THREAD: The next instalment from the book of Job.
TITLE: Ch. 3 onwards. The debate begins.
#TwitCom
For the previous instalment, cf. below:
TITLE: Ch. 3 onwards. The debate begins.
#TwitCom
For the previous instalment, cf. below:
Job and his friends’ debate can be—and has been—schematised in many different ways.
The best approach, in my view, is simply to allow the marker ויאמר (‘And he said’) to divide the debate into individual speeches.
The debate then divides into four sixfold rounds, shown below:
The best approach, in my view, is simply to allow the marker ויאמר (‘And he said’) to divide the debate into individual speeches.
The debate then divides into four sixfold rounds, shown below:
As such, Job’s debate with his friends can be analysed either vertically (to determine the interaction between different participants)
or horizontally (to determine the evolution of particular participants’ arguments).
In what follows, I’ll try to include elements of both.
or horizontally (to determine the evolution of particular participants’ arguments).
In what follows, I’ll try to include elements of both.
Ch. 3. Job’s 1st speech.
SUMMARY.
Job’s ‘speech’ in ch. 3 is a lament, and is one of the bleakest in Scripture. It makes the book of Lamentations seem quite upbeat at times.
SUMMARY.
Job’s ‘speech’ in ch. 3 is a lament, and is one of the bleakest in Scripture. It makes the book of Lamentations seem quite upbeat at times.
Job wants the day of his birth to be erased from history (3.3–8), that is to say, he wants its events to be undone.
He wishes he had never been born (3.9–10), or at least had died at birth (3.10–12 w. 16).
And the prospect of death seems sweeter to him than life (3.20–26).
He wishes he had never been born (3.9–10), or at least had died at birth (3.10–12 w. 16).
And the prospect of death seems sweeter to him than life (3.20–26).
As such, ch. 3 describes a complete reversal of Job’s former state.
Not so long ago, Job’s sons feasted and celebrated the days of their birth (1.4).
Yet Job’s sons are now dead, Job’s food has become a weariness to him (3.24), and Job *mourns* the day of his birth.
Not so long ago, Job’s sons feasted and celebrated the days of their birth (1.4).
Yet Job’s sons are now dead, Job’s food has become a weariness to him (3.24), and Job *mourns* the day of his birth.
The calendar which once reminded him of joyful occasions now only reminds him of pain and sorrow.
Job simply wants to lie down in the grave and be at rest (3.13–19 cp. Eccl. 6.3–5).
Job simply wants to lie down in the grave and be at rest (3.13–19 cp. Eccl. 6.3–5).
SOME BRIEF COMMENTARY:
Job’s initial speech is undoubtedly his bleakest, which is reflected in his choice of imagery.
Job’s initial speech is undoubtedly his bleakest, which is reflected in his choice of imagery.
Job plunders the Hebrew dictionary for terms for darkness (cp. לילה = ‘night’ | חשך = ‘darkness’ | נשף = ‘twilight’ | צלמות = ‘gloom’ | כמריר = ‘blackness’ | אפל = ‘shadow’).
And the darkness which he has in mind represents not merely sorrow, but isolation from God.
And the darkness which he has in mind represents not merely sorrow, but isolation from God.
Indeed, Job mentions God only twice (an all-time low in the book of Job). First, he refers to ‘God above’ (אלוה ממעל),
apparently in order to express his distance and detachment from his Maker (3.4).
apparently in order to express his distance and detachment from his Maker (3.4).
And, afterwards, he complains about the ‘hedge’ (שוך) which God has placed around his life—a hedge which he previously rejoiced in as it sustained his life and health (1.10 w. 29.2),
yet which has now become a frustration to him (since he longs to die: 3.23 as also 19.8).
yet which has now become a frustration to him (since he longs to die: 3.23 as also 19.8).
But, while Job barely mentions God, God nonetheless fills his thoughts.
Job’s wishes are wishes which God alone can fulfill.
‘Let darkness overtake the night on which I was conceived!’, he says.
‘Let clouds envelop it! Let it not be included in the calendar! Let its stars be dark!’.
‘Let darkness overtake the night on which I was conceived!’, he says.
‘Let clouds envelop it! Let it not be included in the calendar! Let its stars be dark!’.
The same point is brought out by various similarites between Job’s lament and God’s speech in ch. 38.
Job wants the day of his birth to be swallowed up in darkness, yet God alone knows where light and darkness dwell (38.19).
Job wants the day of his birth to be swallowed up in darkness, yet God alone knows where light and darkness dwell (38.19).
Job wants the day of his birth to be blotted out of the calendar—from ‘the number of months’ (3.6)—, yet it is God who assigns months their number (39.2 w. 14.5).
Job wants ‘the stars of the dawn’ to be darkened on the day of his birth, yet it is God who inspires the stars to sing (or not: 38.7 w. 9.7) and assigns the dawn its place (38.12).
Job wants the day of his birth to be cursed by those who are able to arouse Leviathian (3.7), yet it is God who controls Leviathan and leads him around on a leash (41.1–2).
And, more than anything else, Job wants to die (3.21), yet it is God who guards the gates of death (מות) and the realm of shadows (צלמות) (38.17).
In much the same way, Job’s employment of the passive voice presupposes the agency of God.
‘Why was I not hidden as a stillborn?’, Job asks.
‘Why is light given to him who is misery? Why is life given to the bitter in soul?’.
‘Why was I not hidden as a stillborn?’, Job asks.
‘Why is light given to him who is misery? Why is life given to the bitter in soul?’.
None of these questions/laments explicitly *mention* God.
Yet God is the person who has done (or not done) all of the things Job mentions (e.g., given life, etc.).
And so God alone can answer Job’s questions,
which are clearly a great burden to him.
Yet God is the person who has done (or not done) all of the things Job mentions (e.g., given life, etc.).
And so God alone can answer Job’s questions,
which are clearly a great burden to him.
Indeed, Job has sat in silence for seven long days, yet he has evidently experienced no ‘quiet’ in his soul (3.26).
He cannot rest without an explanation as to what has befallen him.
He cannot rest without an explanation as to what has befallen him.
Consequently, the word ‘why’ occurs more than any other chapter in the book (למה x 2, מה x 1, מדוע x 1).
Sadly, Eliphaz is not about to provide Job with any answers.
And yet buried deep within ch. 3’s final word is a hint at an answer.
Sadly, Eliphaz is not about to provide Job with any answers.
And yet buried deep within ch. 3’s final word is a hint at an answer.
‘Trouble comes’ (ויבא רֹגֶז), Job says, which can plausibly be rendered as ‘Thunder comes’ (cp. רֹגֶז = ‘thunder’ in 37.2 per Arb. ⟨RGZ⟩ = ‘to rumble, esp. of thunder’).
As such, even Job’s very first speech subtly anticipates the events of chs. 38–41,
As such, even Job’s very first speech subtly anticipates the events of chs. 38–41,
in which God speaks to him from the midst of the storm.
And the text of 3.5 includes a nod in the same direction.
Job longs for darkness to ‘claim’ (גאל, lit. ‘redeem’) the day of his birth—a statement which foreshadows the rise of Job’s ‘redeemer’ (גֹאֵל) in 19.25...
And the text of 3.5 includes a nod in the same direction.
Job longs for darkness to ‘claim’ (גאל, lit. ‘redeem’) the day of his birth—a statement which foreshadows the rise of Job’s ‘redeemer’ (גֹאֵל) in 19.25...
...and hence the moment when he will ‘see God for himself’ (19.26).
These allusions to future events are significant.
Over the course of the book of Job, the answers to Job’s questions slowly emerge.
These allusions to future events are significant.
Over the course of the book of Job, the answers to Job’s questions slowly emerge.
Amidst the darkness of ch. 3, they are not yet visible to Job.
But they are visible to our narrator, who hints at them at the very outset of Job’s trials.
Deep within Job’s lament, therefore, are the seeds of an answer,
But they are visible to our narrator, who hints at them at the very outset of Job’s trials.
Deep within Job’s lament, therefore, are the seeds of an answer,
since the cry of ‘Why?’ presupposes a reason for Job’s pain, and, of course, a purposeless universe cannot furnish Job with any reason for it.
Next up in these thoughts on Job, Eliphaz’s response.
But first a brief reflection with which to close.
But first a brief reflection with which to close.
Ch. 3 is an unrelievedly dark chapter, yet its presence in the book of Job is important.
The godliest of believers can go through the darkest of times.
That is a fact of life and a truth of Scripture,
and it would not be a bad thing if it was reflected in more Christian hymns.
The godliest of believers can go through the darkest of times.
That is a fact of life and a truth of Scripture,
and it would not be a bad thing if it was reflected in more Christian hymns.
Ch. 3 also fulfils a further purpose insofar as it foreshadows the cross.
2,000 years after Job’s experiences, a man even more righteous than Job found himself abandoned by his friends,
misunderstood by his enemies,
enshrouded in deep gloom and darkness,
racked with pain,
2,000 years after Job’s experiences, a man even more righteous than Job found himself abandoned by his friends,
misunderstood by his enemies,
enshrouded in deep gloom and darkness,
racked with pain,
handed over to the world’s dark powers and principalities,
and apparently even abandoned by his God.
And, remarkably, he too cried out ‘Why?’ in response to his affliction.
and apparently even abandoned by his God.
And, remarkably, he too cried out ‘Why?’ in response to his affliction.
Now, if Job’s experiences in ch. 3 are the expression of God’s displeasure at an unforgiven sinner, and must be overcome by self-determination, then they bear almost no relation to Christ’s,
and Job’s hopeless assessment of them in ch. 3 stands.
and Job’s hopeless assessment of them in ch. 3 stands.
Yet if Job’s experiences are part of God’s redemptive plans for a believer and represent his participation in his Messiah’s afflictions, then they belong to an entirely different category of experience.
Their pain, of course, must still be borne.
Their pain, of course, must still be borne.
But it can be borne in the knowledge it is wrapped up in God’s good intentions for his children,
a burden which he will be helped to bear,
a necessary step on his road to glory,
and an act which will glorify the triune God of heaven and earth.
THE END.
a burden which he will be helped to bear,
a necessary step on his road to glory,
and an act which will glorify the triune God of heaven and earth.
THE END.
