"Childlessness and Infertility in Job and Ugaritic Literature"

Wisdom in Israelite and Cognate Traditions Section

11/17/2018 from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM

The Colorado Convention Center (CC) - 705 (Street Level) 

Childlessness is considered a sign of divine judgment in the Bible (cf. Gen 20:18). Thus, it is unsurprising that Job’s friends would point this out in the second round of speeches and insinuate through metaphors that he has lost his children because of his wrongdoing. Understanding the second round of speeches of Job in light of Ugaritic literature provides a backdrop to discern the severity of Job’s companions’ metaphors relating to childlessness and infertility, while illuminating Job’s claims regarding the quantity, safety, and joy of the children of the wicked (21:8-9, 11-12).