me wonder if they're not into prosperity gospel teachings.
Comments on the Book of Job
A lengthy commentary by L.M. Grant
The Book of Job
A chapter-by-chapter commentary by F.B. Hole
Geneva Notes
In 1599, English Puritans, working in Geneva, published the first study Bible.  These are the notes from that edition.
Coffman's Commentary
A verse-by-verse commentary by Dr. James Burton Coffman, a leading Church of Christ scholar.
Matthew Henry's Commentary
The chapter-by-chapter 1712 commentary by the great English Puritan writer..
John Wesley Notes
Over his career, the founder of Methodism maintained notes on the entire Bible.
JFB Commentary
The comments of Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown from Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871).
Clarke's Commentary
The first chapter for this book from Adam Clarke's nineteenth-century commentary.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
The commentary of the 17th century Baptist theologian and preacher.
Class Notes on Sacred History
An 1893 commentary by J.W. McGarvey.
Scofield Reference Notes
The notes from the 1917 edition of the great study Bible.  From a dispensationalist viewpoint.
Old Testament Life and Literature
Gerald Larue's 1968 overview of the Old Testament is, oddly enough, hosted at an atheist website.  Larue is decidedly liberal in his assumptions.
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
A combination brief commentary and thorough cross-reference.  Developed by R.A. Torrey.
The Jerome Bible Commentary
A commentary by a Catholic doctor, Jerome Dominguez, M.D.  Is English isn't perfect, but you have to admire his energy.  Although Catholic in orientation, this source has some good material for study.
Exploring the Word of God: The Trial of Job
A study from the Worldwide Church of God, a denomination with a checkered past but an exciting present.
The Book of Job--A Study Guide
A set of executable outlines by Mark Copeland.
R.C. Sproul: Tabletalk
A 26-installment study of Job.
The Trial of Job
A translation and commentary by Roger Eaton.  Eaton explores the idea of Job as a dramatic work.

Bible Studies: Part of Book

Gregory the Great: Moralia or Commentary on Job (1:1-5)
A commentary by the 6th century pope.
Morning and Evening (1:5)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Gregory the Great: Moralia or Commentary on Job (1:6-22)
A commentary by the 6th century pope.
Morning and Evening (1:9)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Gregory the Great: Moralia or Commentary on Job (ch. 2)
A commentary by the 6th century pope.
Gregory the Great: Moralia or Commentary on Job (3:1-19)
A commentary by the 6th century pope.
The Trouble and Rest of Good Men (3:17)
A sermon by John Wesley.
Gregory the Great: Moralia or Commentary on Job (3:20-26)
A commentary by the 6th century pope.
Job 4:13--A Byronic Suggestion
An article by David J.A. Clines from a JSOT Supplement.
Verb Modality and the Interpretation of Job 4:20-21
An article by David J.A. Clines from a JSOT Supplement.
Job 5:1-8: A New Exegesis
An article by David J.A. Clines from a JSOT Supplement.
Morning and Evening (7:12)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
When the Facts Don't Add Up (7:17-19)
A Christianity Today article by Philip Yancey.
Morning and Evening (8:11)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Morning and Evening (10:2)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Morning and Evening (13:23)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Morning and Evening (14:1)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Morning and Evening (14:14)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Lectures on the Book of Job (ch. 15-19)
Part of a series of lectures by William Kelly.
Morning and Evening (19:25)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Morning and Evening (19:26)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Belief, Desire, and Wish in Job 19:23-27: Clues for the Identity of Job's 'Redeemer'
An article by David J.A. Clines from a JSOT Supplement.
Morning and Evening (22:21)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Morning and Evening (23:3)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Quarter Days Gone: Job 24 and the Absence of God
An article by David J.A. Clines from a JSOT Supplement.
Morning and Evening (29:2)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Morning and Evening (35:10)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Morning and Evening (36:2)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
On the Words "Maker of Heaven and Earth" (38:2-3)
A lecture by St. Cyril
Morning and Evening (38:16)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Morning and Evening (38:31)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.
Morning and Evening (40:4)
One of C.H. Spurgeon's devotions.

Topics

C.S. Lewis on the Self-Defeating Nature of the "Problem of Evil."
A logical inquiry into the question of theodicy that lies at the heart of Job.

Sermons

Job: The Hardest Question
The appropriate sermon from Ray C. Stedman's Adventuring through the Bible series.
Let God Be God
A 14-sermon series by Ray C. Stedman.
David Holwick
A 9-sermon series by a New Jersey Baptist pastor.
John Piper
A 5-sermon series on suffering in Job.
C.H. Spurgeon
A listing of sermons, some of which are available online, by the great British Baptist.
Sermon Outlines
Links to sermon outlines from SermonLinks.
 

Articles, Books, and Bibliographies

The Arguments of Job's Three Friends
False Naivety in the Prologue to Job
Job 4:13--A Byronic Suggestion
Verb Modality and the Interpretation of Job 4:20-21
Job 5:1-8: A New Exegesis
Belief, Desire, and Wish in Job 19:23-27: Clues for the Identity of Job's 'Redeemer'
In Search of the Indian Job
Those Golden Days: Job and the Perils of Nostalgia
Quarter Days Gone: Job 24 and the Absence of God
A series of articles collected in On the Way to the Postmodern Old Testament, Essays 1967-1998, a JSOT supplement.  By David J.A. Clines.
Mrs. Job Reevaluates Her God
An article from Women in Judaism by Mary Crocker Cook.
The Exegesis of Tears
An article from Theology Today by Dow Edgerton.
Qoheleth and Job: Diverse Responses to the Enigma of Evil
An article by Rosemary Dewey from Spirituality Today.
Why, God?  A Tale of Two Sufferers
An article from Theology Today by Burton Z. Cooper.
Putting God on Trial
A book-length manuscript, subtitled The Biblical Book of Job: A literary, legal and philosophical study by Robert Sutherland.
Job: Second Thoughts in the Land of Uz
An article from Theology Today by Thomas Long.
The Literary and Theological Function of Job's Wife in the Book of Job
An article by Victor Sasson from Biblica.
The Promise of Technology versus God's Promise in Job
An article from Theology Today by David Strong.
A Few Lessons from Job
An article by Chuck Missler.
The Language of Job and Its Poetic Function
An article by Edward Greenstein from JBL.
The Book of Job and Ricoeur's Hermeneutics
A special issue of Semeia: An Experimental Journal for Biblical Criticism.
Prototypic Horror: The Genre of the Book of Job
An article from Semeia by Roger Schlobin.
The Unreliable Narrator of Job
An article, published in a JSOT supplement, by James Watts.
The Sceptics of the Old Testament: Job-Koheleth-Agur
An 1895 book by Emile Jospeh Dillon.  Interesting for its historical context but little more.
Selected Bibliography of the Book of Job
A brief list of sources compiled by David Malick.
Two-Age Bibliography
A list of recommended sources, mostly scholarly in nature, provided by a website devoted to the "Redemptive Historical" school of theology.
Oxford Bibliography
A brief list of sources from the Theology School at Oxford University.