An ancient intellectual legacy of the Book of Job a comparison between the Testament of Job and the Book of Job

Abstract

The Book of Job has inspired and continues to inspire not only theological and philosophical thought from antiquity, but also the arts, including many genres of literature. A multitude of adaptations have been produced, including paraphrases, additions, rewritings, dramatisations and narratives set in different historical periods. Many of these responses offer a perplexing and unconventional perspective on theodicy, challenging the traditional interpretation presented in the Tanakh. One of the ancient versions of the Book of Job is the Testament of Job, which is primarily related to the Septuagint version of the Book of Job and differs markedly from the Book of Job in terms of structure, narrative and message, and hence in genre, of the Tanakh. This study compares the Testament of Job and the Book of Job, primarily from the perspective of their worldview and conception of God.