In the Hebrew Bible, it is set in the Ketuvim (writings, the ‘kh’ in Tanakh) between Proverbs and The Song of Songs. In the Christian bible, it is set at the beginning of the poetic books, between the prophets and Psalms.
In both cases, it is classified within the genre of wisdom literature. That is, its goal is one of scholarly and religious wisdom rather than of origin stories (as is the case with much of the books of the Torah and the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles) or prophecy (as is the case with Nevi’im and Revelation). This sets it among Ecclesiastes,13 Song of Songs, Proverbs, and the like.
Perhaps unique among wisdom literature, however, it seems to have one core thesis. Ecclesiastes has the core theses of a life well lived, self-created meaning, and so on, while Psalms, Proverbs, Wisdom, and Sirach are largely compilations of various forms of wisdom.
-There is some discussion as to specific reasons the book was included in the bible (though its canonicity is not in dispute), though the character of Job is mentioned in other books of the Hebrew Bible (and thus the Septuagint, the foundation of the Christian Old Testament). Ezekiel lists him along with Noah and Daniel as one of the three exemplary, righteous men, leading to the conclusion that he must have, at the very least, existed as a folkloric figure prior to the authorship of the Book of Ezekiel. In fact, the Talmud suggests that the Book of Job itself was authored by Moses.
+There is some discussion as to specific reasons the book was included in the bible (though its canonicity is not in dispute), though the character of Job is mentioned in other books of the Hebrew Bible (and thus the Septuagint, the foundation of the Christian Old Testament). Ezekiel lists him along with Noah and Daniel as one of the three exemplary, righteous men, leading to the conclusion that he must have, at the very least, existed as a folkloric figure prior to the authorship of the Book of Ezekiel. 16
And yet it remains, does it not? It remains and is its own testament to its power, as NOAB has it, its mystery, as Alter has it.
It remains.
Or, well, I worry. I do not think many apologists worry, and this is not a work of apologetics. I am not an apologist, and whether or not I even believe in God is up in the air. ↩
In fact, the Talmud suggests that the Book of Job itself was authored by Moses. (Bava Barta 14b) That it also suggests that Job was among those who returned from the Babylonian exile and that was not real and that it is all an allegory does little to shed light on the matter. ↩
+