Handout, October 22, 2003
RS-2B03: Women in the Biblical Tradition
A. Y. Reed
The Women of the Book of Job:
Job's (First) Wife & Daughters
1. Job’s wife and daughters in the biblical book of Job
Job 2:8-10
2:8 Job took a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and sat among the ashes.
2:9 His wife said to him, "Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse/Bless God, and die!"
2:10 But he said to her, "You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Should we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Job 42:12-15
And the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning, and he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she-asses. He had also seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first (daughter) Jemi'mah; and the name of the second Kezi'ah; and the name of the third Ker'en-hap'puch. And in all the land there were no women so fair as Job's daughters; and their father gave them inheritance among their brothers.
2. Job’s wife and daughters in later interpetations
LXX (Greek) Job 2:9
2:9 And when much time had passed, his wife said to him: "How long will you persist, saying, 'Behold, I wait yet a little while, expecting the hope of my deliverance'? For, behold, your memorial is abolished from the earth, even your sons and daughters -- the pangs and pains of my womb that I bore in vain with sorrows! And you yourself sit down to spend the nights in the open air among the corruption of worms, while I am a wanderer and a servant from place to place and house to house, waiting for the setting of the sun, so that I may rest from my labors and my pangs, which now beset me. Rather, say some word against the Lord, and die!"
Testament of Job 24-25 (excerpts from a lengthy speech)
At once, my wife drew near. Crying out with tears she said to me: "Job, Job! How long will you sit on the dung-heap outside the city, thinking 'Only a little longer!" and awaiting hope for salvation? As for me, I am a vagabond and a maidservant going round from place to place. Your memorial is abolished from the earth, even your sons and daughters -- the pangs and pains of my womb that I bore in vain with sorrows! And you yourself sit down to spend the nights in the open air among the corruption of worms. And I for my part am a wretch immersed in labor by day and pain by night, just so I might provide a loaf of breads and bring it to you. Any more I barely receive my own food, and I divide that between you and me -- wondering in my heart that it is not bad enough for you to be ill, but neither do you get your fill of bread
"So I venture unashamedly to go into the market... And the bread-seller says to me: 'Give me money and you shall receive.' But I also showed him our straits and then heard from him: 'If you have no money, woman, pay with the hair of your head and take three loaves. Perhaps you will live for three more days.' I said to him: 'Go ahead, cut my hair.' So he arose and cut my hair disgracefully in the market, while the crowd stood by and marveled."
"Job, Job!... In the weakness of my heart, my bones are crushed. Rise, take the loaves and be satisfied. And then speak some word against the Lord and die. Then I too shall be freed from weariness that issues from the pain of your body."
Testament of Job 46-48
And they brought forth (Job's) estate for distribution among the seven male progeny only. For he did not present any of the goods to his female progeny. They were grieved and said to their father: "Our father, sire, are we not also your children?"... But Job said to the females: "Do not be troubled, my daughters... I have already designated for you an inheritance better than that of your seven brothers!"
Then when he called his daughter Hemera, he said to her: "Take the signet ring, go to the vault, and bring the three golden boxes, so that I may give you your inheritance... He brought our three multicolored cords, whose appearance was such that no man could describe them, since they were not from the earth but from heaven, shimmering with fiery sparks like the rays of the sun. And he gave each (of his daughters) a cord, saying "Place these above your breast..."
When the one called Hemera arose, she wrapped around her own string just as her father said. And she took on another heart, no longer minded towards earthly things. She spoke ecstatically in the angelic dialect, sending up a hymn to God with the hymnic style of the angels...