Outline of Job

Outline of Job

• Narrative Frame (1-2)
• First Discussion Cycle (3-14)
• Second Discussion Cycle (15-21)
• Third Discussion Cycle (22-27)
• Poetic Musing on Human Inaccessibility of Wisdom (28)
• Job’s Final Protest (29-31)
• Elihu Attempts to Correct Job and his Friends (32-37)
• God Speaks (38-41)
• Job’s response and Restoration (42)

The Lord Speaks (38-41)

• The Lord questions Job’s understanding of creation and how it functions
• 39 focuses on the wisdom of God’s design of each animal (39:13-30)
• The Lord addresses Job and incites his challenge (40:1-2)
• Job recognizes his folly in contending with God (40:3-5)
• The purpose of the glory of God is to humble the proud
  • If Job can do that, he can save himself
• God has made many creatures like behemoth and leviathan. While they are too powerful for man, God can approach behemoth.

Epilogue (42:7-16)

• God rebukes Eliphaz and the other two friends
  • They have spoken wrongly about God
  • They are all guilty of rigid and simplistic spirituality
  • This means that they should go to Job as their priest and intercessor
• God prospers Job again
• Suffering is not always the result of sin
• The righteous do not always prosper
• The wicked are not always swiftly punished