Job is the central character of The Book of Job, he was
one of the three most righteous mortals who ever lived, the others being
Noah and Daniel. In heaven God pointed out Job as "a blameless and upright
man, who fears God and turns away from evil" (Job 1:8). Satan opposed God,
considering that healthy and wealthy Job was only grateful for God's kindness
towards him and provoked God to try Job's faith. God deprived Job of everything:
family, health, and his wealth. Job sat in an ash heap, scraping his painful
open sores. Job's wife proposed that he "curse God, and die", but he refused.
(Job 2:9-10). Then his three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, sat
in silence with him for seven days and nights; they thought that Job should
not protest his innocence but rather confess his sins, for they sincerely
believe that there must be some wrong doing on his part behind his tragedy.
Job defended his innocence against the criticism of the friends and asked
God to judge him. God appeared and criticized Job for pretending in the
course of his protestations to know things only God could know. Job repented
of his arrogance, and God rewarded him with a new family, health and wealth.
See: Albrecht Durer Job
Castigated by His Wife.
Georges de La Tour. Job
and his Wife.
Ilya Repin Job
and his Friends.