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And in addition, what is the basis behind the popular notion that it was set in the 2000s BC, also the same time period that Abraham allegedly lived in according to a conservative model of the Bible's timeline?

Does the text itself and history (Biblical and secular) indicate this? Thanks.

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    Possible duplicate of What is the literary genre of Job: history or story?
    – curiousdannii ♦
    Jul 6, 2019 at 9:10
  • Why do we assume that ancient text is fictional? What we learn as Greek mythology in the west is taught as Greek history even to this day in Greek schools. I’d really like to see fictional ancient writings that the ancients themselves knew for a fact was entirely made up and had no semblance of reality. It seems that we have imputed onto the text incredulity whereas to the ancients it was historical and factual. Talking donkeys, human swallowing fish, hungry lions not feasting, one man carrying the gates of the city, twins one hairy as a goat and red the other normal, giants, angels and so on
    – Nihil Sine Deo
    Jul 6, 2019 at 17:57
  • I never assumed that because a text was ancient, that it had to be fictional. This is a genetic fallacy. There's good reasons to argue whether the Book of Job was history or parable, because of the uncertainity of the book's location, the uncertain time period (like once upon a time) etc.
    – AngelusVastator
    Jul 7, 2019 at 6:05

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Since events occurring in heaven, and since utterances spoken by God himself, are recorded in the book of Job, it becomes a matter of faith, not historical "proof", that these things actually occurred.

Otherwise, it will be regarded as a "story". This applies to all scripture, not just the book of Job.

There are some other famous (or infamous) books on earth that purport to be 'revelations' to individuals but when I looked into these, as a teenager, I immediately rejected them as they were illogical and were clearly imitations of scripture, not real expressions of the one true God.

But there is not a single verse stated in the entire book of Job that would suggest the narrative is anything other than recorded fact. The assertion that it is a "story" is actually a suggestion that the entire book is a lie. Thus, as I say, it becomes a matter of faith whether one receives that which the book conveys.

Having put almost the entire book into English poetry, accurately in 850 verses, I am familiar with every single verse of it and if there was a hint that it was not stated fact, I think I would be aware of it.

The apostle James makes a statement that I would say is a statement of fact, not of allegorical representation :

Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. [James 5:11, KJV.]

The end of the Lord would not be 'seen' if the statements were not true facts. The end of the Lord would only be allegorically 'represented', otherwise.

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    I would only add that the author of the scriptures is the Holy Spirit, and He does not lie (Psa. 31:5; 33:4; 57:10; 86:11, etc). Having seen all of human history, He has no need to make up stories.
    – Gina
    Jul 6, 2019 at 17:37
  • There are numerous places in the OT with invented stories such as 2 Samuel 12:1-4, 2 Samuel 14:1-11, 1 Kings 20:35-40, Isaiah 5:1-7, Ezekiel 17:3-10, 19:2-9, 24:3-5, etc. This cannot be used to make Job factual. I believe it is factual for other reasons.
    – user25930
    Jul 8, 2019 at 22:19
  • @Mac'sMusings I have gone through your list in detail and I cannot fine one example of a narrative that purports to be fact but isn't. There are obvious deceitful scenarios constructed to deceive, there are obvious allegories which do not purport to be fact, but are deliberate allegories. None of them has any similarity to the book of Job or any similarity to what some postulate of the book of job. I cannot find one text in your list which is relevant to the topic under discussion.
    – Nigel J
    Jul 9, 2019 at 11:10

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