The Book of Job: Annotated & Explained

by Donald Kraus (Translator)

The poetical masterpiece that confronts the inexplicable mystery of good and evil can be a companion on your own spiritual journey. The book of Job, celebrated as a classic of world literature and one of the glories of the Bible, can often be puzzling and puzzling for its dialogue form and off-putting because of the many questions it leaves unanswered. The book was written in a world very different from our own, and yet the fundamental questions it raises are still ones we grapple with Is it worthwhile to act for the best? Does life have a meaning beyond itself? Why do the righteous suffer and the guilty prosper? In this accessible guide to a spiritual masterpiece, Donald Kraus, the editor of the Oxford University Press Study Bible program, clarifies what Job is, helps overcome difficulties in the text and suggests what Job may mean for us today. Kraus's fresh translation captures some of the finest poetry in the Hebrew Bible and uncovers the original author's intent in a way that is accessible for modern readers and spiritual seekers. This inviting SkyLight Illuminations edition, with probing facing-page commentary, explores Job’s daring challenges to God’s goodness, asks questions about the basic fairness of existence, and offers compelling descriptions of the glories of the created world and the bitter sorrows of human life.

256 pages, Paperback

First published July 13, 2012

Reviews

[Donna Herrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Bible is the most read book in history. I read it as a child, before Goodreads. For centuries it was the primary text from which people learned to read. Some people consider it the word of G_d. The Book of Job is a conundrum, it asks the question, "What is the nature of G_d?" The answer from the Book of Job depends upon how you interpret what you read - fickle, unknowable, omniscient, omnipotent. This book, helped me by explaining how ancient literature was written, what words meant, how different religions interpret the agreed upon text, and where there is disagreement about who and when the text was written.

I was given this book when I asked my sister how G_d could permit evil like the Nazi or Khmer Rouge regimes to exist. If everything that G_d creates is good, how can evil exist. My answer is that G_d is not apart from us. All creation is G_d. Good and Evil are judgements that we place upon what we observe and experience. So, the Book of Job tells me what arguments I do not believe.

[Daniel Harding · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful with the translation. Would have liked further investigation into the author’s conclusions on some points but appreciate the fresh perspective. Worthwhile reading for anyone who would attempt to teach from Job.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Visit http://www.thereportergroup.org/Artic...