The Genre Of The Book Of Job

I have always been intrigued by the book of Job. It is one of the oldest books of the Old Testament, although some have tried to place it as late as the period of the Second Temple. But either way, it is a fascinating book.

The Book Of Job

Job is the first of the books found in the poetry and wisdom section of the Old Testament, along with Ecclesiastes, Psalms, Proverbs, and the Song of Solomon. It is a series of poetic conversations between Job and his friends, sandwiched between two shorter sections of prose, that describe the setting and the conclusion of the events contained within the rest of the book.

As poetry, Job a very interesting piece of literature. Hebrew poetry does not have meter or rhyme, like the poetry of English, or most other modern, western languages. Rhythm is not achieved by repetition of similar sounds, as it is in rhymed verse; and not by rhythmic accent as in blank verse, but rather by the repetition of ideas. This is called parallelism, and is found throughout the poetical literature of the Bible. Take Psalm 9:9 for example:

The Lord also will be a stronghold for the oppressed,
   A stronghold in times of trouble…

Parallelism is called synonymous when the thoughts are identical, as in Psalm 9. It is antithetic when the primary and the secondary ideas are in contrast, as in Psalm 1:6:

For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
   But the way of the wicked will perish.

And it is considered synthetic when the thought is developed or enriched by the parallel, as it is in Job 11:18:

Then you would trust, because there is hope;
   And you would look around and rest securely.

And Job is filled with example after example of parallelism, which is interesting in itself. But when it comes to classifying just what kind of poetic literature Job is has been vigorously contested throughout the years. Here are few of the different forms that have been suggested by scholars.

A Legal Disputation

Many of the Old Testament prophets wrote in this fashion, but in Job, it seems clear. There are different stages of a lawsuit between Job and God structured throughout the book, with Job continually protesting his innocence. He is finally cross-examined by God, and Job withdraws his complaint, restoring the relationship.

A Lament

Some have considered Job to be a lament, much like that of Jeremiah in Lamentations. Job’s discourse if a very lengthy and personal cry out against his circumstances, and his friends attempt to provide theological answers and reassurances.

A Parable

Many have decided that the story of Job was just that, a story. It was a fictional story designed to convey a very real spiritual truth. Some early Jewish scholars saw it as an allegory of Israel’s struggle against Babylon. However, the lesson of the story is never fully revealed if this is the case.

A Tragedy, Or A Comedy

In the style of the ancient Greek tragedies, some have tried to pigeon-hole Job in the same category. However, we know too little about such a literary device, if it existed, in ancient Israelite history to know if this is an example. Along those same lines, some have regarded Job as a comedy, illustrating the absurdities of life, in a very exaggerated fashion.

While there are elements of all of these forms, and more, found throughout the book of Job, it is hard to specifically identify one genre, and definitively state, “This is what Job is.” It’s much too complex of a book to simplify and categorize it so easily.

What we can state with certainty, however, is that it is real history. We know this because there are references to Job found in Ezekiel 14, and the New Testament writer, James, referred to him as well, in James 5:11.

Unfortunately, many miss out on the rich literature found in the book of Job, because many find the effort of reading and understanding this genre too daunting. They miss out, because Job is full of wonderful insights as to who God is, the battle between God and Satan, and the effort it takes to keep our hearts and minds focused properly on God.

The story of Job is filled with encouragement and insight. While it may be harder to read than other portions of the Old Testament, it’s well worth the effort. I encourage you to spend some time in it. Read it. Study it. Let it work through your heart and mind, encouraging you and strengthening you in your relationship with God.

Question: When is the last time you read through Job? Why don’t you dig into it this week? You can leave a comment by clicking here.