JO'ASH, or JEHO'ASH (Heb. Yehiish). (1) King of Judah. son of Ahaziah (c.836-796 me.). On the death of Ahaziah. Athaliah, his mother, massacred all the royal children except Joash, an infant of one year, who was saved by his aunt. Jehosheba. and kept in hiding by her for six years, during which time Athaliah gov erned the land (IT. Kings xi. 1-3). in the seventh year .Joash, by the help of Jehoiada, the high priest, was put upon the throne (II. Kings xi. 4-16). Joash reigned forty years (Ti. Kings xii. 1). We know hut little of his long reign. The most noteworthy (vent recorded was his conflict with Hazael. King of Syria (II. King-4 xii. 18-19). :leash was murdered by his servants (IT. Kings xii. 20-21) and was succeeded by son Amaziah. It has been suggested that the assassination of the King may have been an act of private vengeance for his murder of Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, the priest (T1. Chron. xxiv. 21). The references to religious conditions under Joash in Kings and Chronicles. where the King is represented as instituting religious reforms at the beginning of his reign and reverting to 'idolatry' subsequently, are believed by sonic not to rest upon genuine tradition. (2) King of Israel. son and successor of .Tehoahaz (e.797-783 mc.). Be was one of the most warlike kings of the North (IL Kings xiii. 12. 25), and during his reign of seventeen years (ib. 1) he brought. the Kingdom of Judah to a position of vassalage.
His victory over Amaziali was followed by his breaking down of the wall of Jerusalem (ib. xiv.
JOB (deb. lyyob). The hero of the Book of Job, which stands third in the third division of the Old Testament, known as liciltuhim or Thigh). glapha—according to the Jewish Canon. The Book of Job in its present form belongs to that division of ancient Ilebrew literature which is commonly designated Wisdom Literature, and which. including such books as Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. is didactic in purpose and concerned with discussions or considerations of the prob lems of life. In the Book of .1(4) the problem is the cause of suffering. As a setting for the phil osophical discussions on this problem. the fol
lowing situation is assumed. A pious man by the name of Job. whose home is in the land of Uz and who is blessed with wealth and children. is put to a severe test by God at the instance of Satan. who raises the suspicion that Job's piety is connected with his prosperity. Job is deprived of his possessions and of his children, but re mains pious and God-fearing. Satan, not yet satisfied, proposes as a severer test striking Job with a painful and loathsome disease. Job en dures in silence and 1.,signation. resisting, the temptation suggested by his wife to 'curse God' and make an end of Ids sufferings. Three friends conic to visit him. Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite (chap ters i.-ii., containing the prologue. told merely to put the situation before the reader). There now begins a series of discourses (chapters iii.-xxxi.) between Job and his three friends. ,lob bewailing his sufferings and declaring that lie does not merit the heaped upon hint, his friends answering, in turn and trying to prove. each in his way, that suffering is due to guilt. are cycles of speeches and replies. though the last. eyele is not as complete as the other two. Chapters xxxii.-xxxvii. introduce a fourth personage, El illth who endeavors to con vince Job of his error in questioning the justice of divine government (chapters xxxviii.-xlii. Yahweh _Himself is brought in as the speaker. Job for his presumption in attempting to fathom the secrets of God, and demonstrating the limitations of human power. Job in reply cenfesses his ignorance and his error in giving utterance to words without insight. The book closes (chapter xlii. 7-17) with an epilogue in which the three friend: are rebuked by Yahweh; they are ordered to bring an offering of seven bullocks and seven rains in the presence of .Tob. who is to intercede with Yahweh on their behalf. As for Job. his property is restored to him and increased. twofold, and seven sons and three daughters are born to hint: he dies happy and full of years.