Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Dave Washburn <dwashbur AT nyx.net>]

Here's the part that has always bugged me: how do you know that these other 
poems aren't renditions or derived from a very old Job story?  I know it's 
chic to assume that the HB came last, but I've never seen a good basis for 
such assumptions.  For that matter, why not conclude that such a theme was 
popular in the ANE and several cultures built stories around it?  There are 
lots of ways to look at this.

On Thursday 10 June 2004 10:56, david.kimbrough AT charter.net wrote:
> Chris,
>
> Job is a Hebrew rendition of a much older poem, "The Righteous Sufferer"
> which is known both in Sumerian and Babylonian.  The basic themes are same,
> a righteous man who performs all of the correct sacrifices and ceremonies
> falls from grace with the gods and suffers terrible afflictions.  He
> struggles to understand how bad things happened to righteous men but
> expresses despair ever knowing.  A little snippet -
>
> My god has forsaken me and disappeared,
> My goddess has failed me and keeps at a distance.
> The benevolent angel who walked beside me has departed,
> My protecting spirit has taken to flight, and is seeking someone else.
> My strength is gone; my appearance has become gloomy;
> My dignity has flown away, my protection made off....
>
>
> David Kimbrough
> San Gabriel
>
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-- 
Dave Washburn
http://www.nyx.net/~dwashbur
Learning about Christianity from a non-Christian
is like getting a kiss over the telephone.