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Abstract
The book of Job is analyzed as Hebrew theodicy centering in a debate over divine justice with the sides forming two major themes—law versus cosmology. The book may be viewed as providing a solution to the problem of divine justice and human suffering in a natural step forward in a long trajectory of its ancient predecessors of theodicy—especially, Ludlul bēl nēmeqi and The Babylonian Theodicy—on whose foundations it was constructed. For Job, the solution involves two innovations: an appeal to cosmology and use of the combat myth. In order to accomplish this, the poet of the divine speeches utilizes Enuma Elish, Tablets IV and V, whose chaos-creation order he reverses in order to show that evil has not been fully conquered by God. Instead, the divine speeches suggest that divine justice is cosmological rather than judicial.
Questions about divine justice are hosted by the Satan who serves as an ambiguous figure, not unlike Erra of The Poem of Erra. Unlike the Babylonians who suffer at his hands, Job does not remain a helpless victim but dares to ask Yahweh to meet him in court. Likewise, Job revolts against the Mesopotamian notion of humanity as slaves of the gods and his role in the book centers around the question, Is he Yahweh's honored servant or abject slave? The answers to the questions regarding whether or not Job curses God, repents, and says of him what is right form two sides in the debate over the nature of divine justice. If the retributive justice view of the three friends is right, then Job has indeed cursed God, has been trounced by Yahweh, then repented (or rejected him entirely), thus submitting to slavery. If the interpretation of the book centers around cosmological justice, then Job has not cursed God, has been examined to see whether he can be Yahweh's hero, and either retracts his case or objects to the divine decision that he cannot take on Leviathan, thus maintaining his role as Yahweh's hero and honored servant. The decision about which interpretation is best rests with the reader.