Job, Book of

The Book of Job is a poetic and dramatic exploration of innocent suffering, theodicy, and the nature of God's governance of the world. Often regarded as among the oldest compositions in Scripture, it consists of a prose prologue and epilogue framing an extended poetic dialogue between Job and his three friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, followed by the speeches of the young Elihu and the majestic divine speeches from the whirlwind.

The book resists easy resolution to the problem of suffering, vindicating Job's honest lament while rebuking the friends' mechanical theology of retribution. Paul quotes from the book in 1 Corinthians, and the New Testament epistle of James holds Job up as a model of patient endurance, pointing to the Lord's compassion as the final word of the story.