Uz and Job

I. Job lived sometime after Noah but before Abraham. He lived in Uz. Job 1:1. The exact location is unknown, but probably is in the area of Job’s three friends and in the area where one of the two Uz’s in the Bible settled. We also know that Job is identified with the men of the East. Job 1:3.

a. The two Uz’s.

i. One Uz was a son of Aram, the son of Shem, thus the grandson of Noah. Aram was the founder of the Aramaens in northern Mesopotamia. Genesis 10:23.

ii. The other Uz was a child of Dishan who was the son of Seir, the Horite. Genesis 36:20, 21, 28. Mount Seir was probably given its name from its original inhabitant, Seir. Since Seir is a descendant of Esau and Esau is Edom (Genesis 36:8,9). Edom in Lamentations 4:21 is associated with the land of Uz, yet a separate entity. Jeremiah 25:20-21.

b. The locations of Job’s three friends.

i. Eliphaz was a Temanite. Teman is in the vicinity of Bozrah, at one time the capital of Idumea. Amos 1:12. It seems to be the northern section of Edom. Ezekiel 25:13.

ii. Bildad was Shuhite. The location of the Shuhites is unknown.

iii. Zophar was a Naamathite. Naaman was probably in or near the Ghor, a valley which extends from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Akaba. Joshua 15:41.

c. The East.

i. Generally, the East stood for the region east of the Euphrates. Genesis 29:1.

ii. But for those who lived in Palestine it probably meant anyone who lived east of the Jordan.

d. Therefore, Job probably lived south and east of the Dead Sea.