Beware of Behemoth and Leviathan

The book of Job is unique in that it is the only Old Testament book that is wholly dedicated to the problem of suffering – using Job’s suffering as a paradigm. In this respect, there are five viewpoints about suffering (those of Job, his wife, and his three friends) in the prose narrative (1:1–2:13; 42:7–17), and six viewpoints (those of Job, his three friends, Elihu, and God) in the poetic debate (3:1–42:6). Insofar as God’s response is concerned, it is often argued that God has no divine solution to the problem of (Job’s) suffering and has therefore resorted to divine intimation. This essay argues that God does indeed offer a divine perspective of the problem of suffering, and it is to be found in God’s speech about Behemoth and Leviathan (40:15–41:34) – creatures with monstrous power, capable of creating great havoc, which only God can control. Insofar as they are creatures created by God, they are not dangerous or evil in themselves. Bad experiences only occur when humans fail to ignore their potential for evil, thinking that they can fiddle with them and get away scot-free. Suffering, as a result of human disregard, is almost certain, and it has nothing to do with God.Mieć się na baczności przed Behemotem i LewiatanemKsięga Hioba jest wyjątkową księgą Starego Testamentu, która w całości jest poświęcona cierpieniu – przy czym cierpienie Hioba jest tu paradygmatem. W Prologu i w Epilogu można dostrzec kilka różnych punktów widzenia odnośnie do cierpienia. Gdy chodzi o Boga, to wielu komentatorów uważa, że nie daje On żadnego rozwiązania dla problemu cierpienia (Hioba). Pang przekonuje, że w tekście zostaje ukazana Boża perspektywa odnośnie do tego zagadnienia. Jego zdaniem można ją wyczytać we fragmencie o Behemocie i Lewiatanie (40:15–41:34). Artykuł skupia się na tym właśnie fragmencie, eksponując inny – Boży – sposób podejścia do kwestii cierpienia