Duration of Job's Suffering in the Bible
The biblical text does not explicitly state the precise duration of Job's suffering, but it offers clues and later traditions provide estimations. Job himself laments, "How long will you torment me, and crush me with words?" [1], and speaks of being made to "possess months of misery" and "wearisome nights" [2].
A significant period of Job's initial suffering is marked by the arrival of his three friends, who came to mourn with him and comfort him [3]. They sat with him on the ground for "seven days and seven nights," and none spoke a word to him because they saw his pain was very great [5, 6, 8, 9]. This seven-day period was a customary length for mourning the dead or acknowledging other disastrous news [5, 6]. While they did not remain in this posture for the entire time, they spent the greater part of these days and nights with him [6, 8]. This initial silence suggests the profound shock and grief they shared, which was too immense for immediate words [6].
After this period of silent mourning, Job breaks the silence, initiating a lengthy dialogue with his friends about his suffering [9]. The book of Job then details these extensive conversations, which span many chapters.
Following his period of trials, God restores Job's fortunes, giving him twice as much as he had before [4]. The book concludes by stating that Job lived 140 years after his calamity [4]. The Septuagint, an ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, suggests that Job lived 170 years after his calamity, making his total lifespan 240 years, implying he was 70 years old when his trials began [7]. This extended lifespan after his suffering is seen as a sign of divine favor [7].
Sources
- Job ““How long will you torment me, and crush me with words? -- Job 19:2”
- Job “so am I made to possess months of misery, wearisome nights are appointed to me. -- Job 7:3”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Mourn — Frequent references are found in Scripture to, (1.) Mourning for the dead. Abraham mourned for Sarah (Gen. 23:2); Jacob for Joseph (37:34, 35); the Egyptians for Jacob (50:3-10); Israel for Aaron (Num. 20:29), for Moses (Deut. 34:8), and for Samuel (1 Sam. 25:1); David for Abner (2 Sam. 3:31, 35); Mary and Martha for Lazarus (John 11); devout men for Stephen (Acts 8:2), etc. (2.) For calamities, Job (1:20, 21; 2:8); Israel (Ex. 33:4); the Ninevites (Jonah 3:5); Israel, when defeated by Benjamin (Judg. 20:26), etc. (3.) Penitential mourning, by the Israelites ”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Job — Persecuted, an Arabian patriarch who resided in the land of Uz (q.v.). While living in the midst of great prosperity, he was suddenly overwhelmed by a series of sore trials that fell upon him. Amid all his sufferings he maintained his integrity. Once more God visited him with the rich tokens of his goodness and even greater prosperity than he had enjoyed before. He survived the period of trial for one hundred and forty years, and died in a good old age, an example to succeeding generations of integrity (Ezek. 14:14, 20) and of submissive patience under the sore”
- Job (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Job 2:13: 2:13 Job’s friends sat on the ground to identify with Job’s suffering (see 2:8). • The standard period for mourning the death of a notable person or for acknowledging other disastrous news was seven days and nights (Gen 50:10; 1 Sam 31:13; see also Ezek 3:14-15).”
- Job (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Job 2:13: seven days . . . nights--They did not remain in the same posture and without food, &c., all this time, but for most of this period daily and nightly. Sitting on the earth marked mourning (Lam 2:10). Seven days was the usual length of it (Gen 50:10; Sa1 31:13). This silence may have been due to a rising suspicion of evil in Job; but chiefly because it is only ordinary griefs that find vent in language; extraordinary griefs are too great for utterance. Next: Job Chapter 3”
- Job (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Job 42:16: The Septuagint makes Job live a hundred seventy years after his calamity, and two hundred forty in all. This would make him seventy at the time of his calamity, which added to a hundred forty in Hebrew text makes up two hundred ten; a little more than the age (two hundred five) of Terah, father of Abraham, perhaps his contemporary. Man's length of life gradually shortened, till it reached threescore and ten in Moses' time (Psa 90:10). sons' sons--a proof of divine favor (Gen 50:23; Psa 128:6; Pro 17:6).”
- Job (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Job 2:12: So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights,.... Which was the usual time of mourning, Gen 50:10; not that they were in this posture all this time, without sleeping, eating, or drinking, and other necessaries of life; but they came and sat with him every day and night for seven days and nights running, and sat the far greater part of them with him, conforming themselves to him and sympathizing with him: and none spake a word unto him; concerning his affliction and the cause of it, and what they thought about it; partly through the loss they we”
- Job (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Job 2:13: Their Silence: 13 And they sat with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights; and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his pain was very great. Ewald erroneously thinks that custom and propriety prescribed this seven days' silence; it was (as Eze 3:15) the force of the impression produced on them, and the fear of annoying the sufferer. But their long silence shows that they had not fully realized the purpose of their visit. Their feeling is overpowered by reflection, their sympathy by dismay. It is a pity that they let Job utter the first word, whi”