The Book of Job

An inviting guide to a classic that challenges God¿s justice. The Book of Job, celebrated as a classic of world literature and one of the glories of the Bible, can often be puzzling and frustrating: puzzling for its dialogue form and off-putting because in places it doesn¿t seem to make sense. The book was written in a world very different from ours, and yet the fundamental questions are very much our own: Is it worthwhile to act for the best? Does life have a meaning beyond itself? Are there any answers to our questions? In this SkyLight Illuminations edition, Donald Kraus, the longtime editor of Oxford Study Bibles, clarifies for today¿s readers what Job is, how to overcome difficulties in the text, and what it may mean for us. Kraus¿s fresh translation captures some of the finest poetry in the Hebrew Bible as well as recovers some of the original author¿s intent. His probing commentary explores Job¿s daring challenges to God¿s goodness, questions about the basic fairness of existence and compelling descriptions of the glories of the created world and the bitter sorrows of human life. Kraus identifies and clarifies problem areas in the text, invites us to enter into Job¿s dialogue and stimulates thoughtful consideration of life¿s intractable questions.