Job (biblical figure)
Job | |
|---|---|
Job by Léon Bonnat (1880) | |
| Prophet, Righteous | |
| Venerated in | Judaism Christianity Islam Druze Baháʼí Faith Rastafari |
| Major shrine | Tomb of Job |
| Feast |
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| Attributes | Often depicted as a man tested by God |
| Patronage |
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| Major works | Book of Job |
Job (Hebrew: אִיּוֹב 'Īyyōv; Greek: Ἰώβ Iṓb) is the central figure of the Book of Job in the Bible. In Islam, Job (Arabic: أيوب, romanized: ʾAyyūb) is also considered a prophet.
Job is presented as a good and prosperous family man who is suddenly beset with horrendous disasters that take away all he holds dear—a scenario intended to test Job's faith in God. Struggling mightily to understand this situation, Job reflects on his despair but consistently remains devout.
The language of the Book of Job, combining post-Babylonian Hebrew and Aramaic influences, indicates it was composed during the Persian period (540–330 BCE), with the poet using Hebrew in a learned, literary manner.