When was Job written?

Job’s moving response to suffering in his life captures the essence of his story. He declared, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised!” (Job 1:21). For thousands of years, people have resonated with the book of Job and its honest reflections on human suffering. Readers sympathize with Job as he clings to faith amid loss, grief, and confusion. Internal evidence points to Job living during the time of Abraham, but the book itself was probably written either during the time of Moses, around 1440 BC, or Solomon, around 950 BC.

To determine who might have written the book and when, it helps to consider its internal evidence, which provides glimpses of when Job lived. The patriarchal culture—i.e., male leadership of the family and society—suggests the story is set during the time of Abraham. Additionally, the absence of any reference to the Law of Moses supports an early setting for Job’s life. Again, this does not provide a specific date for the book’s composition.

Job’s setting raises the question of who might have recorded his story and when. One reason to consider Moses as the author is that he lived near the land of Uz for 40 years. The opening verse of Job says, “In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil” (Job 1:1). While the exact location of Uz remains uncertain, most scholars place it east of the Jordan River, near Midian. This proximity is significant, as Moses lived in Midian for 40 years between his upbringing in Egypt and his return to confront Pharaoh. According to Exodus, “When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well” (Exodus 2:15). The nearness of Uz and Midian suggests that Moses may have had access to oral traditions or firsthand accounts of Job’s life, which he recorded in the book.

Another reason to consider Moses as the author of Job is his familiarity with the patriarchal period, which he described in Genesis. Marked by unique forms of worship, family structure, and life before the Law of Moses, this era aligns with the cultural and spiritual environment reflected in Job’s story.

Solomon is another candidate for the authorship of Job. Solomon’s authorship would place the book’s composition around 950 BC. While Job takes place in the historical context of Abraham’s life, its literary features align with wisdom literature, a genre marked by poetic structure and profound theological questions. The Old Testament includes four other books in this genre: Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. Solomon contributed significantly to this genre, writing Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and at least two of the psalms (72 and 127). These facts make Solomon worthy of consideration as Job’s author.

After Job’s reflections, questions, and conversations, God speaks, and His words conclude the book (Job 38—41). God begins by asking Job, “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand” (Job 38:4). This question points readers who wrestle with faith amid life’s hardships toward God’s sovereignty and wisdom. Whether Moses or Solomon recorded Job’s story, its composition ensures that future generations would learn and grow from its edifying message.