The Book of Job illustrated by William Blake

8/9/2019 The Book of Job illustrated by William Blake

1/25

The Book of

J O Bas interpreted in watercolours byWilliam Blake


2/25

The Book of Job

There was a man in the land of Uz whose

name was Job, and that man was blameless andupright, one who feared God and turned awayfrom evil.

[All Scriptures taken from the ESV]


3/25

There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. He possessed 7,000sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very

many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east.


4/25

Now there was a day when thesons of God came to presentthemselves before the LORD,

and Satan also came amongthem. The LORD said to Satan,From where have you come?Satan answered the LORD andsaid, From going to and fro onthe earth, and from walking up

and down on it.


5/25

Your sons and daughterswere eating and drinkingwine in their oldest brother'shouse, and behold, a great

wind came across thewilderness and struck thefour corners of the house, andit fell upon the young people,and they are dead, . . .


6/25

. . . and I alone have escaped to tell you.


7/25

Again there was a daywhen the sons of Godcame to presentthemselves before the

LORD, and Satan alsocame among them topresent himself before theLORD . . .

Have you considered myservant Job, . . . ? He stillholds fast his integrity,although you incited meagainst him to destroyhim without reason.


8/25

And the LORD said to Satan, Behold, he is in your hand; only spare hislife.So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and struck Job with

loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.


9/25

Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him,they came each from his own place, . . . And they raised their voices and

wept, . ..


10/25

Let the day perish on which I was born, and the night that said, A man is

conceived. Let that day be darkness!


11/25

Eliphaz:Amid thoughts from visions of thenight, when deep sleep falls onmen, dread came upon me, andtrembling, which made all my

bones shake. A spirit glided pastmy face; the hair of my flesh stoodup. It stood still, but I could notdiscern its appearance. A form was

before my eyes; there was silence,then I heard a voice: Can mortalman be in the right before God?Can a man be pure before hisMaker?


12/25

Job:When I say, My bed will comfort me, my couch will ease mycomplaint,then you scare me with dreams and terrify me with visions,

so that I would choose strangling and death rather than my bones.


13/25

Eliphaz:. . .you aredoing away with thefear of God and

hinderingmeditation beforeGod. For youriniquity teaches yourmouth, and youchoose the tongue of

the crafty. Your ownmouth condemns

you, and not I; yourown lips testifyagainst you. Are you

the first man whowas born? Or wereyou brought forthbefore the hills?Have you listened inthe council of God?


14/25

Elihu: I am young in years, and you are aged; therefore I was timid and

afraid to declare my opinion to you.


15/25

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: Who is thisthat darkens counsel by words without knowledge?


16/25

Where were you when I laidthe foundation of the earth?Tell me, if you have

understanding. Whodetermined its measurementssurely you know! Or whostretched the line upon it? On

what were its bases sunk, orwho laid its cornerstone, whenthe morning stars sangtogether and all the sons ofGod shouted for joy?


17/25


18/25

Behold, Behemoth, which Imade as I made you; he eats

grass like an ox. Behold, hisstrength in his loins, and hispower in the muscles of his

belly.( . . . )Can you draw out Leviathan

with a fishhook or press downhis tongue with a cord? Can

you put a rope in his nose orpierce his jaw with a hook?

Will he make many pleas toyou? Will he speak to you soft

words? Will he make acovenant with you to take himfor your servant forever?


19/25

Job: I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, butnow my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, andrepent in dust and ashes.


20/25

And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not todeal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what

is right, as my servant Job has.


21/25

Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known himbefore ... And each of them gave him a piece of money and a ring of gold.


22/25

And the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. ... Hehad also seven sons and three daughters.


23/25

And he called the name of the first daughter Jemimah (dove),and the name of the second Keziah (cassia), and the name of the third

Keren-happuch (eye liner). And in all the land there were no women sobeautiful as Jobs daughters.

NOTE:This is not part of the same set, and is done in tempera, not watercolours.


24/25

The Artist:William Blake

1757 - 1827


25/25

The End

Produced by

Andr De Winne

Documents

The Book of Job illustrated by William Blake