Job 1:20-22

5. Job maintains his integrity. (Job 1:20-22)

TEXT 1:20-22

(20) Then Job arose, and rent his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped; (21) and he said, Naked came I oat of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: Jehovah gave, and Jehovah hath taken away; blessed be the name of Jehovah. (22) In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

COMMENT 1:20-22

Job 1:20Job had received the agonizing news while seated. Then according to Near Eastern custom, he arose and rent his robe as a sign of grief (Genesis 37:29; 2 Samuel 13:31). The robe (meil) was the mantle worn over the tunic by men of high social rank (1 Samuel 15:27), or by the high priest (Exodus 28:31). Then follows the rite of mourning, i.e., shaving his head (Isaiah 15:2; Isaiah 22:12; Jeremiah 7:29; Amos 8:10; Micah 1:16). Now Job falls to the ground in reverential awe, not in despair (2 Samuel 1:2; 2 Chronicles 20:18). Job has defeated Satan in the first series of catastrophes and now bows himself submissively to Yahweh's merciful grace.

Job 1:21Job now reveals his complete resignation to his tragedy. Satan's oath to God has thus far been completely broken. God's faith in his servant Job has been vindicated. Job's triumphant shout of victory blessed be the name of the Lord contains the tetragrammaton, i.e., the only name for God in the Old Testament. In the dialogue sections, Yahweh is avoided and El, Eloah, and Shaddai appear. Whereas the prologue and epilogue freely employ the name Yahweh. Job's friends never use the name Yahweh. Though Job is not a Jew, he is always presented as a worshipper of Yahweh (Job 1:1), and Job 1:8 plainly declares that God accepts him as such. Job employs the name Yahweh in the prologue only in his expression of resignation Job 1:21. Only once in the dialogue does the name Yahweh appear (Job 12:9), and here it is uttered by Job. In the rubrics introducing the speeches of Yahweh and Job's replies (Job 38:1; Job 40:3-4) the name Yahweh appears.

Job 1:22In all these threatening circumstances, Job did not sin, either mentally or by some overt act like charging God with foolish (tiplahmakes perfectly good sense in spite of efforts to amend the word. The Hebrew term means reproach or blame) behavior. The entire universe is intrinsically interrelated. Systems, analysis, the ecological crisis, etc. suggest a staggering interdependence exemplified by both nature and all social systems. This should provide a fundamental insight into the cause, responsibility, and explanation of misfortune. Neither classical fatalism nor contemporary radical determinism, both genetic and environmental, can explain that evil as well as good is intentional. Dostoevsky asks the more penetrating questionWhy is there any good?, not why is there evil? in the world. Job has pronounced Yahweh's name three times, which otherwise he avoids. Now we turn to Satan's more drastic measures. Will Job betray Yahweh?