Journal: Westminster Theological Journal
Volume: WTJ 46:2 (Fall 1984)
Article: Job: Repentant Or Rebellious?
Author: B. Lynne Newell

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WTJ 46:2 (Fall 1984) p. 298

Job: Repentant Or Rebellious?

B. Lynne Newell

Although differing in their views about a number of issues with regard to the Book of Job, in general scholars have agreed that Job’s replies to Yahweh in 40:4–5 and 42:2–6 indicate that Job repented,1 or at least relented and changed his attitude. Even scholars such as K. Fullerton, C. G. Jung, and D. A. Robertson, who reject the possibility that Job could have repented, nevertheless agree that 42:2–6 in particular indicates that he did. K. Fullerton maintains that 42:2–6 is absolutely opposed to the content of the dialogues and could not have been written by the author of that section, hence he rejects the whole of 40:6–42:17 as a gloss.2 C. G. Jung and D. A. Robertson see Job’s replies as hypocritical. C. G. Jung says that most probably Job prostrated himself before God as if he were a defeated antagonist, realizing that God was a being who could not be judged morally.3 D. A. Robertson says it is only a “tongue-in-cheek” confession, made to calm God’s whirlwinds.4

A few scholars do not believe that Job is expressing remorse or regret in any sense in his final reply. For example, M. Tsevat says that Job only acknowledges in 42:2–6 that he now knows, from the content of God’s speeches, that justice is not an integral part of the universe and that one cannot, and should not, expect anything for one’s behavior. Freed from that misconception, Job is then prepared to live a truly pious and moral life with no such

WTJ 46:2 (Fall 1984) p. 299

false hopes or claims.5 Dale Patrick translates 42:6, “Therefore I repudiate and repent of dust and ashes,” and interprets vv 2–6 as Job declaring that, because of the wonder of God’s ways, he will change his speech from lament and accusation of God to praise and rejoicing.6 Although not seeing Job as repentant in the usual sense, these views nevertheless agree that Job changed his attitude, speech, and behavior, and that he worshipped God.

In 1979 J. B. Curtis presented a radically different translation and interpretatio...

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