The place of the book of Job within the Wisdom literature is firmly secured by its themes, content and style. Its literary quality and compelling characters have made it one of the most sublime masterpieces of ancient literature. Yet for all that, it is a book often misunderstood, resulting in the all-too-common belief that it falls short of its goal—thus Bernard Shaw’s quip: “If I complain that I am suffering unjustly, it is no answer to say, ‘Can you make a hippopotamus?’ ” (Baker,