Job the Silent: A Study in Historical CounterpointThis study of the Book of Job argues that it was intended as a parody of the stereotypical, righteous sufferer, portrayed as patient and silent. This example is used to demonstrate how texts become separated from the intentions of their authors, and can evolve quite different meanings for readers. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 88
Page 3
... seems to me that of necessity , any theory that purports to explain how the Bible works in its own time is , as the rabbis liked to say , " a mountain suspended by a hair . " Like everyone else , I want to spin my web of theoretical ...
... seems to me that of necessity , any theory that purports to explain how the Bible works in its own time is , as the rabbis liked to say , " a mountain suspended by a hair . " Like everyone else , I want to spin my web of theoretical ...
Page 4
... seem more tangible than a theory and therefore more real . I often feel the same way about biblical texts — that I can ... seems more harmonious , like the interwoven melodic lines that one hears in polyphonic music . For my purposes ...
... seem more tangible than a theory and therefore more real . I often feel the same way about biblical texts — that I can ... seems more harmonious , like the interwoven melodic lines that one hears in polyphonic music . For my purposes ...
Page 7
... seem too elementary and self - evident or at least are well known to the specialist . Still , I have no intention of ... seems to be swinging back in this direction ( although for quite different reasons than before ) . Still , I find ...
... seem too elementary and self - evident or at least are well known to the specialist . Still , I have no intention of ... seems to be swinging back in this direction ( although for quite different reasons than before ) . Still , I find ...
Page 8
... seems fair to state that in the Ancient Near East multiple authorship of traditional works was more the rule than the exception . In fact , I would argue that , prima facie , we should assume that biblical texts were almost always the ...
... seems fair to state that in the Ancient Near East multiple authorship of traditional works was more the rule than the exception . In fact , I would argue that , prima facie , we should assume that biblical texts were almost always the ...
Page 13
... seems out of place . Note that hupomone not only connotes patience , but more specifically an unquestioning , unresisting fortitude and en- durance in the face of suffering . Thus , in Luke 21:19 Jesus tells his disciples that it is ...
... seems out of place . Note that hupomone not only connotes patience , but more specifically an unquestioning , unresisting fortitude and en- durance in the face of suffering . Thus , in Luke 21:19 Jesus tells his disciples that it is ...
Contents
3 | |
13 | |
The Case against a Linear Reading | 25 |
SuperJob | 34 |
SuperReality | 59 |
The Sincerely Wrong Approach | 77 |
Barriers to Interpretation | 87 |
The DialogueAppeal | 93 |
The Legal Metaphor | 104 |
The Death Theme | 118 |
The Joban Fugue | 175 |
The Text and Translation of Y L Perets | 181 |
Index of Authors | 283 |
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Common terms and phrases
Abraham Akedah Ancient Near Eastern angels Aqhat argue argument Bible biblical Bontsye Shvayg Bontsye's book of Job canon considered context contrapuntal counterpoint critical Danel death declares Deity depiction Dhorme Dialogue Dialogue/Appeal discussion divine editor Elihu speeches Epistle of James especially example fact final Frame Story genre geshvign God's Greenberg Habel Heaven Hebrew hero Holocaust Hymn to Wisdom ibid interpretation Jewish Jews Job N 67 Job story Job's Joban Lawsuit legal metaphor legend literary nisht Note original parodistic parody passage patience Perets perhaps phrase pietistic play Poem of Job poet Pope Prologue/Epilogue Prose Frame Story protagonist rabbis respect resurrection Righteous Sufferer role Satan satire scholars seems seen sense silent simply Song of Songs specific Spiegel targum Testament of Job theme Theodicy Theophany tion tradition translation Ugaritic verse Wiesel writing Y. L. Perets Yiddish literature zayn zikh
Popular passages
Page 60 - I met a traveller from an antique land Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command...
Page 257 - Fury said to a mouse, That he met in the house, 'Let us both go to law: / will prosecute you. - Come, I'll take no denial; We must have a trial: For really this morning I've nothing to do.
Page 28 - Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
Page 60 - Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. . . . Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed : And on the pedestal these words appear : 'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair !
Page 28 - And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou ? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
Page 109 - Hammurabi, the exalted prince, the worshiper of the gods, to cause justice to prevail in the land, to destroy the wicked and the evil, • to prevent the strong from oppressing the weak, to go forth like the Sun over the Black Head Race, to enlighten the land and to further the welfare of the people.
Page 126 - Almighty hath not built Here for his envy; will not drive us hence : Here we may reign secure ; — and, in my choice, To reign is worth ambition, though in Hell: Better to reigu in Hell than serve in Heaven ! But wherefore let we then our faithful friends, Th...
Page 28 - And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil...
Page 30 - In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark...
Page 19 - Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.