The Prophet and the Sage: Intertextual Connections between Habakkuk and Job

Job and Habakkuk represent the Bible’s most focused interlocutors on the concepts of justice and theodicy. Both works center upon men chosen by God who see and suffer evil (Job 1:8, cf. Hab 1:1). Both books record the cries of these men as they wrestled to make sense of the world in which they lived (Job 3, cf. Hab 1:2–4). While they have a passing similarity, what if there is something more fundamental to their connection? What if these books are not merely two unconnected discourses on suffering, but linked in a significant way? By examining the texts themselves, this study explores the possibility that a textual relationship exists between portions of Habakkuk and Job and how the underlying transformation of Job’s theodicy shapes Habakkuk’s dialogue with God.

Brian grew up in Arizona, by way of Georgia and Illinois, and has been teaching at Grand Canyon University since 2016. He has a degree in Computer Information Systems, an M.Div. in Biblical Communication, a Th.M. in pedagogy, and a Ph.D. in Old Testament studies. He and his high school sweetheart, now wife, Hannah, have three children. You will find him reading, writing, playing games (video or tabletop), and watching sports for fun. Board gaming is a passion and hobby of his, and he is a faculty co-advisor for GCU's board game club.