Project Description

The research project titled “God’s Questions: Irony and Ambiguity in Job 38:1–42:6” focuses on God’s speeches in the book of Job. The two divine speeches out of the whirlwind are directed at Job and follow the dialogue between Job and his friends (Job 3–37) which fades out without result. The reader is therefore now expecting God to give answers to the questions raised by Job’s innocent suffering. But on the contrary, God’s speeches are often perceived as disappointing in this regard, as they mainly describe elements of creation, particularly wild animals (lion, wild donkey, ostrich etc.) and frightening beasts (Behemoth/hippopotamus and Leviathan/crocodile).

Yet, apart from content, also the rhetorical shape of God’s speeches deserves consideration. In fact, the two speeches consist to a large extent of rhetorical questions and prompts which exhibit ironic undertones. At the same time, the motifs that are discernable behind the descriptions of Behemoth and Leviathan show a high degree of ambiguity. For example, the hippopotamus (Behemoth) is associated in Ancient Egypt with death as well as with life. In biblical research, however, the pragmatics of the divine speeches mostly have not received due attention.

The study, therefore, aims at examining the rhetorical function of ambiguity and irony in Job 38:1–42:6 by means of an analysis of aesthetic response. The working hypothesis is that God’s speeches to Job constitute an answer not in view of their content alone, but also and foremost with regard to the response they produce in the interplay between text and reader.

In a first step, literary theory on irony will be reviewed in order to establish a set of criteria that enable the identification of ironic elements in the text under study. In the book’s opening, the reader’s expectations regarding the further reading of the book find their formative shape. Therefore, in a second step, intertextual, ambiguous and ironic aspects in the prologue (Job 1:1–2:13) will be examined. Based on the results, the main part of the study will focus on intertextuality, ambiguity and irony in the divine speeches. Additionally, the contextualization of God’s speeches with the epilogue (42:7–17) will be analyzed. The final conclusion will evaluate the outlined methodology.

On the one hand, the study will contribute to the exegesis of God’s speeches in the literary context of the whole book. On the other hand, the research project wants to promote also the development of a methodology that proves adequate to the pragmatics of the book of Job.