BOOK OF JOB DATE

Q: In The Daily Bible introduction to the Book of Job, the commentator notes “Although there is a wide difference of opinion about the date, one of the most outstanding masterpieces in all of literature is possibly written during this period.” During a recent Sunday School series it was mentioned that Job is possibly the oldest book of the Bible and that the events described may have occurred as early as the Patriarchal period (prior to 2,000 B.C.). Yet The Daily Bible has chosen to insert this chronologically after Israel’s return from exile (roughly 550 B.C.). That is a “wide difference of opinion.” Can you please detail some of the evidence in regard to (1) when it was written and (2) when the events detailed may have actually occurred?

The slightly easier question to answer is the second one. For several reasons, the setting of the events appears to be in the Patriarchal period. J. H. Walton (Dictionary of Old Testament Wisdom, Poetry and Writings, p. 344) summarizes the evidence as follows although he admits that there are valid objections to each item:

Wealth measured by cattle and flocks

Patriarch serving as priest for the family

Job's longevity

No reference to covenant,Torah, exodus, etc.

The presence of roving Sabaean and Chaldean tribesmen

A particular unit of money in Job 42:11 only found elsewhere in Genesis 33:19 and Joshua 24:32

It might be asked how an early non-Israelite like Job could possibly worship the true God, but the same situation occurs with Melchizedek and Jethro. “And as with these two... we do not know how Job came to know and worship him...it may be easier to understand Job in the context of a pre-Abrahamic period before the narrowing of the covenant.” (T. Longman III, DOTWPW, p. 372)

Regarding the time of composition, the following arguments have been made (and refuted) in favor of a fairly late date:

1. Some scholars (such as the editor of The Daily Bible) propose that the book would have made the most sense and been of the most use to a people in exile or in a post-exilic period. Such a view hasn't been as much defended as it has been simply stated. (Walton) As C. Hassell Bullock says, “we have entered here into a region which is not that of argument but of impressions.” (An Introduction to the Old Testament Poetic Books, p. 71-73) Marvin H. Pope adds, “If the author of Job had experienced the national tragedy [i.e. the exile], his reaction is strange for he betrays no nationalistic concerns.” (Job, xxxv)

2. The speculative, questioning nature of the dialogues in Job have been ascribed to influence from later Greek philosophy. However, very similar stories from the Middle East have been found dating as early as 1700 BC.

3. Job 12:17-19 is quoted as evidence that the author of Job was acquainted with the events of the Babylonian conquest and exile. A look at this passage will show that the words are nowhere near specific enough to make that contention.

4. Use of Persian loan words in the text would be strong proof of a late date of composition. None have been found. In fact, there are many obscure words that do not appear in standard Hebrew. This is evidence for either a very early date of composition or the fact that a dialect closer to ancient Ugaritic was used in writing the book. (John E. Hartley, The Book of Job, pp. 17-18)

5. Themes such as belief in an afterlife, concern with the individual and the presence of Satan have all been used to show that these were all more prevalent in post-exilic times. But there are valid rebuttals for all these, which I will not bother outlining. (Hartley)

6. Some passages in Job are supposed to have shown prior knowledge of later Old Testament books. But the degree of borrowing may have easily been in the opposite direction with other authors quoting from Job. (Hartley)

Several authors summarize similarly the present state of affairs regarding the date of composition:

“All of the variety of information available does not offer a clear indication for the dating of either the events or of the book.” (Walton)

“The evidence for assigning the composition of the book of Job to any of these dates is unfortunately not overarching.” (Hartley, p. 20)

“The fact that the dates proposed by authorities, ancient and modern, span more than a millennium is eloquent testimony that evidence is equivocal and inconclusive.” (Pope, xl)