Job

Kathleen M. O'Connor is the William Marcellus McPheeters Professor Emerita of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia, and the author of several books including The Wisdom Literature (Liturgical Press, 1990) and Lamentations and the Tears of the World (Orbis, 2002). She is a past president of the Catholic Biblical Association. Previously, she taught at the Maryknoll School of Theology in New York, and has frequently given courses in Central America, Thailand, Japan, and Ireland.

• CONTENTS Abbreviations    4THE BOOK OF JOBIntroduction    5Text and Commentary    9Prologue (1:1–2:13)    9First Round of Speeches (3:1–14:22)    15Second Round of Speeches (15:1–21:34)    39Third Round of Speeches (22:1–31:40)    54Elihu Speaks (32:1–37:24)    74The Speeches in the Storm (38:1–42:6)    83Epilogue (42:7-17)    98Conclusion    100Review Aids and Discussion Topics    105Index of Citations from the Catechism of the Catholic Church    108

Capturing the power and mystique of the book of Job, Kathleen O'Connor eloquently takes us into the world of pain, suffering, beauty, and wonder that human beings experience in the midst of the human condition. O'Connor unpacks the complicated lives of the text's characters, their relationships with each other and their theologies, while inviting her readers into the mystery of God. Through her study, O'Connor brilliantly shows us how pain, suffering, and struggle can transform us, opening us up to our oneness with all life and the creativity and fecundity of God.Carol J. Dempsey, OP, Professor of Theology (Biblical Studies), University of Portland