Sunday, May 3, 2009

The first cycle - a mechanical summary

Job gets the last three chapters (12-14) of the first cycle of speeches. It is moot whether 14 is part of cycle 1 or a stimulus to cycle 2. Here is the summary of who gets what by character so far:

Narrator 1:1 to 3:2 (568 words) - the opening frame for the whole story
Job 3:3-26 (192) - Job's uncreation of self
Narrator 4:1-1 (4)
Eliphaz 4:2 to 5:27 (349) - the lion metaphor; the vision in the night (not a desirable theological explanation); note in chapter 5 the frame link to 14:01 'human is born to misery' reinforcing 14 as part of cycle 1 - or at least carrying on a trope into cycle 2.
Narrator 6:1 (3)
Job 6:2 to 7:21 (397) - Job's first defense against innuendo and minimization of suffering - also his first confession of sin, transgression and iniquity (really Bob?)
Narrator 8:1 (4)
Bildad 8:2-22 (162) - retributive justice and promises of restoration
Narrator 9:1 (3)
Job 9:2 to 10:22 (424) - Job's rejection of 'the obvious' and his prayer stating his case
Narrator 11:1 (4)
Zophar 11:2-20 (143) - restates retributive justice and the benefits of penitence
Narrator 12:1 (3)
Job 12:2 to 14:22 (176+203+176) - quotes and rejects the advice of his friends; he prays his case again in confrontation; restates the human condition with a request for a treasured portion; second confession!

Narrator so far: 589
Eliphaz: 349
Bildad: 162
Zophar: 143 (total for the three 654)
Job: 1568 - Job's book it is!

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