Job, the most pious Gentile that ever lived,[1] one of the few to bear
the title of honor "the servant of God,"[2] was of double kin to Jacob.
He was a grandson of Jacob's brother Esau, and at the same time the
son-in-law of Jacob himself, for lie had married Dinah as his second
wife.[3] He was entirely worthy of being a member of the Patriarch's
family, for he was perfectly upright, one that feared God, and eschewed
evil. Had he not wavered in his resignation to the Divine will during
the great trial to which he was subjected, and murmured against God,
the distinction would have been conferred upon him of having his name
joined to the Name of God in prayer, and men would have called upon the
God of Job as they now call upon the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
But he was not found steadfast like the three Fathers, and he forfeited
the honor God had intended for him.
The Lord remonstrated with him for his lack of patience, saying: "Why
didst thou murmur when suffering came upon thee? Dost thou think
thyself of greater worth than Adam, the creation of Mine own hands,
upon whom together with his descendants I decreed death on account of a
single transgression? And yet Adam murmured not. Thou art surely not
more worthy than Abraham, whom I tempted with many trials, and when he
asked, 'Whereby shall I know that I shall inherit the land?' and I
replied, 'Know of a surety that thy seed will be a stranger in a land
that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them
four hundred years,' he yet murmured not. Thou dost not esteem thyself
more worthy than Moses, dost thou? Him I would not grant the favor of
entering the promised land, because he spake the words, 'Hear now, ye
rebels; shall we bring you forth water out of this rock?' And yet he
murmured not. Art thou more worthy than Aaron, unto whom I showed
greater honor than unto any created being, for I sent the angels
themselves out of the Holy of Holies when he entered the place? Yet
when his two sons died, he murmured not."[4]
The contrast between Job and the Patriarchs appears from words spoken
by him and words spoken by Abraham. Addressing God, Abraham said, "That
be far from Thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with
the wicked, that so the righteous should be as the wicked," and Job
exclaimed against God, "It is all one; therefore I say, He destroyeth
the perfect and the wicked." They both received their due recompense,
Abraham was rewarded and Job was punished.[5]
Convinced that his suffering was undeserved and unjust, Job had the
audacity to say to God: "O Lord of the world, Thou didst create the ox
with cloven feet and the ass with unparted hoof, Thou hast created
Paradise and hell, Thou createst the righteous and also the wicked.
There is none to hinder, Thou canst do as seemeth good in Thy sight."
The friends of Job replied: "It is true, God hath created the evil
inclination, but He hath also given man the Torah as a remedy against
it. Therefore the wicked cannot roll their guilt from off their
shoulders and put it upon God."
The reason Job did not shrink from such extravagant utterances was
because he denied the resurrection of the dead. He judged of the
prosperity of the wicked and the woes of the pious only by their
earthly fortunes. Proceeding from this false premise, he held it to be
possible that the punishment falling to his share was not at all
intended for him. God had slipped into an error, He imposed the
suffering upon him that had been appointed unto a sinner. But God spake
to him, saying: "Many hairs have I created upon the head of man, yet
each hair hath its own sac, for were two hairs to draw their
nourishment from the same sac, man would lose the sight of his eyes. It
hath never happened that a sac hath been misplaced. Should I, then,
have mistaken Job for another? I let many drops of rain descend from
the heavens, and for each drop there is a mould in the clouds, for were
two drops to issue from the same mould, the ground would be made so
miry that it could not bring forth any growth. It hath never happened
that a mould hath been misplaced. Should I, then, have mistaken Job for
another? Many thunderbolts I hurl from the skies, but each one comes
from its own path, for were two to proceed from the same path, they
would destroy the whole world. It hath never happened that a path hath
been misplaced. Should I, then, have mistaken Job for another? The
gazelle gives birth to her young on the topmost point of a rock, and it
would fall into the abyss and be crushed to death, if I did not send an
eagle thither to catch it up and carry it to its mother. Were the eagle
to appear a minute earlier or later than the appointed time, the little
gazelle would perish. It hath never happened that the proper minute of
time was missed. Should I, then, have mistaken Job for another? The
hind has a contracted womb, and would not be able to bring forth her
young, if I did not send a dragon to her at the right second, to nibble
at her womb and soften it, for then she can bear. Were the dragon to
come a second before or after the right time, the hind would perish. It
hath never happened that I missed the right second. Should I, then,
have mistaken Job for another?"
Notwithstanding Job's unpardonable words, God was displeased with his
friends for passing harsh judgment upon him. "A man may not be held
responsible for what he does in his anguish," and Job's agony was
great, indeed[6]