Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

1:1-2:13 Prologue: Job's Character and the Circumstances of His Test. The prologue opens by introducing Job as a man who was blameless and upright in character, blessed in family and possessions, and whose life embodied the fear of God both for himself and on behalf of his family (1:1-5). The second section details the heavenly conversations and earthly actions related to Satan's two-stage request to test Job's character by afflicting him (1:6-2:10). The final section describes how Job's three friends hear of his suffering and come to offer sympathy and comfort, which creates the context for the rest of the book (2:11-13). The narration of the prologue is integrally important for the interpretation of the book as a whole because it describes for the hearer/reader something that the three friends will continually address: To what extent do the circumstances of Job's life on earth reveal what is true about him before God? The three friends (as well as Elihu, in his own way) assume that Job's circumstances reveal some hidden sin or wayward path in Job's character that has provoked God's displeasure, correction, or judgment. Job's friends will continually argue that his circumstances necessarily represent a choice that he has to make: either repent and agree with God, or continue as you are and receive the full punishment signified in your suffering. In responding to his friends, Job insists both that he is right before God and that it is ultimately God who has brought about his circumstances. Throughout the dialogue, Job tries to maintain that he is in the right while also arguing God's character back to him in lament about why his righteousness and justice do not appear to be borne out in events on earth. In the end, God will reprove Job for the extent of his conclusions about what circumstances on earth might mean for God's governance and justice (38:1-41:34). However, God will also vindicate Job before his friends, judge them with respect to their words, and call Job to intercede on their behalf (42:7-17).

1:1-5 The Integrity of Job. The prologue opens with a brief description of Job's character and circumstances, which become the context for the subsequent tests.