Abraham Fears Future Suffering and the Many Datings of Job

Another interpretation: what troubled him? He was afraid of sufferings. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: "You have no need to fear; one who will receive them has already been born"; namely "Uz his firstborn" (Genesis 22:21). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish in the name of Bar Kappara said: Job lived in the days of Abraham. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: he lived in the days of Jacob, and Dinah was Job's wife, as it is said, "As one of the foolish women speaks, so you speak" (Job 2:10), and it is written, "for he had wrought folly in Israel" (Genesis 34:7). Rabbi Levi said: he lived in the days of the tribes, as it is written, "which wise men have told and have not hidden from their fathers" (Job 15:18); this refers to Reuben and Judah. What reward did they receive for this? "To them alone was the land given" (Job 15:19). Rabbi Yose ben Halafta said: he was born when they went down to Egypt and died when they came up. You find that the main span of Job's years was two hundred and ten years, and Israel was in Egypt two hundred and ten years; and Satan came to accuse and incited him against Job. A parable: it is like a shepherd standing and watching his flock when a wolf came and attacked it; he said, "Give the wolf one ram so it will busy itself with that." Rabbi Hama bar Hanina said: it is like a king sitting at a banquet when a dog came and attacked; he said, "Give it one limb so it will busy itself with that." So Satan came to accuse, and was incited against Job. This is what Job said: "God delivers me to the unjust one" (Job 16:11), this is Satan; "and casts me into the hands of the wicked," these are his companions. Rabbi Yose son of Rabbi Yehudah said: he lived in the days when the judges judged, as it is written, "Behold, all of you have seen it" (Job 27:12); you have seen my deeds and the deeds of my generation: my deeds, the commandments and good works; the deeds of my generation, that they sought to give the wages of harlots from the threshing floors, as it is written, "You have loved a harlot's hire upon every threshing floor" (Hosea 9:1). Rabbi Shemuel bar Nahman said: he lived in the days of the Chaldeans, as it is said, "The Chaldeans formed three bands" (Job 1:17). Rabbi Nathan said: he lived in the days of the kingdom of Sheba, as it is said, "and Sheba fell upon them and took them" (Job 1:15). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korha said: he lived in the days of Ahasuerus, as it is said, "Let there be sought for the king young virgins" and so forth (Esther 2:2), and it is written, "And in all the land there were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job" (Job 42:15). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: Job never existed and is destined never to exist. Resh Lakish's view appears to contradict itself: there he said in the name of Bar Kappara that Job lived in the days of Abraham, and here he says Job never existed and never will exist! Rather, he existed, but the sufferings written about him did not occur; and why were they written about him? Only to say that had they come upon him, he would have been able to withstand them. Rabbi Yochanan said: he was among those who came up from the exile, and he was an Israelite. And we learn from him the laws of mourners: "Then Job arose and rent his robe" (Job 1:20), from here that a person must rend his garment while standing. Rabbi Hanina said: he was a gentile, for Rabbi Hiyya taught: "I had one righteous man among the nations of the world in My world, and I gave him his reward and dismissed him; and who is he? This is Job." "And Bethuel begot Rebecca" (Genesis 22:23) is written in the portion "When a woman conceives." "And Kemuel the father of Aram" (Genesis 22:21): he is Laban, he is Kemuel; and why was his name called Kemuel? Because he rose up against the nation of God [kam al ummato shel El]. "And his concubine, whose name was Reumah" (Genesis 22:24): these are all expressions of rebellion: Tevah, they slaughtered; Gaham, they raged; Tahash, they made haste; Maacah, they crushed.