Job Leaves an Inheritance for His Daughters (Job 42:13-15)

Job does something stunning in the aftermath of his ordeal. He leaves his daughters an inheritance, along with his sons (Job 42:15). Leaving an inheritance to female children was unheard of in the Ancient Near East, much as it was illegal in much of Europe right up to modern times. What could have caused Job to take this unprecedented step? Did his sorrow that he could do nothing for his deceased daughters give him the resolve to do everything he could for his living daughters? Was his grief the engine that drove him through the social barriers against women’s equality in this regard? Did his suffering open his heart to others’ suffering? Or were his obstreperous demands to know God’s justice answered by a higher understanding of God’s love for women and men? We cannot know the cause, but we can see the results. If nothing else in this life, the result of our suffering may be others’ liberation.

Epilogue — Job’s Prosperity Restored (Job 42:7-17), Theology of Work Project, Copyright © 2014 Theology of Work Project, Inc. Also find this article in Theology of Work Bible Commentary, Volume 2: Joshua through Song of Songs. For additional resources, please see The Theology of Work Project Series.