Job and His Mysterious Genealogy

AN INITIAL PERSPECTIVE from WHO'S ? RIGHT

In the Jewish, Christian and Muslim Bibles Job is a revered prophet among the Holy Books, yet the genealogy of Job is not listed in any of the ancient tomes.

In fact, very little genealogical information is given about him in Hebrew and Christian Bible traditions other than he came from the land of Uz (Job 1:1). 

The land of Uz also is a mystery, as the Bible only mentions this place named Uz one other time:

> Lamentations 4:21: "Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz." - The majority of biblical scholars believe this is a reference to the nation of Edom (present-day southwestern Jordan and southern Israel). A minority of theologians disagree and claim Uz included a region more southern in Arabia, east of Petra (present-day Jordan). Others proclaim the land extended to present-day Bashan in southern Syria and western Jordan and even unto modern-day Uzbekistan.   

The Dead Sea Scrolls further expand upon the location of Uz:

> War Scroll 2:11, "They shall fight against the rest of the sons of Aramea: Uz, Hul, Togar, and Mesha, who are beyond the Euphrates." - Uz existed "beyond the Euphrates". In this respect, the Dead Sea Scroll is connecting the land in relation to the nation of Aram (which were the children of Nachor, descendants of Abraham's brother, Nahor). The nation of Aram was located in present-day Syria, including areas where the cities of Damascus and Aleppo now stand.

The Quran does not speak of Job's homeland, but touches upon Job himself:

> The Prophets [Surah] 21:83, "And Job, when he cried out to his Lord: “Great harm has afflicted me, and you are the Most Merciful of the merciful." - The majority of Islamic commentators find plausible cause to believe Job came from the nation of Edom and was a descendant of Esau. A small minority of Islamic scholars agree Job was an ancestor of the Romans. Muslim literature also comments on Job's timeframe, saying that he came before Joseph (son of Jacob) and spread the word of Allah (God) to his own people rather than being sent to a specific community. The ancient kingdom of Edom was once divided between present-day Israel and Jordan.

The mystery of where Job actually came from and his lineage remains a mystery.  He appeared in various religious literature for a brief period in time, then vanished from history altogether, leaving the scholars and theologians debating even unto the 21st century about this mysterious prophet who endured horrid suffering in the name of God.

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A CONTINUED PERSPECTIVE

Genealogy of Job                                                                                                                   by Mary Jane Chaignot

The following article was obtained through Bible Wise website.

Neither Job nor his ancestors are ever mentioned in any of the genealogies. The main reason for this is that the writer remains completely anonymous. Moreover, scholars still have no idea when this book was written. They have proposed dates as early as the tenth century BCE and as late as the fourth century BCE (around the time of the exile). There are no forensic clues within the story that might help locate it in time. Scholars have relied upon phrases or word studies for help, but, ultimately, to no avail. Most opt for a time between the 10th and 7th centuries, but even that, is a three hundred year spread.

This does not mean, however, that scholars have nothing to say about the author. Indeed, he is commonly thought to be among the greatest wise men in all Israel. He was certainly well educated as evidenced by his broad vocabulary. He has a vast knowledge of nature and knows well the habits of animals. He was familiar with precious stones, listing over thirteen by name. He understood weather patterns and could read the stars. He also described mining, hunting, and trapping practices of ancient Israel. He was well versed in other cultures, especially Egypt. Noted parallels between the Book of Job and ancient Ugaritc texts cannot be that coincidental. He also knew his own patriarchal history, which included ancient names for God and past ethical standards. He was, of course, very spiritually minded. And lastly, he was a devout servant of Yahweh (God) and struggled mightily with the disconnect between a just God and unjust circumstances.

The best scholars can do is place Uz in the "East," possibly in Edom. There is a little more information in the Greek and Latin versions of the Book of Job. There, it states that Job dwelt in Ausitis on the confines of Idumea and Arabia. It continues that his original name was Johab. He married an Arabian woman and fathered Ennon. Job's father was Zerah who was from the lineage of Esau – five generations from Abraham. They were natives of Bozrah. The text continues that Job reigned in Edom succeeding Balak, the son of Beor. (In the Hebrew Bible, Balaam is the son of Beor.) Following Job were Husham and then Hadad, who was the son of Bedad and who defeated the Midianites in the fields of Moab. His city was named Arith. His three friends were Eliaphaz, a descendant of Esau and king of Teman, Bildad, king of the Shuhites, and Zophar, king of the Naamathites. Several church Fathers as well as Philo, Aristeus, and Polyhistor attested to the accuracy of this genealogy.

Others suggest that Job was contemporaneous with Moses (1300 BCE). In the Pseudepigrapha, one finds The Testament of Job. That claims Job was a king in Egypt. It also tells us the name of his wife, Sitidos. One Talmudic Tractate claims the Book of Job was written by Moses. (Another claims it dates back to the time of Jacob, that Job is the son of Uz who was the son of Nahor who was the brother of Abraham.) Still others claim that Job was one of the advisors to Pharaoh during the time of Moses; indeed, he was present when Pharaoh decreed that all the male Hebrew infants should be drowned. Even though he did not agree with the decree, he said nothing to dissuade Pharaoh from implementing it. This was, presumably, the sin for which he would be punished – the sin of silence.

Are any of these scenarios possible? Of course, but it should be obvious that scholars are not in agreement on any of them. Perhaps it is best to accept the deliberate anonymity presented by the author of Job and to acknowledge that certain things cannot be known.  

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A FINAL PERSPECTIVE from WHO'S ? RIGHT

A few religious scholars believe that Job and Jashub were the same person. According to the King James Bible, he was a son of Issachar and a grandson of Jacob (five generations from Abraham). Several of the older Bible translations - such as: the Masoretic Text and Greek Septuagint - also list it as Job/Yob.  Therefore making the ancient suffering prophet a descendant of the Tribe of Isaachar. 

The name, Jashub, means, "he will return". Jashub is generally known as the father of the Jashubites, descendants from the tribe of Isaachar. The name, Job, means, "persecuted". Job has only been referred to as "a man from Uz" with no emphasis on his genealogy.

According to the King James Version of the Holy Bible, in Genesis 46:13 it states, "The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah, Job and Shimron", yet according to Numbers 26:24 and 1 Chronicles 7:1 lists it as, "Now the sons of Issachar were, Tola, and Puah, Jashub, and Shimrom..." The discrepancy in the names Jashub/Job is never thoroughly explained by the minority of theologians therefore leading the majority of religious scholars to disagree with such a theory of Job descending from one of the 12 Tribes of Israel based on such a minute implication.  

Outside of the King James Bible reference in the book of Genesis, the name Job only appears in two other biblical cannons: Ezekiel 14:14, 20 and James 5:11. In this respect, both biblical authors assumed that Job was a real person worthy of being noted.

Regardless of the mystery of Job and his genealogy, all three Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) believe this man actually existed and is considered the epitome of trusting and believing in God, especially during trials and tribulations.