Living Jewishly Prayer & Study
Inclusion for People with Disabilities Conservative Jewish Action Center Social Justice Social Action Convention Resolutions
Join A Listserve Synagogue Administration Leadership Council of Regional Presidents
Schechter Awards Synagogue Resource Center Hazak (55+)
Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center Conservative Yeshiva in Israel Making Aliyah to Israel USCJ Israel Programs & Travel Family Education Initaitive Israel Commission
Services Provided Early Childhood Education Your Child Newsletter Religious Schools Adult & Family Education
Jewish Holidays Shabbat Candlelighting Times Secular Holidays
 
YOU ARE HERE: Study Programs >> Perek Yomi (A Chapter a Day) >> Questions to Guide You

Perek Yomi - Job

by Rabbi Robert Layman

The third book in the division of the Bible known as Ketuvim (Writings) is perhaps the most intriguing and, at the same time, one of the most beloved and one of the most enigmatic in the entire Tanakh. The Book of Job (Iyov in Hebrew) raises many difficult questions and poses a formidable challenge to the reader. Some of the questions are as follows:

As one might surmise, there is no unanimity of opinion. Some scholars place Job in the Patriarchal period: others, centuries later. It is generally agreed that if the character of Job was based on an actual person, that person was not a Jew but someone who obviously believed in a monotheistic deity.

The Book of Job reads like a drama and most of it is couched in poetry. Poetry, almost by definition, employs linguistic forms that are not part of everyday vocabulary and thus the reader is challenged to understand the message and the translator is faced with the task of conveying that often obscure message in another language. The reader and speaker of English has a variety of translations to choose from and he or she will find that our recommended text for Perek Yomi, the JPS Tanakh, is frequently at considerable variance with other English versions. A comparison of translations, which this guide occasionally offers, may at times clarify a difficult passage and at times, admittedly, may compound the difficulty. This characteristic of Job adds to its intellectual stimulation.

Probably the most difficult question is the book's inclusion in the canon, i.e. the fixed and final version of the Bible. No other book examines as thoroughly the issues of God's justice, the inexplicable suffering of a man, man's relationship to God in general and his place in the cosmos. The reader may find the conclusions ultimately unsatisfying, but the arguments leading to the conclusions are compelling and marked by high drama. That drama may be seen as part fantasy with the wager made by the "Adversary" and accepted by the Almighty and the happy ending when Job receives a special reward.

As for the religious identity of Job (or, perhaps, more correctly, the writer of Job), it is noteworthy that the unique name for the God of Israel, rendered YHVH, rarely appears, More "neutral" names recur with greater frequency - El, Eloah, Shaddai - thus convincing us of the universality of the message in which an unspecified deity plays a key role. It is therefore evident that Job belongs to the genre of Wisdom Literature that was known and read throughout the ancient Near East in the later centuries before the Common Era and of which we have other examples in the Bible, notably Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Our book is a superb representative of this genre.

For the reader who has the time and the inclination to study the Book of Job in greater depth and to consult other translations, the following sources are recommended: Robert Gordis, The Book of God and Man, The University of Chicago Press, 1965. Marvin H. Pope, Job, Anchor Bible, Doubleday, 1965. Raymond P. Scheindlin, The Book of Job, Norton, 1998. Occasional references are made to Gordis and Scheindlin in the guide.

Finally, the meaning of the name Iyov itself is somewhat obscure. One explanation relates it to oyev meaning "enemy" or someone hated, a meaning quite appropriate to our protagonist. Also, one may wonder about the origin of the expression, "the patience of Job". Truly, Job is long-suffering but his patience, as the reader will deduce, is not immediately evident.

Chapter 1

  1. Most noteworthy Biblical personalities are introduced with their lineage. Why is Job's lineage not stated (verse I)?
  2. What significance do you attach to the numbers in verse 3?
  3. Explain the geographical reference "East" in verse 3?
  4. What is your initial appraisal of Job based on the brief narrative in verses 4 and 5?
  5. JPS translates ha-Satan as "the Adversary." The expected rendering which appears in other versions is "Satan". Why the difference, and does it matter?
  6. What reason would the Adversary have for roaming the earth (verse 7)?
  7. Why does God single out Job for praise (verse 8)?
  8. In the Adversary's response, what does he mean by "You have fenced him round" (verse 10)?
  9. The Hebrew word that is translated "he will … blaspheme you" is y'var'kheka, literally, "he will bless you" (verse 11). How do you explain this discrepancy?
  10. Why does God give the Adversary carte blanche except for harming Job himself?
  11. How would you characterize the progression of calamities in verses 13-18?
  12. What is the significance of mentioning the nationalities of the attackers (Sabeans, Chaldeans) in verses 15 and 17?
  13. How would you characterize Job's response to the calamities (verses 20-21)?
  14. When Job says, "naked shall I return there" (verse 21), to what is he referring?

Chapter 2

  1. Who or what are the b'nei ha-Elohim (divine beings; literally, "the sons of God") mentioned in verse 1 and previously in 1:6?
  2. The dialogue between God and the Adversary (verses 2-3) is almost identical to that in 1:7-8. Where does it differ?
  3. The JPS footnote indicates difficulty with the meaning of "skin for skin" (verse 4). How would you interpret it?
  4. After the Adversary's challenge, why does God insist on sparing Job's life (verse 6)?
  5. Why does Job sit in ashes (verse 8)?
  6. How would you characterize the reaction of Job's wife to his suffering (verse 9)? Why isn't her name mentioned?
  7. How would you characterize Job's response (verse 10)?
  8. Why do Job's friends remain silent for so long a time? Explain their initial reaction to Job's condition (verses 11 – 13). Can you relate these behaviors to what Jewish tradition prescribes regarding consoling the bereaved?

Chapter 3

  1. Chapters I and II serve as an introduction in prose to the saga of Job. Why is most of the book arranged in poetic form, starting with this chapter?
  2. In cursing the day of his birth, is Job indirectly cursing God (verse 3ff)?
  3. How does Job's lament over the day of his birth compare with Jeremiah's? Cf. Jeremiah 20:14-15?
  4. What is Leviathan (verse 8) and how does it fit into Job's lament?
  5. Is Job's anger directed at his mother? At God?
  6. In verse 9, the phrase translated "glimmerings of the dawn" is afapey shahar, literally, "the eyelids of dawn." Do both renderings mean the same thing?
  7. What is the force of Job's reference to king's counselors, and nobles (verses 14-15)?
  8. What is the connection between the references to the wicked, prisoners, and slaves (verses 17-19) and the foregoing verses?
  9. What age-old theological problem does Job allude to in verses 20-23?
  10. Explain the metaphorical references of bread and water in verse 24.
  11. If Job was happy and prosperous, why did he dread what has befallen him (verse 25)?
  12. Another version translates verse 26 in the present tense, while JPS renders the verbs in the past tense. Which version is more accurate?

Chapter 4

  1. Why does Eliphaz request permission to speak (verses 1 and 2)?
  2. For what kind of activity does Eliphaz compliment Job (verses 3 and 4)?
  3. What is he saying to Job by way of admonition? Is he being critical of Job (verses 5-6)?
  4. Does Eliphaz hold to a simplistic belief in reward and punishment (verses 7-9)?
  5. What is the point of the analogy to the lion? Is there an allusion to the sins of the parents being visited upon the children (verses 10-11)?
  6. What does Eliphaz mean by "A word came to me in stealth" (verse 12)? (The Hebrew yegunav suggests theft.) Does he describe a prophetic kind of revelation in verses 12-21?
  7. Does the statement about the imperfections of man accord with the view of Jewish tradition? Is God tolerant of the imperfections (verses 17-19)?
  8. The apparent futility of life reflected in verses 19-21 is reminiscent of what other Biblical book?
  9. What does Eliphaz mean by "perishing forever, unnoticed" (verse 20)?
  10. The end of verse 21 reads: "And they die, and not with wisdom" (JPS). Another version reads: "They die, with no one the wiser." What is the difference between the two versions?

Chapter 5

  1. Eliphaz shifts from general observations to a direct address to Job. Does he appear unsympathetic, even a bit cruel in his opening remarks (verse 1)?
  2. Does Eliphaz suggest that fools are responsible for their own undoing (verses 2-7)? If so, what does that say about who controls man's destiny?
  3. What belief is behind Eliphaz's imprecation against a fool's children?
  4. What is the point of the metaphor of sparks flying upward (verse 7)?
  5. Does Eliphaz's praise of God's wonders provide comfort to Job (verses 8-16)?
  6. What is the connection between God's control over the forces of nature (verse 10) and his treatment of the needy and the "crafty" (verses 11-16)?
  7. Does the discourse about God confirm to a traditional Jewish view?
  8. In verse 19, what is the significance of the numbers 6 and 7?
  9. What is the meaning of alliances with "rocks in the field" and "beasts of the field" (verse 23)?
  10. What is the meaning of "when you visit your wife (or home -- see JPS Footnote) you will never fail" (verse 24)? Another version reads "when you visit your home, you will find no one missing." How do the two versions differ?
  11. Who are the "we" to whom Eliphaz refers in verse 27? Do you accept his rather dogmatic assertion at the end of the chapter?
  12. Does Eliphaz's discourse on the ways of God in the affairs of humanity provide comfort to Job (verses 17-27)? What is the basic message in this segment? How does it jibe with Job's suffering?

Chapter 6

  1. In verse 3, when did Job speak "recklessly"? Another version reads "therefore are my words broken [i.e. incoherent]". Which version is more appropriate to the context?
  2. In verse 4, does Job express agreement or disagreement with Eliphaz's assertions in the preceding chapter?
  3. What is the point of the analogies in verse 5?
  4. As some commentators suggest, Job's remarks in verses 6 and 7 may be a reference to his friend. If so, what is he saying in essence? [Note: a mallow is a plant that has sticky juice in its roots, stem, and leaves.]
  5. What, in essence, is Job's request in verse 8?
  6. What is his consolation (verse 10)?
  7. In verses 11-13, what is Job's complaint and what is he asking for by implication?
  8. What is Job's attitude toward his friends (verses 14-15)? It is justified?
  9. What is the peculiar character of a wadi (verses 15-20) which Job uses as an extended metaphor?
  10. What do the geographic names Sheba and Teima represent (verse 19)?
  11. Is the expression "fair-weather friends" appropriate to Job's condemnation of his friends (verse 21)?
  12. What is the essence of Job's rhetorical questions (verses 21-22)?
  13. What it the essence of his opinion of Eliphaz's argument (verses 24-28)?
  14. In the final analysis, does Job wish to alienate his friends (verses 28-29)?
  15. What does Job say about himself in verse 30?

Chapter 7

  1. What is the nature of a hireling's life (verse 1)?
  2. In verse 2 what does the metaphor of a hireling's wage represent?
  3. Contrast verse 6 and verse 4. Wouldn't one expect the days to drag on also? Or does this lament have another meaning?
  4. What is the essence of Job's lament in verses 6-10? What is stressed in verse 9?
  5. To whom is Job speaking in verse 8 ("your eye")? To whom has he been speaking until this point?
  6. In verse 10 the Hebrew word od is missing in the translation of the second clause. It means "any longer." Does that alter the meaning of the verse?
  7. What is the Dragon referred to in verse 12? What is meant by the watch that God has set on the sea and the Dragon?
  8. Why does Job say that he would prefer strangulation (verse 15)?
  9. Compare and contrast verses 17 and 18 with Psalms 8:5-6. What are the mood and outlook of the Psalmist?
  10. What is the meaning of "Let me be, till I swallow my spittle" (verse 19)?
  11. Does Job imply that one cannot sin against God or that he has sinned only against other human beings (verse 20)? Does Job's attitude conform to the traditional understanding of sin?
  12. What is Job suggesting at the end of the chapter about the reason for his prolonged suffering?

Chapter 8

  1. Bildad's opening remarks appear unduly harsh (verse 2). How can they be justified?
  2. How does Bildad justify the death of Job's children (verses 3-4)? Are his rhetorical questions in accord with traditional Jewish theology?
  3. How do you react to Bildad's assurance of God's reward (verses 5-7)? Is that in accord with traditional Jewish theology?
  4. Where is there precedent in the Torah for Bildad's admonitions in verses 8 and 10? See Deuteronomy 32:7
  5. Where is there an echo in Psalms of Bildad's parenthetical statement in verse 9? See Psalms 9.
  6. What is the point of Bildad's use of papyrus and rushes as metaphors (verses 11-13)?
  7. What is the character of "a thread of gossamer" and "a spider's web" and why are they used as metaphors (verse 14)?
  8. What kind of house is described in verse 15? Is this metaphor parallel to the preceding?
  9. What is the image presented in verse 16ff?
  10. Who or what is saying, "I never saw you" (verse 18) and what does it imply?
  11. What is the tone of the comment, "Such is his happy lot" (verse 19)?
  12. Does Bildad's assurance sound convincing (verses 20-22)? Does he seem sincere?
  13. Compare and contrast Bildad's speech with that of Eliphaz in chapters VI and V.

Chapter 9

  1. As the chapter begins, Job expresses the futility of challenging God in a court of law. Who in the Bible attempted it? See Genesis 18:23-33.
  2. What is the point of Job's praise of God's power over nature and the solar system (verses 5-10)?
  3. What does verse 9 suggest about the ancients' knowledge of astronomy? Do the mythological references have a place in Jewish scripture?
  4. Of what experience in the life of Moses is verse 11 reminiscent? See Exodus 33:18-23. Are the circumstances similar?
  5. Is Job's perception of God one of judge, prosecutor or opponent (verses 12-20)?
  6. Does verse 21 suggest that Job has no faith in God's justice? What theme from his previous oration does he return to?
  7. Job's point in verses 22-24 is timeless. Would survivors of the Holocaust agree with this sentiment?
  8. In verse 30, the word rendered "soap" is mei-shaleg, literally "snow-water", i.e., melted snow. Why was the meaning changed to "soap" when "melted snow" makes sense?
  9. Does Job appear self-righteous or is he genuinely guiltless?
  10. What unrealistic change does he expect of God (verse 34)?
  11. In chapter 2, the adversary is certain that Job will blaspheme God. Has he done that in this chapter? Of what is he accusing God in verses 27-35?

Chapter 10

  1. This chapter continues Job's speech begun in Chapter IX. Does it continue the same basic ideas?
  2. Which aspect of God's nature does Job challenge in verses 4-7?
  3. On which of God's roles does Job focus in verses 8-12?
  4. Explain the analogy of congealing like cheese (verse 10).
  5. What is God's inconsistency about which Job complains (verses 12-14)?
  6. What is God's injustice about which Job complains (verse 15)?
  7. Explain the metaphor of the lion in verse 16. What is the prey's role where the lion in concerned?
  8. The end of verse 17, as noted, is difficult and has been translated in a variety of ways. What is the meaning as it appears here? What theme does Job return to in verses 18-22?
  9. What place is Job describing in verses 21-22?

Chapter 11

  1. What is the tone of Zophar's speech in the first four verses?
  2. What does he claim is Job's method for discouraging rebuke?
  3. What is Zophar's appraisal of Job's guilt and the punishment due him (verse 6)?
  4. In what context does Zophar compare man and God (verses 7-10)?
  5. What is God's relationship to man in verses 11-12?
  6. Verse 12 is particularly difficult. Does it suggest that some prophets are born with no more intelligence than an ass? Is there another possible interpretation?
  7. What, according to Zophar, will guarantee a brighter and better life (verses 13-19)? Is his message simple or simplistic?
  8. What is the point of "the great will count your favor" (verse 19)?
  9. What is the connection between verse 20 and the preceding?
  10. Has Zophar conveyed a message of consolation to Job?

Chapter 12

  1. In the beginning of Job's reply (verses 2-3) a put-down of his friends. Does he accuse them of stating the obvious?
  2. What is the source of the friend's mockery to which Job refers in verse 4?
  3. In verse 5, who is the "complacent" and whose "foot slips"?
  4. Does verse 6 allude to a basic inequity in life? What is it?
  5. Verses 7-25 must be read as a unit. What is the gist of Job's praise of God in verses 7-11 and how does it differ from his description of God's powers in the rest of the chapter?
  6. What is Job's appraisal of the popular conception of old age in verse 12?
  7. Summarize Job's conception of God's role in the affairs of man in this chapter. Is it at variance with traditional Jewish theology?

Chapter 13

  1. This chapter continues Job's response begun in Chapter XII. Why does he repeat in verses 1-2 the jibe he uttered at the beginning of the previous chapter?
  2. How does Job sharpen his attack on his friends (verses 4-5)? Why does he insist on their silence?
  3. What does Job mean by speaking unjustly on God's behalf and speaking deceitfully for Him (verse 7)?
  4. What is God's response to such behavior (verse 9-12)? In what setting does Job envision God's confrontation with his friends?
  5. What does Job anticipate as he is about to challenge God (verses 14-15)?
  6. JPS notes that verse 15 (which is oft-quoted) can be translated at least two ways. A recent translation reads: "Let Him kill me -- I will never flinch" (Scheindlin). Which rendering makes the most sense in this context?
  7. Why is Job confident that he can confront God (verse 16)?
  8. Job approaches God boldly (verse 18 ff) but how does he seem to temper his audacity (verses 20-21)?
  9. What is Job's main challenge to God (verses 23-24)?
  10. Explain the following metaphors: a driven leaf (verse 25); dried straw (verse 25); feet in the stocks (verse 27); a garment eaten by moths (verse 28).

Chapter 14

  1. This chapter is a further continuation of Job's oration. The chapter may properly begin with XIII: 28. Why?
  2. Verse 2 is reminiscent of what other Biblical passages?? Psalms 90 and Isaiah 40.
  3. What is the thrust of Job's opening challenge (verses 3-6)?
  4. What is the point of the analogy of the tree? (Verses 7-9)?
  5. What is the problem with the analogy of the sea in verse 11? Other translations under yam as "lake". Which rendering is more accurate?
  6. Does Job believe in immortality (verse 12 ff)?
  7. What is the ideal treatment from God that Job wishes for (verses 14-17)?
  8. Explain "until my replacement comes" in verse 14.
  9. Explain the metaphorical references to mountains, rocks, water and torrents in verses 18-19.
  10. What is Job lamenting in verses 21-22?

Chapter 15

  1. A second cycle of discourses begins here, with Eliphaz speaking again. With what tone does he commence his oration? How does one justify this tone towards a person in deep misery (verses 2-6)?
  2. Of what does Eliphaz accuse Job in verses 2-6?
  3. Of what does Eliphaz accuse Job in verses 7-9?
  4. How does Eliphaz reinforce the validity of his position (verse 10)?
  5. How does Eliphaz emphasize what he perceives as the fallacy or weakness of Job's oration (verses 11-16)?
  6. Who are God's "holy ones" in verse 15?
  7. In verses 17-19 how does Eliphaz reinforce the argument he is about to present?
  8. In verse 19, what is the point of the reference to strangers? How were strangers (foreigners) viewed in ancient times and, to an extent, to this day?
  9. What are the sources of the wicked person's malaise (verses 20-24)?
  10. How does the reference to the wandering for bread (verse 23) fit into this context?
  11. What are the manifestations of wickedness (verses 25-26)?
  12. What do the references to "fat" and "blubber" signify (verse 27)?
  13. What does Eliphaz say about the wicked person's chances for enduring prosperity (verses 28-30)?
  14. What is the ultimate destiny of the wicked (verses 31-34)?
  15. What, in essence, is the nature of his/her crime? Is there any significance to the shifts to a feminine metaphor here (verse 35)?
  16. What does Eliphaz's denunciation of the wicked have to do with Job?
  17. If the purpose of the visit by Eliphaz and the other friends is consolation, where is it in this chapter?

Chapter 16

  1. Are Job's opening remarks in his response justified (verses 1-3)?
  2. Is it surprising that Job would speak the same way as his friends if their positions were reversed (verses 4-5)? Or, perhaps, is he suggesting that he would do better at consolation?
  3. Does verse 6 convey the futility of speech or the futility of silence, or both?
  4. What is the "community" (other versions: "company") to which Job refers in verse 7?
  5. Why the shift from third person to second person and back again in reference to God in verse 7 ff?
  6. What are Job's charges against God (verses 7-8)?
  7. In verse 9 who is the "foe"; in verse 10 who are "they", in verse 11 who is the "evil man"?
  8. A comment: in verse 12 there are two excellent examples of alliteration and onomatopoeia in the Hebrew that are somewhat lost in translation: vayefarpereini (he broke me in pieces) and vayefatzpetzeini (shattered me). Do these words effectively convey the depth of Job's suffering?
  9. How does Job metaphorically depict God's assault on him (verses 12-14)?
  10. How does Job express his emotional response to the assaults and his innocence (verses 15-17)?
  11. What is the force of Job's appeal to Earth not to cover his blood (verse 18)? Does this cry have a contemporary resonance? Of what story in Genesis is this appeal reminiscent? (See chapter 4).
  12. Does Job's declaration in verses 19-21 suggest a change in his attitude towards God, or an ambivalence?
  13. What is the urgency of Job's appeal for God's vindications of him (verse 22, and note the arrangement of XVII: 1 as the conclusion to this chapter).

Chapter 17

  1. Job continues his response begun in Chapter XVI. Is a change in tone evident at the beginning of this chapter?
  2. Who are the "mocking men" to whom Job refers in verse 2?
  3. Whom is he addressing in verse 3?
  4. What does verse 5 mean and why is in enclosed in quotation marks in some translations?
  5. In verse 6 what is a "byword"? Why do other translations render "tofet" as "spittle"?or someone spat upon? Note the sound of "tofet".
  6. Does Job have anyone in particular in mind when he refers to the "upright" and the "righteous man" (verses 8-9)?
  7. To whom is Job referring in verse 12 and of what does he accuse them?
  8. In expressing his utter despair, who are the "we" that will "go down together in the dust" (verse 16)?

Chapter 18

  1. How would you characterize Bildad's opening remarks (verses 2-4)?
  2. Commentators differ as to whom Bildad is addressing in verse 2. The Hebrew seems to indicate a plural pronoun. If so, to whom is Bildad speaking?
  3. It seems clear whom he is addressing in verse 4. What is he implying about Job?
  4. Explain the imagery in verses 7-10.
  5. In verse 11, what does "set his feet flying mean"? Another version reads: "pursue him in his tracks". Which translation is more appropriate?
  6. What are the ramifications of wickedness according to verse 12?
  7. What is the meaning of Death's firstborn (verse 13)? Is it a demon, a disease, or something else?
  8. What is the significance of the reference to sulphur (verse 15)? Cf. Genesis 19:24.
  9. What is the ultimate fate of the wicked according to Bildad in the concluding verses? Is his sentiment realistic?
  10. What does his diatribe about the wicked (which takes up most of the chapter) have to do with Job?

Chapter 19

  1. What attitude does Job express toward his friends in verses 1-3?
  2. What is the meaning of "my error remains with me"? Is Job admitting that he is at fault (verse 4)?
  3. Explain the metaphor of "God's siege works" (verse 6).
  4. What is the "Violence!" to which Job refers (verse 7)?
  5. What is the "crown" to which he refers in verse 9?
  6. Who are the "troops" in verse 12?
  7. Why are Job's friends, and relatives, and servants alienated (verses 13-19)?
  8. What difficulty is presented by Job's reference to his children (verse 17)?
  9. Note the phrase in verse 20 which is a familiar idiom in English. What does it mean?
  10. Can one suggest that Job is pleading with his friends to be more godly than God Himself (verses 21-22)?
  11. Why is it important to Job for his words to be recorded permanently (verses 23-24)?
  12. The Hebrew god (verse 25) is usually rendered "Redeemer". The JPS translation reads "Vindicator". What is the difference?
  13. What is Job's ultimate (and seemingly unattainable) wish in verses 26-27?
  14. Cf. Question #1. What is Job's attitude toward his friends at the end of the chapter?

Chapter 20

  1. How does Zophar respond to Job's charges directly? Why do the friends dwell on the fate of the wicked?
  2. From our perspective is Zophar's contention that the joy of the wicked is brief acceptable (verse 5)?
  3. What is the force of the indelicate simile in verse 7?
  4. What is the ultimate fate of the wicked (verses 7-9)?
  5. What onus is placed upon the children of the wicked (verse 10)?
  6. Explain the metaphors of food and poison in verses 12-18.
  7. What is the main offense committed by the wicked (verse 19)?
  8. What is the ultimate punishment of the wicked and his family (verses 20-21)?
  9. What is the metaphorical change that occurs toward the end of the chapter (verses 23-25) and another shift in verse 26?
  10. What is the meaning of "a fire fanned by no man" (verse 26)?
  11. What does Zophar's diatribe in this chapter have to do with Job?

Chapter 21

  1. Do you detect sarcasm in verse 2?
  2. What does Job insinuate by "you may mock" in verse 3?
  3. To whom is Job's complaint directed if not to a man (verse 4)?
  4. To what does Job refer in verses 5-6?
  5. What are the manifestations of the wicked person's propensity (verses 7-13)? How does Job contradict his friends in these verses?
  6. What is the offense of the wicked as Job sees it (verses 14-15)?
  7. What does he imply by "their happiness is not their own doing" (verse 16)?
  8. Why is the second half of verse 16 in parenthesis?
  9. How does Job contradict his friends in verse 17?
  10. How does Job contradict his friends in verses 19-21?
  11. What is the force of Job's remarks in verses 22-26?
  12. What is the evidence of the wayfarers to which Job refers in verse 29? How does he contradict his friends here?
  13. What is Job saying about the funeral of the wicked (verses 30-33)?
  14. How have Job's friends failed him thus far (verse 34)?

Chapter 22

  1. Eliphaz raises a fundamental question about the relationship between God and man (verses 2-4). What is it?
  2. What immediately distinguishes Eliphaz's present speech from his previous orations and from those of he other friends (verse 5ff)?
  3. On what basis does Eliphaz make his harsh accusations against Job (verses 6-9)?
  4. What are the consequences of Job's alleged transgressions (verses 10-11)?
  5. What is Job's perception of God according to Eliphaz (verses 12-14)?
  6. Where have we previously read lines similar to verses 15-16?
  7. Where have we previously read lines similar to verses 17-18?
  8. What theological principle does Eliphaz allude to in verses 19-26?
  9. To whom does verse 20 refer?
  10. What is the substance of Eliphaz's advice to Job in verses 21-28?
  11. What is his message about material possessions (verses 24-25)?
  12. What powers will Job possess if he follows Eliphaz's advice (verses 23-30)?
  13. In verse 29, other versions render the Hebrew geivah -- "rise up" contrary to JPS's "it is pride". Which rendering is more appropriate to the context?
  14. How will the guilty merit exoneration ("be delivered") through the cleanness of Job's hands (verse 30)? Cf. Genesis 18:20-33.

Chapter 23

  1. What immediately distinguishes Job's reply in this chapter from his speeches in previous chapters? (Read the entire chapter as a unit)
  2. Does Job respond directly to Eliphaz's accusations and advice?
  3. What is Job's primary desire and what does he expect of God (verses 3-7)?
  4. How does Job express his frustration in his search for God (verses 8-9)? Cf. Psalms 139:8-9.
  5. How does Job proclaim his innocence (verses 10-12)?
  6. How does he respond to himself concerning the ways of God (verses 13-16)?
  7. Explain "But He has many more such at His disposal" (verse 14).
  8. What is the meaning of Job's references to "darkness" and "thick gloom" (verse 17)?

Chapter 24

  1. What is the point of Job's question in the first half of verse 1 and his comment in the second half?
  2. What is the nature of the offense in the first half of verse 2? Cf. Deuteronomy 19:14.
  3. How does Job describe the plight of the poor and why does he express concern about them in the midst of his own suffering (verses 4-12)?
  4. The Torah commands (presumably righteous) farmers to allow the poor to glean. Why must the poor glean in the vineyards of the wicked (verse 6)?
  5. Why is the footnote on verse 9 important?
  6. What does Job imply by "reproach" in verse 12?
  7. To whom is Job referring in verse 13? What does he mean by "rebels against the light"?
  8. Why have criminals throughout history committed most of their crimes at night (verses 14-16)?
  9. Why is daytime like night and a source of terror to criminals (verse 17)?
  10. The Hebrew word rendered "darkness" is "tzalmavet" (verse 17). What is an alternate translation (Cf Psalms 23:4)?
  11. Comment: The footnote at verse 18 is important because the Hebrew, in large measure, is unintelligible and not coherently structured. A portion of Job's speech may be missing or it may belong in a later speech by Zophar.
  12. Why does Job resort to such a vile implication against evildoers (verses 18-22, 24)?
  13. What is the injustice to which he alludes in verse 24?
  14. Do you accept Job's concluding declaration in verse 25?

Chapter 25

  1. This is the shortest chapter in the book. How do you account for its brevity?
  2. Bildad's reply contains a passage that recurs in the liturgy (verse 2). Can you identify it? What does it mean?
  3. Does Bildad reply directly to Job's oration in the preceding chapter?
  4. Who are God's "troops" (verse 3)?
  5. What is the common element in verses 4-6?

Chapter 26

  1. What is Job's main complaint against his friends (verses 2-4)?
  2. In verse 5, what are "shades"?
  3. In verse 6, what are Sheol and Abaddon?
  4. What aspect of God is Job praising in this brief response?
  5. What is the usual meaning of "tzafon" (verse 7)? Cf., e.g., Jeremiah 14.
  6. What is the meaning of "throne" in verse 9? Cf. Isaiah 66:1, Psalms 103:19.
  7. What single word in current parlance might indicate the "boundary" to which Job refers in verse 10?
  8. In verse 12, who or what is Rahab?
  9. What is Job's "bottom line" in verse 14?
  10. How does this speech constitute a reply to Bildad?

Chapter 27

  1. What is the irony in Job's declaration in verse 2?
  2. What is the gist of Job's protest in verses 4-6?
  3. Does Job have anyone specifically in mind in his reference to his "enemy" and his "assailant" (verse 7)?
  4. Does Job contradict his previously enumerated convictions concerning God and the wicked (verse 10ff.)?
  5. Do the words in verses 13-23 have a familiar ring? Some scholars maintain that these verses were uttered by Zophar. Why?
  6. What is the force of the reference to the house in verse 18?
  7. Why is there specific reference to the east wind in verse 21?

Chapter 28

  1. What is immediately evident about the character and content of this chapter.
  2. In verse 3, who "sets bounds for darkness" and what does the clause mean?
  3. What activity is described in verses 3-11?
  4. What is implied by the reference to animals in verses 7-8?
  5. What is the relationship between verses 12-19 and the foregoing sections of the chapter? What is the essential message of these verses?
  6. What do these verses tell us about the writer's knowledge of the resources and economy of the ancient near east. Incidentally, there are many different words for gold in the Hebrew. Why?
  7. Explain the metaphor of "the Deep" and "the Sea" (verse 14).
  8. Do the concluding verses (20-28) imply that the search for wisdom is futile?
  9. What is the meaning of verse 22, i.e., that Abaddon and Death have only a report of wisdom?
  10. What is the point of the references to Creation in verses 24-27.
  11. What is the ultimate wisdom according to verse 28? Of what other Biblical book is this reminiscent?
  12. Is Job the speaker in this chapter? If not, who might the speaker be and why was this chapter placed here?

Chapter 29

  1. A modern commentator describes this and the following two chapters as Job's soliloquy. If so, where are his friends? Why is there no further dialogue?
  2. What is Job longing for at the beginning of the chapter? What is God's role in verses 2-5?
  3. Explain the metaphors of cream and streams of oil in verse 6.
  4. What was Job's status in verse 7? What generally occurred at the city gate?
  5. What would prompt young men to hide from Job (verse 8)?
  6. The second half of verse 10 is reminiscent of what oft-quoted Biblical verse? (See Psalms 137:6). Does the image have the same meaning in both places?
  7. Why was Job regarded with awe according to verse 12ff? Does he seem self-righteous or does he have a different motivation for recalling his former states?
  8. Is verse 17 meant to be taken literally? If not, why not?
  9. What is the peculiar characteristic of the phoenix (verse 18)? Does the alternate rendering in the footnote convey the same message?
  10. Explain the metaphor of the bow in verse 20.
  11. How does Job describe his importance in the community (verses 21-25)?
  12. What is the parallel between a king among his troops and one who consoles mourners (verse 25)?

Chapter 30

  1. What is the contrast with the preceding chapter that is immediately evident here?
  2. How would you characterize the people that Job is describing in verses 3-8?
  3. What do these verses tell us about Job's view of the make-up of society?
  4. Contrast the attitudes of people in this chapter with those that Job recalls from his past in Chapter 29.
  5. What is the ultimate degradation that Job experiences (verse 10)? Cf. Numbers 12:14.
  6. Compare Job's attitude to God in verse 11 with 29:2-5.
  7. What does he mean by "they build roads for my ruin" (verse 12)?
  8. Besides his physical condition, what has Job lost (verse 15)?
  9. How does Job describe his physical condition (verse 18)?
  10. Explain the metaphors clay, dust, and ashes (verse 19).
  11. What is Job crying and waiting for in verse 20?
  12. How would you characterize his protest to God (verses 20-24)?
  13. What is the gist of his protest in verse 25?
  14. What is the assembly to which Job refuses in verse 28?
  15. What is the habitat of jackals and ostriches which Job considers appropriate to his circumstances?
  16. What does verse 31 tell us about mourning customs in Job's milieu?

Chapter 31

  1. Verse 1 may belong at a later point in the chapter and appears out of context here. Nevertheless, what moral principle is Job alluding to here?
  2. What is his complaint about God's justice (verses 2-4, 6)?
  3. What other moral principles has Job scrupulously obeyed (verses 5, 7, 9, 13, 16, 17, 19-20, 32, 38 -39)? (It is suggested that the entire chapter be read as a unit, then reviewed verse by verse.)
  4. What is the force of the declarations in verses 8-10, 22, 40?
  5. What is the penalty for debauchery (verses 11-12)? Cf. Deuteronomy 22: 22
  6. What are the antecedents of "him" and "us both" in verse 15? What does this verse tell us about Job's view of his fellow human beings?
  7. Verses 16-20 are reminiscent of what well-know prophecy? See Isaiah 58:7.
  8. What is the "criminal offense" in verses 26-27? How does it differ from the other offenses which Job enumerates?
  9. Of what other Biblical teaching is verse 29 reminiscent? See Proverbs 24:17.
  10. What is the point of the parenthetical remark (verse 31)?
  11. What was Adam's transgression (verse 33)? See Genesis, Chapter 3.
  12. What does not stepping outdoors imply (verse 34)?
  13. What, in essence, is Job asking for in verse 35?
  14. What is he implying in verse 37?

Chapter 32

  1. Why do you think the writer waited until now to introduce Elihu?
  2. From a literary standpoint is there anything disturbing about introducing Elihu at this point?
  3. From the standpoint of the narrative and Near Eastern custom why does Elihu wait this long to speak (verses 4-6)?
  4. In verse 8, what does Elihu say that is contrary to convention?
  5. What criticism does he level against the three friends (verses 11-12)?
  6. What is novel about the appearance of Job's name in verse 12?
  7. Does Elihu suggest that the friends' speeches were in vain (verse 13)?
  8. Who is the antecedent of the pronouns "he" and "him" in verse 14?
  9. What does Elihu allude to in verse 14?
  10. How does he tweak the others (verses 15-16)?
  11. Explain Elihu's desire to speak and the metaphors of wine and jugs (verses 17-20)?
  12. Verse 22 has been rendered a number of ways. How do you understand it as presented by JPS? Another version: "For if I were skilled in flattery, my Maker would speedily carry me off" (Gordis).
  13. How do you characterize the entire chapter from verse 6 to verse 22?

Chapter 33

  1. How do you characterize the opening verses (1-3) in this chapter?
  2. What is Elihu suggesting in verse 4?
  3. What does he mean by "I too was nipped from clay" (verse 6)?
  4. What is Elihu suggesting in verse 7?
  5. What is the gist of Elihu's opening rebuttal to Job (verses 8-13)?
  6. Does Elihu state something about God that was not previously stated (verse 14ff)?
  7. What does he mean by God "leaves His signature" (verse 16)?
  8. How does God discipline man according to verses 17-22?
  9. Does the suffering which Elihu describes in these verses apply to the righteous, the wicked, or both?
  10. How does the suffering man obtain God's compassion (verses 23-25)?
  11. What does Elihu attribute to God that was not said by the other speakers including Job (verses 26-28)?
  12. What is novel in this entire narrative about Elihu's conception of God (verses 29-30)?
  13. How would you characterize Elihu's closing remarks in this chapter (verses 31-33)?

Chapter 34

  1. To whom is Elihu replying in verse 1? Or is this the continuation of his speech?
  2. Explain the metaphor and simile in verse 3.
  3. What is Elihu suggesting about understanding God's justice in verse 4?
  4. Is Elihu's appraisal of Job fair or is he sardonic (verses 7-9)?
  5. Is Elihu's understanding of God's justice in keeping with the traditional Jewish view (verses 11-15)? Is he implying that Job deserved the calamity that befell him?
  6. What additional aspects of God's justice does Elihu describe in verses 17-21? Is there support for this statement in other parts of the Bible and in Jewish liturgy? Cf. Ecclesiastes and "Unetaneh tokef" in the Musaf of the High Holidays.
  7. What does he say about the wicked that contradicts Job's claim (verses 23-27)?
  8. How does Elihu respond to Job's complaint that God lacks compassion (verse 28)?
  9. In verse 29, does Elihu imply that there are times when God seems unconcerned with the affairs of humanity? Cf. e.g., Deuteronomy 31:17, 18.
  10. Other versions render verses 31-32 as a statement rather than a question. Which is more accurate?
  11. What is Elihu's admonition to Job in the final verses (33-37) and what is your opinion of it?
  12. Thus far, has Elihu provided more comfort to Job than the other friends did?

Chapter 35

  1. See the first question in Chapter XXXIV.
  2. Is Elihu quoting Job correctly in verses 2 and 3?
  3. Does Elihu suggest that God is unimpressed with a person's deeds, whether righteous or wicked (verses 6-8)?
  4. What does he mean by "contention" in verse 9?
  5. According to Elihu, when are people moved to turn to God? What do they take for granted? Why the reference to nature (verses 9-11)?
  6. What does Elihu say about God's response to people's cries or the lack thereof (verses 13-15)?
  7. Is his appraisal of Job's behavior fair (verse 16)? Why does he refer to Job in the third person?

Chapter 36

  1. How would you characterize Elihu's remarks at the beginning of the chapter (verses 2-4) especially in view of the introduction in Chapter 32?
  2. In his lecture about God's dealings with the righteous and the wicked, how does Elihu differ from the other friends (verses 5-12)?
  3. In verse 12, the phrase b'shelah ya'avoru is translated here, "they shall perish by the sword." Others render it, "They pass over the river of Death" (Gordis) or "They cross beyond the Death Canal" (Scheindlin). Is the meaning substantially altered?
  4. What does Elihu imply about the "impious in heart" and their relationship to God in verse 13? What is their punishment (verse 14)?
  5. In verse 15, how does God deal with the afflicted?
  6. As Elihu turns directly to Job, what does he say about God's dealings with him and Job's obsession (verses 16-17)?
  7. What is Elihu saying about the power of affluence (verses 18-19)?
  8. What does he mean by "the night when peoples vanish where they are" (verse 20)?
  9. What does Elihu imply in a few words about the reason for Job's suffering (verse 21)?
  10. Does he suggest that it is futile to complain to God (verses 22-23)?
  11. What are the main manifestations of God's power (verses 26-33)? How does the description of the forces of nature relate to Job's problem?

Chapter 37

  1. In this continuation of Elihu's speech, what is he seeking to demonstrate (verses 1-13)?
  2. What does he mean by God's "voice" (verses 4-5)? Cf. Psalms Chapter 29.
  3. The beginning of verse 7, "a sign on every man's hand" is rendered "he [God] shuts up every man indoors" by others. Which version is more appropriate to the context?
  4. In verse 9, "constellation" is rendered "scattering winds" by others. Which version is more appropriate?
  5. What are the two ways in which the forces of nature can be regarded (verse 13)?
  6. Can Elihu's description be summarized by the modern term "act of God"?
  7. What is the gist of Elihu's admonition to Job (verses 14-24)?
  8. What is the force of the rhetorical questions in verses 15-18?
  9. What is the nature of the south wind and its effect on human beings (verse 17)?
  10. What is Elihu's summation of man's relationship to God (verses 23-24)?
  11. Why does he say that God does not "torment"? Others (Scheindlin) suggest the rendering "He does not answer." Which is more accurate?
  12. Are you satisfied with Elihu's lengthy oration which ends here? Does it truly address Job's dilemma?

Chapter 38

  1. What does the first verse suggest about the literary structure of the Book of Job? Why doesn't the Lord reply to Job's friends as well?
  2. What is different about the name of God in verse 1 and why is the difference significant?
  3. Where else does God manifest Himself in something resembling a tempest? Cf. Exodus Chapter 19.
  4. Explain the phrase "darkens counsel" in verse 2.
  5. Girding the loins is a frequent Biblical metaphor. What does it mean (verse 3)?
  6. The entire chapter from verse 4 on is a paean to God as Creator. Is that the main point?
  7. To what does the writer (speaking for God) liken the creation of the universe (verses 5-6)?
  8. Who are the "divine beings" (verse 7)?
  9. How would you characterize the questions in God's response to Job?
  10. What is the underlying principle in the description of the sea and sunrise (verses 8-12)?
  11. What is the meaning if "shakes the wicked out of it" in verse 13? Does it fit the context?
  12. What happens to "clay under a seal" (verse 14)? Explain this metaphorical image.
  13. What does the "upraised arm" symbolize (verse 15)?
  14. What is the purpose of the gibe in verses 16-21?
  15. What is the connection between hail, snow, and battle (verses 22-23)?
  16. Explain the metaphors of procreation in verses 28-29.
  17. What is described in verse 30?
  18. What is revealed about the writer's knowledge of astronomy in verses 31 and 32? "Mazzaroth" may be a variant of what more familiar Hebrew word related to astronomy and astrology?
  19. The footnote on verse 36 offers an alternate meaning for the Hebrew "sekhvi". Cf. Birkot Hashahar (preliminary service). Where does it appear in the liturgy and how is it usually rendered in English? Others render "tuhot" (in the first half of the verse) "ibis." How does this relate to the second half of the verse?
  20. What is described in verses 37-38?
  21. What is the point of the references to animals at the end of this chapter and continuing into the next chapter?

Chapter 39

  1. The entire chapter deals with the natural order in the animal kingdom. Why such a lengthy excursus. How does it all relate to Job's problem and God's relationship with man? Is it perhaps mostly literary flair and a catalogue of fauna indigenous to the Near East?
  2. With what does the writer contrast the wild ass in verse 7 and the wild ox in verses 9-12?
  3. What are we told about the character of the ostrich (verses 13-18)?
  4. In verse 18, others omit "else" and the conditional "would" and render the verse as a continuation of the description of the ostrich. What unique characteristic of this bird is implied in the second half of the verse?
  5. What portion of the description of the horse in verses 19-25 is most important?
  6. The same question can be asked about the description of the hawk (verses 26-30).

Chapter 40

  1. What problem is presented by the wording of verse 1? Have we heard from Job since chapter 31?
  2. What is God's final gibe (verse 2)?
  3. Contrast Job's reply in verses 4-5 with his previous orations? Why does he speak so briefly?
  4. God, as it were, is now getting to the point. What is it (verses 7-14)? What is the nature of His challenge?
  5. Why does He return to the order of nature in the animal kingdom (verse 15 ff)?
  6. What kind of animal is the behemoth? What is the more familiar form of this Hebrew word and what does it usually mean (verse 15)? Cf., e.g., Genesis 6:7.
  7. Why is the behemoth called the "first of God's works" (verse 19)? Cf. Genesis 1:24.
  8. What do you make of the lengthy series of questions pertaining to the behemoth (verses 15-25)?
  9. What are the qualities of this animal that are emphasized here?
  10. What is the meaning of "And tie him down for your girls" (Verse 29)?
  11. What is the warning with its subtle humor in verse 32?

Chapter 41

  1. What has the description of the great animal in preceding chapter led up to in this chapter?
  2. Do you detest another gibe directed at Job (verses 3-4)?
  3. Does the writer describe a creature actually found in nature? If not, what is its source (verses 5-16)?
  4. Who are the "divine beings" in verse 17?
  5. Explain "he makes the abyss seem white faced" (verse 24).
  6. What is the underlying message that the Lord is conveying to Job in this entire oration? How does He respond to Job's torments and questioning of God's ways?

Chapter 42

  1. What does Job acknowledge now that he seriously questioned previously (verses 2-3)?
  2. Is the first sentence in verse 3 Job's own words or a quotation?
  3. What, in essence, is Job saying to God in verse 5?
  4. Comment on Job's final remark in verse 6. What happened to his challenge and his bitterness toward God? Does he accept the calamities that befell him with equanimity?
  5. What penalty is imposed on Job's friends? Is it just? Does it reflect the religious practices of the time and the milieu (verses 7-8)?
  6. What truth did Job speak about God (verse 8)?
  7. Why is there no mention of Elihu?
  8. What is significant about the repetition of "My Servant Job" (verses 7-8)?
  9. What prompted Job to pray on behalf of his friends (verse 10)?
  10. Why is the Adversary of Chapter I absent here and why is there no mention of the wager?
  11. Why are Job's daughters mentioned by name and not the sons, the reverse of what is more common in the Bible (verse 14)? (Their names mean, respectively, Dove, Cinnamon, and Horn of Kohl [a cosmetic].)
  12. What does the happy ending imply about the entire Book of Job?
Addicott Web Design and Consulting