Likely during the Patriarchal Period (circa 2000-1800 BC)
The Book of Job is set in a patriarchal society where wisdom literature was a common means of exploring human suffering and divine justice.
The narrative is set in the land of Uz, which is not directly tied to any major political power of the time, allowing the focus to remain on the personal and theological issues rather than political ones.
Uz is thought to be located in the region east of Israel, possibly in Edom or northern Arabia, though its exact location is uncertain.
The society valued wisdom, righteousness, and the fear of God. Suffering was often seen as a result of sin, a belief that Job's friends hold but which Job challenges.
Job
The central figure of the book, a man of great faith and suffering.
- Genesis Chapter 22 (Testing of Abraham)
- Ecclesiastes (Exploration of life's meaning and human suffering)