JOB

Biblical Allusions

Satan

In chapter one, Aunt Polly reflects, “…man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble, as the Scripture says, and I reckon it’s so.” She’s obviously familiar with the oldest book in the Bible. Job observes, “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble” […]

Leviathan

Tagged With: , , - MOBY DICK

Entry 116 quotes Ishmael’s description of the interior of a whale, in which he mentions “leviathan.” Though portrayed in Ishmael’s description as a whale, the Biblical Leviathan is a large sea creature described by God Himself in JOB 41 : 1-34 as overwhelming…

Dust to Dust

Tagged With: , - A PSALM OF LIFE

Longfellow’s psalm declares, “Life is real! Life is earnest! / And the grave is not its goal; / Dust thou art, to dust returnest, / Was not spoken of the soul.” Longfellow is correct in that Moses (the human author of Genesis) and the author of the book of Job were not speaking of a […]

Dust to Dust

Tagged With: , , - HAMLET

When Rosencrantz and Gildenstern ask Hamlet what he had done with Polonius’ body, Hamlet replies, “Compounded it with dust, whereto ’tis kin” (IV, ii). GENESIS 2 : 7; 3 : 19; JOB 10 : 9; 33 : 6 and ISAIAH 64 : 8 all testify that not only Adam, but all men are composed of dust and clay.