Job 42:7-17, and the God of the Happy Ending

Main Article Content

Andrew Richard Prideaux

Abstract

The epilogue of the book of Job has often presented difficulties for writers who are attempting to make sense of the book as one book. Many commentators are happy to see the prose epilogue as an appropriate ending for the prose prologue, but observe a sharp disjunction between these parts of the text and the poetic dialogues. This article argues that the 'happy ending of Job' does indeed belong to the book, and is in fact integral to its overall theme and purpose. After locating the epilogue in the context of the Yahweh speeches and Job's response, the author demonstrates six points of connection between the epliogue and the rest of the book. A concluding section shows a possible trajectory for the place of the book of Job in the overall biblical story, in line with its reference in James 5:11, and with the description of God as 'God of the happy ending.' This article builds upon previous articles by the author on the Yahweh speeches and the repentance of Job, but can also be read as a stand alone piece.

Article Details

How to Cite
Prideaux, Andrew Richard. “Job 42:7-17, and the God of the Happy Ending”. Reformed Theological Review 71, no. 3 (September 21, 2012). Accessed March 29, 2024. https://rtrjournal.org/index.php/RTR/article/view/30.
Author Biography

Andrew Richard Prideaux, Melbourne university, AFES Christian Union

I hold an honours Arts degree from Melbourne University, and a BTh and an MTh from the ACT (Ridley Melbourne). I have published two previous articles with RTR (69:2; 70:1). I have been a visiting lecturer at MST (former BCV), and a visiting lecturer and tutor at Ridley Melbourne. I have been a senior staff worker with AFES for 14 years (for the last 6 and currently I have been campus director at Melbourne University).